Navigating the Mental Health Challenges of Colleagues in the Workplace
Disclaimer: This article is based on my experience as a health and wellness coach and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Please consult a licensed therapist for personalized support.
Creating a healthy workplace requires effort from everyone.
Creating a healthy workplace takes emotional intelligence, awareness, and a willingness to navigate the complex world of human behavior—especially when mental health challenges are involved.
The workplace brings together individuals with diverse personalities, mental health conditions, and coping mechanisms. These dynamics can either fuel resilience or send someone straight into a downward spiral. When colleagues, managers, or direct reports are dealing with personality disorders, mood disorders, trauma, or unresolved mental health struggles, it can quietly erode productivity, psychological safety, and team cohesion—unless we address it head-on.
This article outlines a pragmatic, compassionate approach for individuals living with mental health challenges and practical ways their colleagues can offer support while protecting their own boundaries.
When You're Navigating Mental Health Challenges: Personal Responsibility Comes First
Managing a mental health condition in a professional environment is not your fault—but how you show up at work? That part is on you. If you’re someone who is managing a personality disorder, mood disorder, mental illness, or the effects of trauma, it's essential to recognize that while mental health struggles are not your fault, you do have a personal responsibility to manage your behavior and mitigate its impact on others.
You don’t have to be perfect, but in high-stress workplaces, your colleagues can't become unpaid emotional support systems. Whether you're living with a personality disorder, mood disorder, or trauma history, here's how to show up with integrity and professionalism:
1. Acknowledge Your Impact on Others
Self-awareness is the starting point. Ask yourself:
Are my emotional responses affecting team dynamics?
Do my colleagues feel like they’re walking on eggshells around me?
Do I often demand excessive attention or validation?
Have I unintentionally placed others in a caregiver role?
Awareness isn't about shame. It's about recognizing your influence and choosing how to manage it.
2. Commit to Treatment and Symptom Management
Therapy. Medication. Support groups. Breathwork. You name it. Whatever path you take, the goal is the same: Regulate your behavior so your work relationships don’t suffer.
You don’t need to be 100% healed to be a good coworker—but untreated symptoms left unchecked? That’s a workplace liability.
3. Communicate Clearly (to the Right People)
You don’t need to spill your life story to your manager, but it helps to share what accommodations might support your success.
Need to decompress after client meetings? Prefer email over spontaneous Slack messages? A quick heads-up builds trust, not weakness.
4. Set (and Respect) Expectations
You’re allowed to have needs. But in a high-performing workplace, it’s also your job to:
Manage your reactivity
Ask for support—not rescue
Recognize when you're leaning too hard on someone who can’t support you
Understand that everyone has different tolerances, especially in a high-stress environment. While your needs are valid, also be mindful of your coworkers’ capacity to handle the impact of your behavior.
If you're feeling emotionally overwhelmed, it's your responsibility to step back, address the situation on your own terms, and avoid escalating matters to a point where others feel they must take on emotional labor that you should manage independently.
5. Practice Empathy in Both Directions
Colleagues may not fully understand your experience—and that’s okay. But they’re likely under pressure themselves dealing with stress and their personal lives. Keep compassion a two-way street.
When Your Colleague Is Struggling: How to Help Without Losing Yourself
You want to be kind. You want to be a good teammate. But let’s be clear: you’re not their therapist, and it’s not your job to regulate someone else’s nervous system—especially when your own bandwidth is limited. And in a high-demand job, you can’t afford to absorb someone else's dysregulation as your own. In high-demand environments, emotional contagion is real—and costly.
Here’s how to recognize common challenges—and respond strategically:
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
What to Look For: Grandiosity, constant need for admiration, defensiveness, lack of empathy, difficulty accepting feedback.
What They May Need: Respectful boundaries, reality checks (delivered diplomatically), and structured expectations.
How to Navigate:
Keep communication factual and emotionally neutral.
Be direct and clear—without trying to convince or win them over.
Set expectations early and reinforce them consistently.
Avoid over-praising, but acknowledge contributions objectively.
Deliver feedback in a way that avoids power struggles.
Pro Tip: Don’t engage in emotional tug-of-war. Set your boundary, hold it firmly, and move on.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
What to Look For: Emotional swings, intense reactions, fear of abandonment, all-or-nothing thinking.
What They May Need: Predictability, calm responses, and non-reactive communication.
