Bandai Choi
Clinical Psychologist | Board-approved supervisor
Breathe-n-Smile Psychology, Essendon North, Footscray and telehealth across Australia
My manager or colleague keeps targeting me. Why am I anxious and starting to doubt myself?
Repeated humiliation, exclusion or intimidation at work can affect sleep, confidence, mood and participation. You can describe what is happening and seek support for its effects. Australian work safety guidance defines bullying as repeated, unreasonable behaviour that creates a health and safety risk. Workplace action and psychological care may both be relevant.[1][2]
TL;DR
- Workplace bullying usually involves repeated, unreasonable behaviour; one conflict or reasonable performance management is not necessarily bullying.[1]
- People may experience anxiety, low mood, poor sleep, self-doubt, withdrawal or fear about work.[1][2]
- Therapy can address the emotional and daily effects, while employers remain responsible for managing psychosocial risks.[3]
- A factual record of events, health effects and steps already taken can make the next decision clearer.
When the workday ends but your body still feels on duty
Imagine a manager repeatedly mocking someone’s work, then withholding information needed to complete it. The employee begins rehearsing conversations at night, fearing each message and wondering whether they are too sensitive.
Repeated workplace harm can affect sleep, confidence, concentration and participation. Safe Work Australia notes effects on targets and witnesses, including physical and mental health, work and financial security.[1]
Separate what happened from what it changed for you. A factual account helps a health professional understand the impact while the appropriate workplace service considers the conduct.
What may count as workplace bullying?
Safe Work Australia defines bullying as repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed at a worker or group that creates a health and safety risk. Examples include intimidation, repeated belittling, deliberate exclusion and unreasonable changes to expectations.[1][2]
A disagreement or a single rude comment may fall outside that definition. Reasonable work allocation, feedback and disciplinary processes are also distinguished from bullying. Pattern, context and risk matter.[1]
An employer, union, regulator or legal service can advise about the process. Therapy can help you describe the effects and support needs while workplace responsibilities are addressed.
How self-doubt can keep the pressure going
You may work longer or avoid questions, hoping to prevent another incident. These responses can reduce immediate conflict while increasing isolation and exhaustion.
Power differences affect the available choices. Confronting someone, reporting or leaving may carry real risks. Consider who controls decisions, which processes exist and who can support you without unexpected escalation.
When reviewing an event, distinguish observation from interpretation: “He interrupted me three times” describes behaviour; “Everyone thinks I am incompetent” adds a conclusion. This makes documentation and emotional support more precise.
What can an assessment explore?
A psychologist may ask when the pattern began, how often it occurs, what happens at work and afterwards, and whether sleep, mood, concentration, relationships or daily functioning have changed. Past stress, current support, financial or visa constraints, and fear of reporting may also shape the plan.
Bullying can occur alongside anxiety, depression, trauma responses or physical stress symptoms, but a symptom list cannot establish a diagnosis or certain cause.[1][2] Tell your GP about physical symptoms, medication concerns or broader health changes. Seek separate advice if you need a work safety or legal determination.
Our anxiety and stress support page may help you identify which effects are most relevant. Bringing one or two recent examples is often easier than trying to tell the entire employment history in the first appointment.
How might a psychologist help?
Psychological work may address persistent alertness, poor sleep, replaying events, self-blame and lost confidence. If you remain in the workplace, sessions can also explore boundaries, trusted support, a concise account of what happened and ways to manage the load after each step.
WHO guidance on mental health at work calls for organisations to address violence, harassment and other psychosocial risks.[3] Individual therapy can support you alongside those workplace changes.
If current events trigger earlier experiences of threat or harm, a psychologist can first assess safety, stability and fit before suggesting an approach. Our trauma and attachment support page describes one service pathway. Having a strong stress response does not, on its own, establish a trauma-related diagnosis.
Choose one source of support
Choose one purpose: preserving a record, reading policy, seeing your GP, asking a union or regulator for information, or discussing emotional effects.
A record can include dates, behaviour, people present, relevant messages and concrete effects on health or work. Consider where personal information is stored and the workplace’s device policies.
Ask each contact for the help they can provide. A GP may discuss care; a regulator may explain a process. Financial, visa or retaliation concerns need advice from a service with appropriate authority. Our starting therapy guide explains preparing one concern for an appointment.
Four lower-pressure starting points
- Record one recent incident using observable behaviour, time, people and impact.
- Identify one internal workplace process and one independent place to ask for advice.
- Create a clear transition after work, such as a walk, shower or timed break from messages.
- Bring one example to a GP or psychologist and explain its effect on sleep, mood or work.
You may also be interested in
- Anxiety and stress support: support for ongoing alertness, worry and physical tension.
- Trauma and attachment support: when work experiences connect with earlier harm or threat.
- Starting therapy: preparing one clear concern for a first appointment.
Common questions
Is one unfair workplace incident bullying?
Can therapy solve workplace bullying?
Therapy can help with emotional effects, sleep, self-doubt and decisions. The workplace still needs to manage bullying and other psychosocial risks. Individual support does not replace organisational or regulatory action.[3]
Get in touch
Breathe-n-Smile Psychology offers clinical psychology support for adults and adolescents.
Appointments are offered in Essendon North and Footscray, with telehealth across Australia.
To enquire or book, call 0431 828 769, email reception@breathe-n-smile.com, or use our online enquiry form.
References
- Safe Work Australia. Bullying overview.
- Safe Work Australia. Dealing with workplace bullying: A worker’s guide.
- World Health Organization. Mental health at work.