Workplace discrimination continues to plague Colorado’s workplaces. While this discrimination can have a tremendous impact on one’s employment, in some instances even leading to demotion or termination, it can also cause significant emotional and psychological turmoil.
We’ve spent a lot of time on this blog discussing the legal issues associated with workplace discrimination, but today we want to take a different approach. After all, people like you who have been negatively impacted by workplace discrimination are individuals with families, friends, and real lives. You’re not just a legal case.
In this post we will share some tips on how to cope with the profound emotional effects associated with being discriminated against at work.
The toll taken by workplace discrimination can be extensive. You might experience anxiety and depression, and the overall stress of your situation can make it hard to function on a daily basis. To try to ease these symptoms, consider doing the following:
- Focus on what you do well and your strengths: When you’ve been discriminated against, you may be left feeling like you’re bad at your job or that you’re somehow inadequate. Don’t let your employer control your self-perception. Instead, think through what you’re good at and identify your strengths. This will make you resilient and give you motivation to get through the difficulties you’re facing.
- Find support: You shouldn’t have to deal with the harshness of discrimination on your own. Seek support from your family members and friends, but don’t underestimate the value of a mental health professional who can talk you through your feelings and provide you with valuable coping skills.
- Become involved in anti-discrimination groups: Being discriminated against can leave you feeling isolated. But there are many thousands of people in the country who have been discriminated against at work. By becoming involved with groups focused on speaking out against discrimination and ending it, you can gain a sense of community and discover purpose after what’s been done to you.
- Practice self-care: When you’re facing emotional and psychological challenges, you need to take care of yourself. A healthy body can lead to a healthy mind. So, get plenty of rest, eat healthily, and abstain from drug and alcohol abuse.
- Develop a plan: In the aftermath of discrimination, it can be easy to dwell on what happened to you and what you could’ve done differently to avoid it or handle it better. But ruminating on events of the past will just lead to more stress, anxiety, and depression. Developing a plan can help you focus on the future and avoid getting caught up in past events. This plan might include taking legal action. You may find that having a strategy in hand provides you with a certain level of certainty, thereby putting your mind at ease.
Don’t let workplace discrimination define you
You might feel beaten down, marginalized, and attacked after being subjected to workplace discrimination. As a result, it can be easy to slip into despair and feel like you’ll never get ahead again. But this isn’t the case. You can take charge of your life and the ultimate effect that workplace discrimination has on you.
So, if you’ve been subjected to discrimination at work, then we encourage you to follow the steps mentioned above. You might also want to think whether legal action is right for you, as it, too, can play an important role in protecting your mental health after being discriminated against. With a solid plan in place, you can regain control of your life and find accountability for the harm that’s been caused to you.