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When most people hear the term PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), they associate it with soldiers returning from war zones or individuals who have survived violent or life-threatening events, but trauma can be caused by any event that is distressing to an individual.
In the case of workplace discrimination and retaliation, the individual incidents may seem minor, but the repetitive nature over an extended period of time can break down an individual’s ability to emotionally process and cope with what is happening to them. The individual may find themselves feeling trapped in a state of distress if they’re unable to leave for economic reasons and their escalations fail to prevent the ongoing harm being inflicted. As a result, shutting down emotionally becomes the only option for them to survive.
The Unseen Trauma: PTSD from Workplace Discrimination
Work is more than just a place we spend eight hours a day — it’s not uncommon for employees to spend more time with those they work with than their own families and for many individuals, especially in the United States, our title has become a significant part of our identity. As a result, a threat to our career can feel like a threat to our safety not only because it threatens our income and livelihood, but because it threatens a core part of who we are as a person. Adding in the fact that discrimination is targeted based on characteristics we can’t control and the targeted attacks can tear at the very fabric of an individual’s self-worth.
Because of this, discrimination and retaliation shifts our perception of the world, it can strip us of the motivation and joy we may have previously felt in our careers and leave us feeling as if we will not and cannot succeed because of things about ourselves that we cannot change. Add in the fact that those around a victim may distance themselves in an attempt to protect their own careers from also becoming a target and the victim also faces isolation and further confusion as they question if the discrimination is something their causing or something happening to them.
Considering all of this, it’s not surprising that a once motivated person may find they no longer believe that hard work will pay off and as a result, may lose their drive to participate in the workforce in the same way they did previously. This can lead to PTSD when feelings of immense sadness and loss for their career have to be forcibly suppressed as the individual focuses on surviving each day. Since this suppression is temporary those buried emotions remain intact, ready to resurface once the individual exits the situation.
For me, I described this period as “being in a fog.” At the time I didn’t even realize I was in a fog until it lifted during my FMLA. I had shut down emotionally, because it wasn’t possible to process the grief, anger, despair and still function at work each day. Over a year later and I still look back at this period with sadness, because shutting down meant I stopped living all together. While suppressing my emotions allowed me to temporarily silence the negative feelings, it also shut down hope, curiosity and joy. As a result, I stopped living my life and became a shell of myself personally and professionally.
But that’s what discrimination and retaliation in the workplace does. Over time it becomes all consuming, draining a victim of every ounce of energy left and leaving them with nothing left to give themselves or loved ones. It is no wonder that sadly, many lose their lives to this fight.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder After Workplace Discrimination
Workplace trauma, much like other forms of trauma, can lead to a range of symptoms that persist long after the victim leaves the discriminatory workplace. Some common signs include:
Hypervigilance: Feelings of paranoia and a lack of trust that leaves you scanning for threats among your new coworkers and leaders.
Avoidance: Unable to build connections with new coworkers and leaders like you did in previous workplaces.
Intrusive Thoughts or Flashbacks: Recurring memories of discriminatory incidents easily triggered by unrelated events, including those that only slightly resemble experiences in the previous toxic workplace.
Emotional Numbness: Feeling detachment from work and your career. No longer being invested in your own success or interested in career advancement.
Self-Doubt and Low Self-Esteem: Questioning your abilities, worth, or even your right to exist in a certain space.
Depression / Anxiety: Feelings of despair and apprehension that continue after you leave the discriminatory environment.
Why PTSD from Discrimination is Often Overlooked
Many victims of workplace discrimination endure a slow build-up of stress over months or years, sometimes not even realizing themselves the depths of their distress until they’re already in a state of emotional collapse. This extended trauma can make it difficult to pinpoint when the breaking point occurred, resulting in many victims struggling to describe the traumatic experience and why they are left with such lasting negative consequences.
And since workplace discrimination doesn’t fit into the boxes we typically associate with PTSD, it is not uncommon for victims struggling with the effects to be told to “just get over it.” Unfortunately, this not only adds to the suffering and isolation of victims, it limits the number of people willing to speak out about what they are going through as they work through the trauma.
All of this is why finding the right support system is crucial. For me, I truly don’t know if I’d be here today if it wasn’t for the support system around me and an incredible, understanding psychiatrist. If you find yourself relating to this post, I encourage you to seek support, whether that’s professional help, connecting with others who’ve faced similar experiences, pursuing legal action or informing loved ones you need to be able to lean on them more than normal.
Whatever you do, know that your trauma is valid and be kind to yourself as you heal.
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