When I first set out on my journey to help dental practices create workplace cultures that allowed everyone to thrive, my focus was rooted in two main areas: leadership and communication. Over the years, I’ve witnessed — both as an observer and as someone directly affected — the damaging effects when either of these is lacking, including the often-overlooked problem of psychological abuse in the workplace. I knew there was a better way to lead and communicate, one that could strengthen culture and position practices for greater success. The last six years have been spent researching, learning, practicing, and teaching — work that has been life-changing not only for me, but for the many people I’ve had the privilege to reach and support.
I’ve emphasized over and again the importance of psychological safety in the workplace and that, in order to have highly engaged and accountable employees, metrics must be met to ensure that level of safety exists.
But what if it’s not? What about situations where actual psychological abuse is occurring? Are you a perpetrator? A victim? Did you know that workplace psychological abuse is actually a thing and, whether you are the former or the latter, the effects are profound?
Psychological Abuse, Defined
Always non-physical, the aggression which precipitates psychological abuse can be overt- such as yelling, threatening, shaming and name calling, to more subtle behaviors -like withholding information, isolation, quiet intimidation, persistent disregard of time and place as well as stalking/hovering to a point of distraction. Gaslighting is often used to discredit an individual and sometimes as false victimization wherein the aggressor acts as the injured party.
Notably, modern technology now allows for cyber bullying to occur, with text messaging and email being the main vehicle, and as such removes the barrier of work hours by allowing the abuse to continue long after everyone went home at the end of the day.
At its core, psychological abuse alters a person’s self-worth and emotional state. Neuro -chemically, it keeps the recipient in a heightened state of fear which impedes their ability to function properly and cause lasting damage not only mentally, but in physical manifestations. Unlike physical or sexual abuse, which can be one-time or repeat occurrences, psychological abuse, whether unconscious or intentional, is argued to take place over a sustained period of time.
It can be positional- boss to subordinate, or it can be lateral-peer to peer. It can be individual in nature- one person to another, or in the form of mobbing which has a group of people singling out one person for “attack”.
The Manifestations of Psychological Abuse
On an individual level, recipients of psychological abuse may manifest signs and symptoms in three areas:
PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL:
- Anxiety
- Apathy
- Avoidance
- Depression
- Fear reactions
- Flashbacks
- Insecurity
- Insomnia
- Intrusive thought
- Irritability
- Lack of initiative
- Melancholy
- Nightmares
- Mood changes
PSYCHOSOMATIC
- Arterial hypertension
- Asthma
- Cardiac palpitations
- Coronary artery disease
- Dermatitis
- Hair loss
- Headache
- Joint and muscle pain
- Migraine
- Stomach pain
- Tachycardia
- Ulcers
BEHAVIORAL
- Auto and hetero-aggressive reactions
- Eating disorders
- Increased alcohol and drug abuse
- Sexual dysfunctions
- Social isolation
Chemically, our brains are hard-wired to release modulators, chemicals, in response to our environment. For example, when suffering from sustained psychological abuse, the high levels of catecholamine being released impairs the top-down cognitive function of our prefrontal cortex: that executive brain that we need to function optimally. Further, it precipitates the increased or decreased production of many other chemicals -which may not only make us feel badly emotionally, it impacts us physically, as well. Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF) regulates anxiety, but may also impact mood, gastric emptying, inflammation and blood pressure. Additionally, according to WHO’s fact sheet Mental Health at Work, poor working environments—such as those with discrimination, excessive workloads, or lack of job control—pose a serious risk to mental well-being, costing the global economy an estimated USD 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.
These are but a few examples of how the mind and the body is connected. There are so many more.
On a professional level, workers who experience psychological abuse diminish as productive contributors (which, by all accounts, gives license to the abuser to continue their assault): their work product suffers, their attendance often changes, and, if given the opportunity by realizing what is happening to them, creates unnecessary turnover. When you think about it, a workplace is the perfect breeding ground for this type of abuse: there is a hierarchy (power imbalance), a (oftentimes unfair) competitive factor, jealousy, envy and the real or imagined fear of being unable to find gainful employment elsewhere.
We Don’t Set Out to be Those People
You didn’t take that job thinking “Hey! I’m cool if the boss is abusive” and add psychological punching bag to your job description. Recovering from the trauma of that abuse may take a long time and removing yourself from the situation is the best starting point, especially if you have approached your aggressor and there hasn’t been substantial change. Note that if you have an HR department, your complaint should be filed with them as soon as you realize what is happening and every occurrence thereafter.
I also need to believe that, at heart, none of us sets out to be psychologically abusive towards another person. There are, most certainly, psychopathologies which might lead someone to do so. Barring that, things as deep-seated as how someone was treated growing up, past and present personal relationships, models of leadership they learned and now emulate, can all inform their conduct. Those Learned Behaviors (over true pathology) gives rise to the hope that offenders might then find a better way to control themselves and interact with others, creating a place where all can work feeling safe and connected.
Where and how we work CAN be stressful: look at the circumstances that police, firefighters and emergency room staff operate in. Yet stress coming from undue, unnecessary and often targeted means by way of psychological abuse is never acceptable, and we owe it to ourselves and those around us to stop being the perpetrators or victims.
Is Your Culture Causing Chaos From People Not Getting Along?
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AlignCore Leadership LLC equips dental leaders with the tools, strategies, and integration support to turn practices into high-performing, people-centered businesses.
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Originally published on January 19, 2022 under Ascendant Dental Development LLC..