Workplace anxiety has apparently reached a new high.
Last year, nearly a quarter of people who sought mental health treatment through their employers cited anxiety as their main issue, according to a study by ComPsych Corporation, a mental health services provider based in Chicago.
The researchers analyzed more than 300,000 U.S. cases that ComPsych handled in 2023.
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Among employees’ mental health issues, cases of anxiety outnumbered stress, depression, grief, addiction, and relationship and family issues, the study found. (There was no personal data provided in the study release.)
"Right now, there are so many large macroeconomic, social and geopolitical issues impacting people’s mental health beyond their interpersonal and personal life," said Dr. Richard Chaifetz, founder, chair and CEO of ComPsych, in a statement to FOX Business.
"When you think about the past few years – from the pandemic to [the] border crisis and crime, civil unrest, an unpredictable economy, the proliferation of artificial intelligence, and contentious elections – it makes sense that people are more anxious now than they were five years ago," he added.
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High anxiety among workers can have a negative effect on businesses as well.
"It means workers are distracted and stressed, and likely unable to do their jobs to the best of their abilities," Chaifetz said.
ComPsych data indicate that there's been a 300% increase in mental health-related leaves of absence since 2017 — with 69% of those leaves taken by women.
"This is why it’s vital for business leaders to invest in their workforce’s well-being and mental health," Chaifetz said.
"It will help the individuals on their team, and ultimately the overall business, to thrive."
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said he agreed with the analysis that anxiety is now the most common mental health problem among workers.
He was not involved in the ComPsych study.
"Anxiety also spills over to physical problems — it is a major cause of medical problems because of cycles of worry, sleeplessness and other issues," Siegel told Fox News Digital.
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One thing the report doesn’t touch on, he noted, is the stigmatization of anxiety and depression.
"The idea of ramping up mental health services in the workplace makes sense, but how many workers will decline to come forward for fear of being judged or marginalized as a result?" Siegel asked.
Dr. Kyle Elliott, a career coach in San Francisco, was also not involved in the study but agreed that anxiety is a "major concern" among workers currently seeking mental health assistance through their employers.
"The current state of the economy, rising costs of living and the incredible uncertainty of the job market has many employees coping with heightened levels of stress and anxiety, both in the workplace and in their homes," he told Fox News Digital.
"While there’s still work to be done to cure stigma, social media and personal storytelling have helped to normalize accessing resources and support for mental health."
