Are you feeling anxiety and depression about starting a new job? Know that you’re not alone. Learn 5 ways you can better cope with these feelings, so you’ll start on the right foot.
Starting a new job can be a turning point filled with anticipation and excitement. But as your expectations grow, you might feel insecure or worried about what comes next. That uncertainty can make room for anxiety and depression long before your first day of work.
When you are unemployed or unhappy at work, a job opportunity can be the light at the end of the tunnel. A much-awaited fresh start. It can also be a progression in your career. A chance to prove yourself and get the recognition you worked for. Either way, it can be a big change in your life.
If you already struggle with anxiety and depression, starting a new job can add extra levels of stress and nervousness. On the other hand, feeling worried about starting in a new workplace with new people and responsibilities can trigger the onset of these symptoms.
While some new job anxiety is inevitable, it doesn’t mean you should ignore it. Acknowledging your fears and emotions can help you feel better and make a healthier transition.
Is it Normal to Feel Anxiety and Depression about Starting a New Job?
New roles can be frightening even to the most experienced professionals. While different people have different reactions, it is normal to experience a mix of emotions, even if they seem contradictory. From one moment to the next, you may feel confident, overwhelmed, hopeful, and unsure.
We all can relate to feeling anxious or nervous about new situations or change in general. Adjusting to a new job brings on challenges — sometimes out of your comfort zone — and interferes with different areas of your life.
You might be anxious about meeting new people and fitting in. Or wonder about the workplace environment and leadership style of your new boss. You can also be concerned about your ability to be up to the task, dreading the idea of failing this opportunity. Or carry around disappointments of previous experiences that can drag you down.
For all these, experiencing some anxiety, or even depression, about starting a new job can be expected. So, connect your attention to what you are feeling and avoid hushing it up until it becomes too big to handle.
5 Tips to Overcome Anxiety and Depression after Starting a New Job
1. Identify what is making you anxious
The first step to coping with anxiety and depression about your new job is understanding what is triggering you. What exactly are you worried about? Are you afraid your job performance won’t be good enough? Are you dreading speaking in meetings or presenting results?
Once you pinpoint the sources of your distress, it will be easier to think of ways to manage it. For example, if you are worried about your new responsibilities, you can talk with your boss about what’s expected from you. If you are stressed about not fitting in, ask a colleague to help you get acquainted or connect with employees that are also starting at the company.
If you find it hard to identify what is bordering you, talking with a therapist can help you gain more insight and clarity.
2. Get to know your colleagues
Even if you are not a very sociable person, connecting with your co-workers can help ease your nerves and make you feel more confident. Your new colleagues can help you navigate the company dynamics and give you all the inside information to help smooth your transition into this new role.
Also, having someone to eat lunch with and chat up during work can help you feel more excited and motivated to face the daily workload.
3. Use anxiety as a tool
Uncomfortable as it may feel, anxiety is not always a bad thing. It can help us prepare for the challenge we are about to face. In fact, a study found that people who understand their anxiety are more likely to thrive on it and use it to achieve their goals.
Having some anxiety when starting a new job will keep us on our toes and help us take action to ensure our success. Keeping hold of anxiety can be a positive way to motivate yourself to do well at your new job.
On the other hand, if anxiety escalates to feeling paralyzed or overwhelmed by everything that can go wrong, it might be helpful to talk with a professional.
4. Ask questions
While you might feel that asking questions will leave people thinking you don’t know everything, or even regret hiring you in the first place, nobody expects you to have it all figured out right away. (And if they do, maybe that’s something on them and not your responsibility.)
Learning new tasks and new ways of doing things takes time. Asking questions not only shows initiative but helps build confidence and rapport with your teammates. When you ask someone to help you, you are letting them know that you’re interested in learning and that you trust their abilities to guide you.
5. Talk with a therapist
As much as anxiety can be a natural response to starting a new job — and can even be positive — that doesn’t mean it should last. If after the first weeks, you still feel the weight of anxiety, it may be worth trying a new approach.
If you ignore these symptoms, they can build up and get in the way of, not only your work but your whole life. Over time, untreated stress and anxiety can contribute to a lack of motivation, frustration, and sleep problems, and worsen other health issues, including depression.
A therapist can help you explore your worries, along with other factors that might be piling on your anxiety. And also, find ways to make you feel secure and confident in your new workplace.
Anxiety and Depression Treatment in Baltimore, MD
Have you been struggling with anxiety or depression about starting a new job? Or maybe you’ve been delaying taking this step out of worry or insecurity?
Understanding your triggers and fears is the first step to conquering the new challenges in your career. Our Baltimore therapists can help you to prepare for this new role and come up with strategies that work for you. Talk to us to know more!
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