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UNISON GUIDANCE FOR MEMBERS

Stress and anxiety during

fitness to practice cases



# You're not alone

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# You're not alone: it's normal, everyone experiences these emotions

There can be lots of reasons why you might feel upset, experience anxiety or be angry during these proceedings. Lots of people feel this way, you are not alone. These feelings can be difficult and overwhelming, but you are not the only one to have experienced them. They are a normal human reaction to being in a difficult situation.

There will be lots of thoughts and feelings going through your head at different times. These can include:

Why has a referral been made?

Concern at the length of time and the loss of control

Being uncertain about the outcome

• Discrimination

The impact it has on you, your job, your reputation, impact on family and friends and your employment

Its important to remember that when you are being represented by a member of UNISONs Professional Services Team (PSU) they will support you throughout the whole process. It's important that you are open and honest with them if you feel anxiety, stress or are simply worried. If they know, they can help you.

Our aim will be to work with you to provide your regulator with a range of evidence. This may vary depending on your case, but they will discuss all of this with you. They will advise you on reflection, on training you can do. They will look at all the evidence the regulator will be using and advocate for you.

Different things can contribute to or cause stress, anxiety or depression:



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- Stressful events in life, not just being reported to your regulator you may have other life events taking place

- Lifestyle can contribute a poor diet, lack of exercise, health conditions

You may have low serotonin levels

You may have any one or a number of these things, but they all interact with each other and impact on you, how you feel and how you respond to things.

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As a health and social care worker you will be aware that there can be many signs of anxiety, both psychological and physical. The psychological signs include:

Over thinking and over-worrying

- Finding even small things more difficult than usual

- Focusing on problems and not being able to switch off

Fear

Feeling on edge, tense, and unable to relax

- Being irritable or snappy with friends, family and colleagues

Not being able to rationalise things

- Imagining the worse-case scenarios and convincing yourself they will happen

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- Going blank, memory problems, getting confused

The physical or anatomical signs include:

Saliva flow slows so your mouth and lips can become dry

- Pupils can dilate meaning their shape can change from being really small to much larger

Your blood vessels can constrict – so you can feel or become cold or sweat in particular on your brow and chest, but your hands can become clammy

Your pace and depth of breathing can change

– meaning your may breath more quickly or

seem breathless unable to get your words out

and be heard

- Stomach enzymes can decrease effecting your digestion

Our muscles can become tense so we can tremble

Headaches

And, in the extreme, panic attacks

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This can affect our mood, including feeling depressed. Psychological symptoms include:

A lack of interest in things we would normally do – ‘I can’t be bothered today’

- Feelings of sadness or a low mood, you may find yourself feeling tearful

Feeling like you cannot enjoy things – nothing is the same

• A loss of confidence

• Blaming your self – if only I had...

A feeling of pessimism everything is wrong; not being able to see a way out of your problems Sometimes feeling like you want to harm your self to stop all of this

General feeling of being overwhelmed

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Like anxiety, depression can show in physical signs as well:

Disturbed sleep or unable to sleep

• Feeling constantly tired

- Sometimes people's appetite can be affected: either you don't want to eat or we comfort eat. Things you may find helpful during this time:



- A feeling of unwellness you cannot explain

- Stay in touch with your PSU case officer if things change let them know especially if you are struggling to do some of the work



Talking to people you trust – we all need help sometimes good point!

- Set boundaries e.g. limit the use of the internet, social media, etc

- Set your self-goals of things to do. Make them small and achievable

- Go out, avoid isolation irrespective of the weather, so long as its safe walk each day

- Avoid isolation plan to meet up with friends, family and/or colleagues

- Seek help from your GP

Some of the regulators have confidential help lines to provide counselling and support. They are confidential and separate from your case

## MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

## Mind

www.mind.org.uk/about-us/contact-us

## Young Minds

www.youngminds.org.uk/about-us/contact-us

## Samaritans

www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan

## Rethink

www.rethink.org

When you are going through this process it's normal to sometimes feel stress, anxiety, and/or depression, but remember that the case will conclude, and we will work hard to get the best possible outcomes. When the clouds move on, blue sky will appear again.