Anxiety

Anxiety on the job rarely stays contained to the job. Whether it's diagnosed as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) or listed simply as anxiety, it tends to show up as a persistent sense of dread or overwork that follows you home — and it's one of the more common conditions we evaluate for USPS claims.

What tends to drive it

• Working a route or facility that doesn't feel safe, even without one specific incident
• Unpredictable or hostile supervision where you never know what the next shift brings
• Job security fears following an injury or restriction
• A prior incident (assault, dog bite, accident) that's left you on edge even on routine days
• The stress of navigating a workers' comp claim while still trying to work

How it shows up day to day

• Persistent worry that's hard to turn off, even outside of work hours
• Physical tension — tight shoulders, clenched jaw, a knot in your stomach that doesn't go away
• Restlessness or feeling constantly 'keyed up'
• Trouble concentrating because your mind keeps circling back to what could go wrong
• Sleep that doesn't come easily, or that's interrupted by racing thoughts

Getting it recognized as an OWCP-accepted condition

Anxiety and GAD claims are strongest when the evaluation ties your specific worries and symptoms to specific, identifiable conditions at work — not general life stress. That distinction matters to claims examiners, and it's exactly what a formal psychological evaluation is built to establish clearly.

Treatment through our practice

Telehealth counseling for anxiety typically focuses on practical tools for managing worry and physical tension, alongside addressing the specific workplace conditions driving it. Sessions are billed directly through OWCP once the condition is accepted, with a licensed counselor in your state.