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I am scared to talk about something that happened at work, what can I do?

25 Answers
Last Updated: 03/25/2019 at 5:04pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Evelyn Coker, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

I am down to earth and enjoy working with all clients. I have a special passion to support teen girls and women. My work is nonjudgmental and provides a safe space to grow.

Top Rated Answers
Lukedoc321
October 22nd, 2014 9:54pm
Go to a close friend or family member - anyone that you feel comfortable talking with. In extreme circumstances, you could always call a professional hotline or even just the local non-emergency number for advice.
nrigaud
April 5th, 2016 4:10am
Try talking to someone online anonymously. That will help you get used to talking about it, then, once you're feeling more comfortable or have a plan to tackle whatever happened, bring it up in person to whoever you need. Take your time, rushing things will just make it more scary.
coco15
April 22nd, 2015 7:45pm
Being afraid to talk about something from work can be extremely overwhelming. There hasn't been a good history with many companies and in fact reporting anything can sometimes prove to be a career ender. That doesn't have to be the case though. There are ways to make the issue known whither by direct reporting or indirect reporting. Suggestion boxes can be a great way to do so anonymously, if that isn't the option seek out someone who will back you up and if all else fails the labor board can be a final option. If there is any abuse going on it would be best to seek the proper authorities.
Anonymous
March 25th, 2019 5:04pm
Talk to someone - friends, family, even a supervisor or Human resources. Your own mind will tear you apart if you keep it hidden. You'll thank yourself later you did. By keeping it bottled inside, you're just beating yourself up. When you have a cut or bruise, you treat it right? Do the same psychologically with the incident at work. If there was harassment involved, take it to the right person. Don't let someone get away it! You are more important than anyone else, remember that. You matter. Your life matters. Treat yourself with respect and say something to someone. I believe in you.
Anonymous
February 5th, 2019 4:07pm
Most work areas have a non-retaliation rule in place that protects employees. If you are worried about that, look into that. If it's talking about in general, then take a deep breath. Whatever is making you afraid doesn't make you less of a person. You are strong. You are amazing. Ruling the world doesn't have to be in the way of power of businesses or the state but of your life. You are powerful. You can rule your world. You can fight through anything. There is always a way. I promise there is always a way through the darkness.
Rwtrek22
February 26th, 2018 12:22am
Take it slow, start by writing it down to get it off your chest, then when your ready, take the next step to tell someone who is close to you.
Anonymous
December 18th, 2017 6:14am
Depends on what it is, you can always talk to someone anonymously first. But if its a mistake you made, you should be honest and tell your boss. Or if someone is hurting or threatening you, its best to speak up.
Greatlistener87
- Expert in Work Stress
September 19th, 2016 2:02am
Maybe you need the time to actually talk about it, that's fine take all the time you need. But whatever happened learn from it and be wiser about it.
Armanta
July 4th, 2016 7:12pm
It's normal to be scared, everyone is subject to fear especially when talking to someone about something you don't feel as though you want to re-live, or that you feel you may be judged on. But always know that everyone here on 7 Cups are here to support you and will never judge or criticise.
UniqueLife
April 12th, 2016 2:59pm
Talk to someone that won't be affected by your story, or to someone that won't be a problem even if they tell your story to someone else. For example: 7 Cups of Tea listeners. Or, you can write a journal. It's more private and the safety of your story will still be in your control
Anonymous
February 15th, 2016 12:15pm
If you have close friends and family that you're comfortable talking to, try telling them that something has happened at work has made you feel the way you do. If you don't comfortable sharing that with them, try talking to someone here or a therapist near you.
Anonymous
January 26th, 2016 11:54pm
Try and explore why you feel scared first and then find a solution for that . Personally I would worry that people would look at me differently after relating the experience to them and so I would instead tell a listener on 7cups who is a stranger, talk to a licensed therapist or a really close friend whom i know will not see me differently.
Anonymous
September 1st, 2015 2:07am
Share it anonymously and you can get some answers without them knowing who you are. Like you can use 7cupsoftea to talk to someone without them knowing who you are.
Hopefulhealing
June 4th, 2015 2:39am
All I will tell you is you will never know, until you try. Now remember to make sure you can trust the person you try to talk to, because if not that situation will be scarier than the one you are in now.
Santana
September 20th, 2014 4:31am
Hi, I understand that you feel scared, have tried maybe writing your feelings down? That usually helps
Anonymous
April 4th, 2015 1:16am
It might help to chat with a colleague whom you trust before you talk to a boss. That way you'll feel more at ease and comfortable to talk about what happened. Alternatively it might help to imagine what you would do if someone you knew came up to you with the same problem. What advice would you give them?
heycrysteezy
- Expert in Work Stress
January 3rd, 2015 5:30pm
Some companies have employee assistance programs that are free to employees and families. Use them to your advantage! Sometimes people feel comfortable using their company's anonymous hotlines. These are tricky, because for investigative purposes, this can be traced back to you, and the fear of retaliation sinks in. Before using something like an ethics hotline, be prepared with physical evidence to back yourself up when the time comes. Always be overly prepared when it comes to situations like this. If it's not something that serious, you can always reach out to a listener here, and hopefully you can get whatever the issue is off your chest, and come up with a solution.
dotty
December 25th, 2014 11:57am
ask for an opinion, either online, where you can do it anonymously, or from someone close. it's never as bad as we tend to imagine! when you talk about something, the words bring reason with them.
brilliantUnicorns61
November 16th, 2014 4:34am
Find someone you trust a lot and casually talk about random stuffs until you are in a comfort position and then talk about this. Talking about it to someone close is the best solution to most of the problems.
SeagullColin
November 11th, 2014 4:08am
Well, you have to talk to someone about it eventually. You should always try to make sure that you have people in your life who can listen to you. I do get what you're going through; it may be serious, silly, or rash. But it's always okay!
thoughtfulApricot47
November 5th, 2014 9:53pm
Here at 7 Cups of Tea you are provided with trained listeners that want to help you work through tough situations.
doc71
October 8th, 2014 12:31pm
Can you give a bit more detail? Are you in physical danger? Is there a legal issue? I can understand that scary things can happen at work
IAmLea
September 30th, 2014 4:06pm
Write it down on a piece of paper and read it a few times. Then when you're completely done with it throw it away. You can do this multiple times and maybe someday you'll be ready to talk about it with someone else.
WeAreWarriors
September 25th, 2014 12:55pm
You don't have to worry or be scared about anything ! If talking about is necessary then don't hide it !! Just say it :)
abbieswann1
September 21st, 2014 4:21pm
Why don't you tell me what your scared about that happened in work and I will try and help you the best I can.