8 Times People Hated A Job So Much It Made Them Ill

When you really hate your job, it can wreak havoc on your body.People recognized themselves in the symptoms of insomnia, pain, illness, and mood changes, and tagged friends and relatives in the comments on the story’s Facebook link.Hundreds of readers shared their own experiences of what a bad boss, job, or coworker did to their minds and bodies.

Their story is a warning to others.

People who get headaches all the time

I suffered from migraines for three years due to a hostile work environment.It took me two weeks of vacation (including the stress of my own wedding) to finally realize the cause, and no migraines at all.I quit my job in June.I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had [migraines] since then, and I was averaging one a week before I left.——Niki

The guy who got hives from his boss.

I love my job, but hate going to work every day because of [my supervisor].I would get physically ill when I knew when she was around.Emails from her would give me great anxiety and hives.If she asks for a meeting, I get stressed and cold sweats.I couldn’t sleep, worried about work all the time — and got sick a lot.I ended up in the ICU at 36 [years old] with severe work anxiety …… I gave up the fight.I feel 100x better, happier and can give more to my family.——Joan

There are stress-induced odors

It’s small, but interesting.After my (R&D) job was eliminated, I was moved into a sales training program.I hated the job with a passion.After about two weeks, my foot odor started to appear.About six weeks later, when I quit my job, the foot odor disappeared.Now I know that when my feet start to stink, it’s time to quit.–Nicole

Bruxism

I suffer from a chronic illness, and although I am still quite well, I am still able to work.However, after a year of living in this harsh environment, my symptoms got worse.I was unable to live a normal life.This aggravated my depression.I started grinding my teeth.It was a terrible time.—Britt Marie

People suffering from infertility stress

The job I used to have sucked and for years I couldn’t get pregnant.Tried IVF everywhere and it all ended in failure.On my first try at this wonderful new job …… bang, I got pregnant.She is now 5 years old.—Megan

People with pain and declining mental health

I feel pain all over my body.My mental health is not what it used to be.I remember being on vacation and worrying so much about work that I was checking my phone instead of spending time with my family.A toxic workplace can ruin a person’s life.—Emily

People with crumbling self-esteem

The other part is the feeling of worthlessness.I struggle with this every day and am always looking for another job.The problem is that no one needs me, and I feel worse when the only person who needs my job thinks I’m dispensable and useless.—Steve

Alopecia areata

In the year and a half since I retired, my hair has grown back and is more bouncy.I also enjoy Sundays now, whereas before the thought of going back to work depressed me.—Toni

In the meantime, here are ways to address the issue.

Get rid of self-defeating thought patterns.A dysfunctional workplace can undermine your confidence and make you lose yourself.As Alison Green of Ask the Manager warns, “Practices that used to scare you may start to make you feel normal.”In a harmful job, your brain may be telling you an unhelpful story that isn’t true.Honor your feelings and accept your physical symptoms as normal signs of stress.Recognize that your self-worth has nothing to do with any one job.

Do what you can to save the day.If your manager is reasonable, express your concerns to them.They may be able to address the root cause of the problem and make adjustments.Or take advantage of time outside of work to gain new skills and professional development that will help enrich your resume, as the Harvard Business Review suggests.

Moving on.Don’t fall into the misconception that you have to stick with a bad job to succeed in your career.

Toxic bosses often use their employees’ self-esteem to get them to stay.Employees “don’t want to admit that they made a mistake in the job they accepted or because their employer told them ‘if you leave, you’re not good enough.'”Regardless of what a toxic employer says, use the urgency of your situation as motivation to leave.Ultimately, the best way to cure a toxic job is usually to leave altogether.