Mental Health in Advertising

What’s makes a work place toxic? What’s your personal line I guess. My job lets me take random days off which I need for a chronic condition + I’m paid okay but the people I work with are lowkey kinda… more

Currently working an in-house job for the first time. I like the pace of in-house so far but feel I cannot reach my full potential nor "climb the ladder" in this role. Additionally, the pay … more

Dealing with a more junior team lead who is micromanaging and questions everything I do because we have different working styles and approaches. This is incredibly frustrating as I know what I am doin… more

Has anyone taken time off for mental health (fmla, short term disability, long term disability) and then returned to work? What was that process like and did you fear any kind of retaliation?

So I’ve been at the same company (it used to be an agency building MVP products for other companies but it switch over to a startup in the fintech space). I have only been moved around from a project … more

How do you navigate social anxiety with coworkers? Before getting into strategy, I was always the invisible freelancer who didn't have to give 2 shits about office politics. Now I feel this huge p… more

Getting to a dark place. I’m a freelancer who has barely worked all year. I‘ve lost 3 jobs this year, have only had 3 others. I’ve never been this low.

Transitioning back to work after pat leave and been “suffering in silence”. I’m on a new account, so any chance for promotion is a year discussion away, no one is hiring and day care is expensive. I l… more

Every time I am given an assignment, I start freaking out. I am having trouble managing my time and get lots of anxiety. I am not able to see how the assignments fall on different dates in the calenda… more

I get to do what people say is ‘cool work’ but it’s not award winning. I feel like I’ll be trapped working crazy hours and hustling till I die. And I'm not even that good at stuff im coasting off … more

Has anyone here ever been so miserable in their job, where it’s beyond depression, burnout, and anxiety, but getting physically ill with intense nausea from it? I work with someone who is gaslighting … more

Is it weird that when I’m stressed/irritated I imagine myself punching a dry-wall ? I can only imagine how I want to act out.

Is anyone else just feeling anxious at all times because of all the layoffs…?

Today, I woke up super early, took a shower & went on a long walk. I went to Dunkin Donuts, bought a water bottle, coffee & bfast sandwich. Now I’m sitting in the sun while a bee buzzes around… more

Will I ever not feel like I’m struggling? Every year goes by and gets worse and worse. I’m at an age where this is supposed to be the fulfilling best years of my life. How do y’all stay positive?

I started a new job recently and, I was getting into a great groove, then my Grandmother died. Since taking a short bereavement, I feel like I’ve lost the ‘flow’ that I created and I’ve been feeling v… more

How do you know if you have a bad therapist? I often catastrophize and get ahead of myself. I’ll tell her stuff needing her to calm me down but instead she fires me up more and agrees with me. It feel… more

Anyone else get social anxiety that makes it almost impossible to work in an office?

And if so have/would you tell your manager about it (we’re hybrid)?

Does anyone use (or have tried), supplements that are supposed to help with productivity, procrastination, focus - adaptogens, nootropics, mushrooms that kind of thing? Interested in hearing your expe… more

I’ve only had 3 jobs this year. Lost a much needed job last week that would have shot in LA. I spend most of my waking hours trying to be productive, and drum up new business. Prior to this year I relied o… more

Started a new job just over three months ago and I finding myself already doing 55-60 hours a week. Plus some hours during the weekends. I want to make it work, but I’m very concerned this might be th… more

I need some weigh-ins from some creatives ideally. I’ve been out of work since Jan. Lots of rejections. I’ve had interviews, but was told I was more than they needed. I’ve gotten great feedback on my portfo… more

How do you avoid getting over-scheduled… not just at work but life too?

I’m grateful to have a lot of opportunities to see people and do things, but it inevitably ends up with my life stacked up with travel, event… more

Having a really rough day at work after having a disagreement with my boss. Crying in the prayer room but don’t want anyone to see I’m crying. I want to go home but my stuff is my desk.

I have been working on my mental health (journaling/meditating) but I found that I have a short fuse. I use to have a massive anger managment problem when I was a kid (was prob due to my ADD). I find that it snap… more

26 years old. Diagnosed bipolar at 17 and life has always been so hard to get through. Just got diagnosed with ADHD (in addition not instead but still helpful info) and started adderall. Omg the funct… more

Considering a career switch. But have no idea what to do next. Any inspiring stories of creatives finding new career? Thanks 🙏

I'm 100% over this industry. Agencies are sweatshops, and in-house is also a mess. I've been feeling this way for a while but after an interview I just had for an in house role, I now see more and more wh… more

Everything feels unattainable these days and it makes me more and more anxious and depressed every day.

Just a couple weeks shy of being unemployed and looking for a YEAR.

Spent ALL my savings trying to keep my rent stabilized apartment. I have no job, no partner, no social life and becoming a messy, lonely drunk t… more

Realizing how big of an impact exercise is to my mental health. I’m an over thinker and i tend to have a lot of negative assumptions (i.e. seeing malice behind the actions of coworkers). It’s somethin… more

Is burnout after only a little over a year at an digital agency normal?

I have zero energy or motivation to do anything outside of log in for work. The job isn't exciting anymore and I'm incredibly irritab… more

Thinking about laying low this weekend. First Father’s Day since my dad’s passing. It hasn’t been a year yet and noticing holidays are tough. I tend to get upset on Sunday evenings and then Monday’s a… more

Only parent was killed. Devastated me.
Hired wrongful death attorneys.
They lost at trial. Devastated me.
After four years of this madness they are threatening to sue me if I don’t continue…

Aging into the “just can’t do it anymore” phase of my career. Looking for success stories from people who jumped to something else. What did you go into instead? What training did you need? How much o… more

Hitting that 6 month unemployed mark next week. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this disheartened and generally down on myself. Really struggling today, I’m sure I’ll feel better tomorrow…hopefully.

Turning 30 in 2 months and full of “I’m not..”s. I’m not as healthy as I wanted to be (on pat leave so snacking a ton) not as successful as I wanted to be (was hoping to be making 6 figs by now) and supporting a newborn on a… more

Speaking of burnout, I’ve been exhausted lately. My workload is busy, RTO is proving to be difficult and I have a family to look after. Have you ever been so burnt out that forming sentences, listenin… more

Is there a stage beyond burnout? I just feel constantly tired all the time and feel like it's taking me longer to accomplish things due to losing focus so quickly.

Anyone else? How do I fix this?