People in the workplace that are being targeted by an abusive boss or co-worker have been taken from what they believed was an orderly world into a state of chaos where many of the former ways of doing their jobs, which they thought were right, are no longer valid.

This confusion may make them question everything they have been doing at work all this time. A person’s sense of personal dignity can also be compromised unless steps are taken to protect this worker from the consistent abuse they are being bombarded with each and every day.

One reason people don’t act faster to save themselves from an abusive situation has to do with them being attached to their jobs.

We all get this way to some degree from being in the same familiar surroundings over the years. In times of stress being this attached can work against us. Without realizing it, we may become willing to sacrifice our health and integrity because of these attachments.

Here is what a few of those attachments look like:

· Your self worth is attached to your job.
· You are attached to something at work that you have built.
· You are attached to coworkers that may dependent on you.
· You think you are the only one who can do your job and keep things stable.

Being overly attached to your work can lead to problems with:

· Your health
· Your family
· Your ability to work
· Your peace of mind
· Your values
· Your identity

External concerns can cloud our vision of who we really are and who we believe ourselves to be. If you have identified your worth and value with your accomplishments, your work, your status, your lifestyle, or any other external measure you are vulnerable to that identity being taken away by elements completely out of your control.

Though workplace abuse is hurtful, don’t allow it to destroy you. A situation may be something we can’t control, but, we are always in control of what we say, think, feel, and do about it. Evaluating how attached we are and realizing what these attachments can do to us in an abusive workplace is one way we can take action to help ourselves both mentally and physically.