#mentalhealth

It's a con game. The company has no incentive to care about your feelings. Any and all morale boosting is just managing useful distractions. They dangle carrots, or vague promises they have no intention of keeping, or soft reassurances of your job security only to stand there at your desk as you cry and put your belongings into the banker's box they've graciously provided to you.

Just like the managers that pit their employees against one another, it's all about keeping you occupied so you don't notice the water creeping up to your ankles on the sinking ship. Go rearrange those deck chairs, this Titanic will look presentable!

Just stop. Leave. No notice, no new job lined up. Do whatever you can to expedite the implosion of this company by removing yourself from their clutches. Go sling coffee, bag groceries, start an ebay reseller gig, anything but continuing to enable your abuser. They won't realize anything until they are forced to and when they only have overseas cheap labor to depend upon, it'll really be fun to watch this place crater. If India wants these jobs so bad, let them have 'em. Watch what happens.

Go. Be happy. Be anywhere but here, your mental health will be better, and you can leave this bucket of tu-ds in the rearview mirror.

Wondering how many folks are seeking mental health services for the last 2 years of rolling massive layoffs to now end with performance management to reach the final HC. At least with Pat, there was compassion and empathy with the reorganizations.

I’m regularly putting in 60 to 70 hours a week, and by the time the day’s over, cooking just isn’t happening. I end up grabbing whatever’s quickest, usually fast food. I can tell it’s catching up to me physically and mentally, and it’s starting to worry me. I know this isn’t sustainable, but I genuinely don’t see how people manage to eat well when they barely have time to breathe. How are others handling this without burning out even more?

Is it normal to feel completely and utterly burnt out, to the point where even the thought of work gives you anxiety? I can’t find another job, I can’t afford to just quit, so I’m stuck, and I don’t know how much more of this I can take without seriously damaging my mental health.

I wish I had a job that wasn’t this draining.

I just can’t cope anymore. Dealing with customers, especially under so much pressure from higher-ups, wears you down after a while. I know the job market is tough, and I have bills and financial obligations like everyone else, but I’m close to my limit. I’d take another job, even a lower-paying one, for the sake of my mental health.

A couple of days mean nothing. By the time you finally start to relax, it is already time to go back to he-l. I genuinely envy people who can switch off the moment they leave work.

I wish we could all spend at least a little relaxed time with family, but anxiety seems to overshadow everything these days. I’m trying hard to switch off for a couple of days. Try to do the same, for the sake of your mental well-being.

To my colleagues here who like me are going through the perpetual misery that is employment with PepsiCo - at least for the next week or so - give yourself a mental and emotional break. I am working most of this and next week excepting for Xmas and New Years but save for those days - I want nothing to do with company. We all know this is one of if not the most incompetently run major corporations in the world but that is on the clowns who run this place. Not us. Thanks to everyone for providing a safe space to vent. Wishing everyone a happy holiday and prosperous new year with - hopefully- a new addition to your resume in 2026.

For once, I’ll treat myself to complete detachment from work. I’m not going to think about it, I’m not going to get anxious about what might happen next, and I’m definitely not going to get wrapped up in the idea of possibly losing my job. I’ll spend some quality time with family and friends, watch a good movie, or read a book. This whole drama be damned. My reserves are at zero, and I’m just going to be good to myself.

We now know that nothing matters, so why do anything?

It is worth reflecting on what it means when positivity is met with hostility. When someone expresses gratitude for their work or appreciation for the people they work with and that expression is dismissed or downvoted simply because others are hurting, it reveals the depth of collective pain rather than any fault in the person sharing their experience. Disagreement is valid but silencing hope is something else entirely. Suffering does not grant permission to diminish another person’s reality.

This space exists because uncertainty is real and many are navigating fear and loss. Acknowledging that truth, however, does not require rejecting honesty or resenting those who are in a different season of life. Sharing stability or fulfillment is not an act of dismissal but a reflection of where someone is on their own timeline. Empathy is not conditional and compassion is not a limited resource. We can hold space for hardship without turning on one another. Growth begins when we stop pulling people down to match our pain and remember that understanding must extend in every direction.

I'm putting in my resignation on Monday because this just isn't the right place for me anymore. I've watched the direction change, and I don't see a future for myself here. Add to that the toll the toxicity is taking on my mental health and I've had enough. I'm going to take some time to figure out my next step. Luckily, I have enough savings to be able to do this. Best of luck to everyone.

I know it's a little sad, but I am desperately looking forward to that week. It feels like the only thing getting me through this month. I don't even remember when this job started being so bad for my head. I just know it is.

Stepping away for a bit. Wishing good luck to everyone.

I tried, and I can't. I get so worked up ahead of every other Tuesday and then it takes me a few days to calm down afterwards. Rinse and repeat. Yet I see so many of my coworkers act like it's not a big deal. How do you reach that point, because figuring that out would do wonders for my mental health?