How to Navigate:
Be steady in your tone and consistent in your follow-through.
Avoid abrupt changes in behavior that may be perceived as rejection.
Respond to the core emotion—not the chaos.
Don’t match their intensity; lead with calm and clarity.
Pro Tip: Their reactivity isn’t about you. Stay grounded in your own reality.
Depression and Anxiety
What to Look For: Withdrawal, fatigue, procrastination, worry, irritability, difficulty focusing.
What They May Need: Space, empathy, flexibility, and practical support.
How to Navigate:
Offer low-pressure check-ins like: “Want to tag team this task?”
Normalize rest and boundaries as part of productivity—not an obstacle to it.
Don’t push for disclosure or emotional unpacking.
Support their autonomy while keeping communication open.
Pro Tip: Extend grace, not savior energy. Compassion doesn’t require over-functioning.
Bipolar Disorder
What to Look For: Intense highs (mania), deep lows (depression), impulsive behavior, erratic performance.
What They May Need: Clear communication, structured timelines, and steady interaction.
How to Navigate:
Stick to predictable routines and agreed-upon timelines.
Offer feedback in a calm, even tone—regardless of their current mood state.
Avoid feeding into inflated ideas during manic phases.
Be patient with temporary dips in performance—without enabling them.
Pro Tip: Stay steady. Your consistency is more helpful than over-accommodation.
Trauma and PTSD
What to Look For: Hypervigilance, avoidance, exaggerated startle response, trouble trusting others, freeze or shutdown behavior.
What They May Need: Safety, clarity, and non-threatening communication.
How to Navigate:
Avoid surprising them with confrontations or ambiguous feedback.
Be direct and calm in your communication—no need to over-explain.
Offer flexibility when triggers arise, without making it your responsibility to fix it.
Pro Tip: Respect their experience without trying to analyze it. You don’t need to understand their triggers to honor their boundaries.
How to Support Without Becoming the Office Therapist
Even the most well-meaning team members can find themselves in a burnout spiral if boundaries aren’t respected.
Set Emotional Boundaries
You can care without becoming the go-to emotional dumping ground. Signs you've crossed the line:
You’re ruminating about their problems after work.
You feel guilty when you can’t help.
You’re avoiding them to preserve your own energy.
Help Without Enabling
Being helpful doesn’t mean doing their emotional labor. Instead:
Suggest they check in with HR or a therapist.
Direct them to the Employee Assistance Program.
Normalize seeking professional help.
Ask for Support Yourself
If you're not sure how to navigate the relationship, speak with your manager or HR. You deserve backup too.
Protect Your Own Mental Health
Don’t wait until you’re the one struggling. Prioritize:
Sleep, nutrition, movement
Emotional processing (journaling, therapy, coaching)
Time away from emotional intensity
You can't pour from an empty coffee mug—especially one that hasn’t been washed in weeks.
When HR Needs to Step In
Mental health support should not come at the cost of workplace safety or productivity. If someone’s behavior becomes toxic, manipulative, or harmful:
Document Everything: Keep detailed, objective notes.
Report Professionally: Focus on observable behavior, not character judgments.
Know Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with your organization’s policies and ADA protections.
Don’t wait until it’s unbearable. HR isn’t just there to handle payroll errors.
Final Thoughts
Creating a healthy workplace requires effort from everyone. Whether you're the one struggling with mental health challenges or you're supporting a coworker who is, maintaining clear boundaries, offering compassion, and knowing when to seek help are all key to fostering a healthier, more productive work environment for everyone.
Individuals with mental health challenges must take responsibility for their impact, while healthy coworkers contribute to a healthy workplace by practicing empathy and setting boundaries. Together, teams can build an environment where everyone can contribute their best, fostering resilience, productivity, and mutual respect in even the most high-stress industries.
It's a delicate balance, but by being mindful of your own needs and those of your coworkers, you can navigate these challenges without compromising your well-being.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is based on my expertise as a health and wellness coach specializing in stress management and burnout recovery. I am not a licensed therapist, psychologist, or medical professional. If you are experiencing significant mental health challenges or believe you may need professional mental health support, I encourage you to consult with a qualified therapist or healthcare provider.
Article References
The sources cited in the article:
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American Psychiatric Association (APA). “DSM-5-TR: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.” APA - DSM5
Mayo Clinic. “Personality Disorders.” Mayo Clinic - Personality Disorders
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