My entire life I have suffered from anxiety, especially in the mornings. My anxiety does not require a trigger — it is a mental health condition I have lived with my entire life. It was not until I was thirty-eight that I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), the term for excessive and persistent worry from real or perceived threats.
When I was young, you did not talk about mental health conditions. Suffering from mental health conditions was considered a weakness. You could be shunned or made to feel like an outcast. My mother told friends and family I dealt with a nervous stomach. While true, it was an acceptable explanation.
Almost 3% of the population has been diagnosed with GAD, and about 6% will experience it at some point in their lives. In contrast, stress and anxiety in the workplace are far more widespread. On any given day, 80% of employees report stress or anxiety that undermines productivity, and 60% experience exhaustion, irritability, sleeplessness, and related symptoms.
Many well-known and highly successful individuals live with persistent anxiety – among them Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX), Arianna Huffington (HuffPost), Brian Chesky (Airbnb), Sheryl Sandburg (Former COO, Meta), Ben Silbermann (Pinterest), Kendra Scott, Stewart Butterfield (Slack), Adele, Evan Williams (Twitter, Medium), Selena Gomez, Howard Schultz (Starbucks), Rihanna, Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Oprah, Tim Cook (Apple), Bob Iger (Disney), Sara Blakely (Founder, Spanx), Reed Hastings (Netflix), Warren Buffet, Isaac Newton, Kevin O’Leary (SharkTank). And the list could go on.
Throughout my life, I have prayed for my anxiety to go away, but to no avail. Sometimes the only way forward is to work through our pain. And while persistent anxiety is a difficult, life‑altering condition, it can also carry unexpected advantages.
If you live with anxiety, it is important to recognize that your condition can also bring meaningful strengths. A wide range of research shows that people with GAD often develop valuable attributes in the workplace, including:
- Culture – Tend to create cultures where others feel supported.
- Awareness – Heightened sensitivity to the tone in the room and interpersonal dynamics.
- Anticipation – Ability to anticipate problems early and prevent mistakes.
- Preparation – With a fear of making mistakes, they are prone to over prepare and tend to have contingency plans.
- Team Builder – Ability to create, support, and maintain great teams that are effective and difference makers.
- Peacemaker – Understand opposing views and work to prevent or resolve conflicts.
- Psychological Safety – Sensitive to the needs of coworkers and understand the importance of teams who can safely express their opinions and ideas without fear.
- Coaching – Motivation to invest in coworkers and direct reports through mentoring and coaching.
If you suffer from anxiety or another mental health condition, find a way to use your pain to help others. Sharing your struggles can help those who feel isolated and think they are the only ones who suffer from anxiety. Hopefully, my willingness to talk about my pain will help you in your life and work.
LifeatWork 