The Impact of Tech Industry Pressure on OCD Symptoms in Seattle
If you live in Seattle, chances are high that you work in the tech industry. Seattle’s tech sector, home to giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and countless startups, has seen exponential growth in recent years – employing around 1 in 7 working Seattle residents[1].
However, beneath the glitz and glamour of Seattle’s tech industry, there is a hidden and darker reality: the toll it may be taking on the mental health of its employees.
Seattle’s tech industry is known for its high-stakes, high-stress work environments. Long hours, relentless deadlines, and the constant drive for innovation can often create a unique situation that can be harmful to your mental health. Because of this stress, people who live with mental health conditions – including obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD – may find their symptoms get worse.
In this article, we’ll delve into the possible link between the high-stress, fast-paced world of Seattle’s tech industry and the onset or exacerbation of OCD symptoms. We’ll explore how the intense demands of these workplaces are linked to OCD and go over strategies that tech companies can use to promote mental wellness among their employees.
What does OCD look like in the workplace?
There are many misconceptions out there about OCD, including among mental health professionals. The media showcases OCD as a “quirky” disorder that leads people to require cleanliness and order. Although contamination and organization obsessions can be one part of OCD for some, this is far from a complete description of OCD.
OCD is a severe mental illness characterized by two principal symptoms: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, or sensations that are highly disturbing and frightening to the person with OCD. They respond to these obsessions with compulsions or repetitive behaviors that are caused by the need to reduce anxiety and fear.
These obsessions and compulsions can be about anything, from contaminating yourself on a dirty doorknob to whether you might kill your family members.
It’s important to clarify what OCD is because when it’s misunderstood as a “disorder” of cleanliness and perfectionism, managers may not take it seriously. Some managers might even mistake OCD for something that helps employees be more organized and productive.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth. When left untreated, OCD can become severely debilitating and significantly decrease productivity at work. Your employees could be plagued with fears about whether they may have run somebody over on their way to work or whether they will spread a deadly disease to their loved ones.
They may also spend significant time at work performing compulsions. For example, they could spend hours in the bathroom washing their hands, counting things repeatedly, or refusing to send emails until they’ve checked them over hundreds of times.
The reality is OCD significantly affects quality of life and has a negative impact at work and home. It’s not about having a neat and organized employee. It likely prevents your employees from performing well and meeting their true potential.
The link between high-stress environments and OCD
There is a highly documented link between high stress levels and worsening OCD symptoms. Research suggests stress is associated with OCD; people with OCD are more likely to report high levels of stress, and vice versa.
The authors of one study described the possible neurological links between stress and OCD, explaining stress impacts certain areas in the brain (like the prefrontal cortex and amygdala) also affected by OCD[2].
Stress does not cause OCD on its own. OCD is a complex mental health disorder and has no singular cause. However, for people who are already genetically or temperamentally predisposed to OCD, stress may cause them to go over the edge.
The tech industry and OCD
So, what does this mean for tech industry workers?
Reports also show our nation’s tech workers are under intense pressure and face high workplace stress. One study found tech workers are five times more likely to have depression than the general public[3]. Two in 5 workers want to quit their jobs due to excessive demands and poor work-life balance[4]. Women in the industry face even higher rates of stress and burnout.
Some of the stressors tech workers face include:
Tight deadlines
Poor work-life balance
Job insecurity
Overly high expectations
Heavy workload
Toxic workplace culture
Lack of career progression
This unforgiving, high-stress work environment could spell disaster for employees living with OCD. The high amounts of stress and unforgiving schedule could trigger OCD symptoms as well as take time away from treatment and self-care.
This doesn’t mean people with OCD couldn’t or shouldn’t work in tech. OCD can be very effectively treated, and you can also learn healthy ways to manage stress.
What jobs are best suited for people with OCD?
People with OCD can and do succeed in any job, just like anyone else. Each person with OCD is unique, and your best job will depend on your strengths, weaknesses, goals, and preferences.
It also depends on how well you have learned to manage your OCD symptoms. People who have been in treatment for a long time may be able to handle higher levels of stress without experiencing a worsening in their symptoms.
If you’re still in the beginning stages of your OCD treatment journey, then high-stress jobs like tech may be challenging to cope with. It’s critical to practice essential self-care, stick to your treatment plan, and reach out to your support network.
How can tech companies support their employees with OCD?
If you’re a tech employer, consider implementing the following strategies to ensure a healthy workplace, not only for your employees with OCD but for everyone on the team.
Focus on worker autonomy
One of the factors employees most value is their job autonomy. This includes flexibility in where, when, and how they work. Having more autonomy over their tasks can lessen the risk of workplace burnout. Flexibility can also allow employees with OCD to participate in treatment without having to sacrifice work performance.
You can provide more worker autonomy by allowing employees to work from home or encouraging flexible work hours.
Promote good work-life balance
With the pressures of the tech industry, work-life balance can sometimes go out the window. But in the long run, this only decreases productivity and harms morale. Work-life balance is vital for employees with OCD. They need time to manage stress levels, practice self-care, and attend treatment.
Promote a healthy work-life balance in your company, and model this behavior for employees.
Create a stigma-free workplace environment
One of the most exhausting things about living with OCD is feeling the need to hide symptoms from everyone around you. This pressure can feel even more intense in a workplace that isn’t openly accepting of mental health issues.
Do what you can to create a workplace environment free of mental health stigma. Have open conversations about mental health with your team. Make it known you will never punish someone for living with a mental health condition. Be careful of your language – for example, never use “OCD” as a joke.
Encourage treatment
Finally, encourage any employee with OCD to get proper treatment. OCD does not go away on its own. Although there is no cure, OCD symptoms can be managed. Very effective treatment methods exist that can help people with OCD live happy, fulfilled, and productive lives.
Our OCD treatment program at The Center • A Place of HOPE has helped people recover from the cycle of obsessions and compulsions for many years. If OCD is getting in the way of doing the work you want to do, you deserve to get help.
We also offer a specialized, highly confidential, and exclusive treatment program for high achievers and executives needing more privacy and security. We can help you learn how to manage OCD in an exclusive setting and become the tech leader you know you can be.
Contact us for more information about admissions or to request treatment.
1 – https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-tops-major-cities-for-share-of-workers-in-tech/
2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5841259/
3 – https://www.zevohealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/tech_industry.pdf
4 – https://www.zdnet.com/article/tech-workers-face-a-burnout-crisis-unless-employers-act-now/
