How to Tell If Your Job is Making You Sick and What to Do About It

Did you know that your job can make you sick? Well, it can and in different ways. Many people do not even realize it is making them sick, they become so used to a situation that they just keep going. However, it can be very dangerous to ignore the signs and symptoms of a job that is making you ill because these signs and symptoms can mushroom into more serious health problems down the road.

So, how can you tell if your job is making you ill? There are a couple of ways because there are a couple of types of illness that can occur from your job. The first is stress related illness, and the second is environmental illness.

Stress related illness is exactly what it sounds like, a stressful job that is so upsetting that it is manifesting itself in physical symptoms. Some of the signs of stress related illness can be dreading going to work each day, not being able to eat while you're at work, and not sleeping well to name a few. If you are experiencing these symptoms then you need to be paying attention, because they are only the beginning.

If you are experiencing the beginning symptoms of stress related illness as mentioned above, there are a few things you can do. The main one being that you need to learn how to relax and learn how to not take your work home with you. One way to facilitate this is to take a yoga class. Yoga teaches your body how to slow down and relax. It also teaches you how to breath properly when you are stressed. Meditation is a second tool you can utilize to stay less stressed, even if you only take a couple of five minute periods to go and sit somewhere that it is quiet and meditate each day, you will feel better. Finally, make an effort to leave thoughts of work at work. When you come home, tell yourself, "I'm home now, work is at work, and now I'm going to do things that I enjoy." By telling yourself this each time you reach your front door, you will train your mind to not bring your work home with you.

But what if your symptoms are worse than the beginning ones? What if you've progressed to the point where just the thought of going to work, and or talking with your boss or co-workers causes your palms to sweat, for you to have hot flashes, for you to feel as though you are having a heart attack, and or for you to be having panic attacks.

If the symptoms have become this severe, then you need to address whether or not the job is worth keeping. Sometimes it feels as though you have no choice because maybe you are a single parent with no savings, or the only parent who is working. However, the truth is, you always have a choice even if it doesn't feel like it. If you simply cannot leave the job until you can find another which of course is even more added stress, then try the following. Learn yoga, and meditation and begin using them right away. There are tapes, and books galore at the library that can teach you both, so there is really no reason you should have to spend the money on a class, although you can if you want to. My next piece of advice would be to find a good therapist. By good, I mean one who is willing to work with you without the use of drugs. I say this because the problem with drugs is they can become a crutch, and I found personally that I did better without them. This is my personal opinion based on my own experiences, but I have met others who feel the same. Lastly, once you begin to feel as though you have a handle on it such that you are able to leave work at work, sleep, eat properly, and the therapist is helping you to work things out mentally, then decide if you want to begin looking for another job. Sometimes you will implement these things and you will feel so much better that you will decide to stay where you are, and that is fine, but you should also leave open the possibility of seeking other employment.

Now, there is a second type of illness that has to do with your working environment. By this I actually mean the building you work in, the furniture you use and that sort of thing. The actual physical environment. Sadly, some people develop severe allergies to things that are commonly used in our physical environment. It can be something as simple as glue used to help put a desk together, to fibers that a rug is made out of. I've also known people who are highly allergic to just about anything chemical including perfumes, colognes, and household, as well as industrial cleansers. When this happens, if a person even gets a whiff of something chemical they can have reactions as severe as fainting from the odors. But it can also be more subtle such as getting major headaches at work, or having nausea from the smell of new carpeting. If it is an ongoing thing where the symptoms appear to be getting progressively worse, or even just staying at a level of discomfort that makes it hard for you to work, then you need to see a doctor. However, before you do that check with your co-workers and find out if anyone else is suffering as you are. You may find that several people are suffering the same or similar symptoms but who were afraid to say anything for fear they were the only ones. If you do find more than one person see if you can get the others to see their doctor as well. With your doctor's help try to discover the culprit for the environmentally induced illness. Hopefully, if this can be discovered, you can all take your information to your company and see what can be done about eliminating the problem.

Not all companies are going to want to cooperate though, even if there is more than one person complaining. If you are dealing with a company who refuses to do anything about the problem even in the face of overwhelming evidence, then you have a couple of options. You can stay at your job and try to control the symptoms with medication or however your doctor suggests. You can look for another job, although as you know there is no guarantee that this will solve the problem for you because you could wind up at another company with the same or similar environmental factors. Or you can talk to a lawyer and see what your legal options are. Whatever path you decide on, the important thing is to find a way to control or eliminate your symptoms.

There is no reason you should have to suffer while on the job or in a job that is making you ill. There are always options. So, the next time you find yourself experiencing any of the symptoms of on-the-job illness spoken of here, remember this and do what you have to protect yourself and your health.