No dedicated employee deserves to have their job threatened on a consistent basis for a year or longer. Leave them, they have no loyalty to you. There are better jobs. I went back to an old employer and I'm so happy again. I was miserable worrying over job security. Start looking at other companies and jump ship. Your mental and physical health will benefit. They don't care about you anymore and we all know they don't care about the customers. They are just focused on lining their pockets. Best of luck to you. You are worthy of an employer who values you.

I know it wasn’t about my performance, but it still stings. Whether you want it to or not, it makes you feel invalidated. And by all accounts, finding another job isn’t going to be easy. It just su-ks.

The last few years in the Vz meatgrinder has taken a toll on my mental and physical health so I’ve decided to spend the remaining days of December eating, drinking, recharging and enjoying time with family and friends. I’ll start the job search in 2026. 🎅 ☃️ 🎁

Verizon sounds like a "Snake Pit!"

I'm glad I'm not working at Verizon anymore as life is too short to drive yourself into the grave with stress.

It's no surprise then that so many Verizon employees suffer from Cardiometabolic conditions like high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes; and mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

This environment at Verizon to me is more "Black Friday' than going out shopping for one day sales.

I’ve tried to accept that I could be cut any day and just live with it. I’ve been focusing on job searching, but that’s only made me feel more depressed. I can’t shake the spikes of anxiety, and I’m barely sleeping. This has dragged on for so long that it’s taken a real toll on my ability to cope. A couple of days ago I realized I can’t even switch off for an hour. Nothing holds my attention long enough for my brain to actually rest. How are you all dealing with this?

I thought the weekend would help. Nope. I still feel betrayed, I still feel angry, and I still feel scared. How do you get rid of this awful, awful feeling in the pit of your stomach? How long does it take for it to go away? I was never laid off before and I truly hope this is my only such experience.

It's Monday, and I'm still depressed and nonproductive. The weekend was no better. I hope other's are having a better day.

PLEASE reach out and get support. If you don’t have people in your personal life you can lean on, contact the Employee Assistance Program.

You matter. You have value. Job loss can feel devastating. It feels like a violation or an as--ult. Your income and your livelihood has suddenly been ripped away. Your routine is disrupted. There’s anxiety and financial distress. On top of that, you may feel socially isolated without colleagues to interact with regularly.

But your job doesn’t define you. You are SO much more than that.

You can get through this! Grieve the loss. Feel your emotions and process them. And then step-by-step, move forward and put this sh-t show of a company behind you.

Take care of yourself and purposely do things that bring you joy. For me, that’s enjoying a nice cup of coffee and cuddling with my puppy.

Watch funny movies. Put your phone away, get off this fu--ing website, and immerse yourself in nature. (I should really take my own advice.) Maybe there are projects around the house you’ve been putting off. This evening I’m cleaning up my place and it feels awesome and productive.

If you’re a person of faith (or are open), go to church. Writing in a journal can be very helpful in processing your feelings. I know that I have ALL kinds of feelings right now.

There’s absolutely no shame in reaching out to the EAP if you need a supportive and listening ear. It’s all part of self-care.

Sending you big hugs from an Internet stranger!

..depression is setting in. Thoughts are going to worst case scenerios. Can't help to think everything that I have worked for all these years is in danger.

rto is complete garbage. i've been forced back 4 days a week. in the past month, i've talked to 3 people total in the office and sat in conference rooms taking meetings where almost no one from the office showed up - they just took calls from their cube or a focus room or worked remote. the people i actually work with aren't in the office or even in my city. but my whole life got turned upside down for some stupid ego-driven rule.

i'm using more water, gas and energy - bad for the environment. my stress went up - bad for my mental health. and i had to buy a bunch of stuff to go back (lunch containers, work clothes, shoes, a laptop bag, etc.) so rto costs me money. this is after 5 years of almost no raises, barely any bonus and 5+ years without a promotion.

i feel stuck because the job market su-ks right now. but yeah, at least i still have a job and didn't get laid off. hoping things shift back to favor employees eventually, however long that takes.

This is more of a vent….

So, my layoff date is January 8th, 2025. I’ve only been with the company for 2 and a half years. I see I’m only getting a month’s worth of severance pay - the three weeks plus 40hrs of PTO. That’s bs! How am I supposed to survive? I’ve seen some companies give at least three months worth of a package. And I’ve already been looking for jobs, but I’m getting lots of rejection emails. I have a Masters in Healthcare Administration and I just saw where my degree will no longer be considered a professional degree. This year has already been a train wreck for me personally! I couldn’t even celebrate my graduation because I literally found out I was being laid off a week afterwards. 2026, please be good to us. We need jobs, income, and peace. At least I do.

Hello all,

As someone who dedicated many years to Verizon, my heart is with everyone impacted today. This season may bring doubt, fear, uncertainty, and even emotional or mental strain — and that’s completely human.

In moments like this, I encourage you to look up instead of down. Lean into your faith. Talk to God, give Him your worries, and let Him strengthen you. Don’t sit alone with heavy emotions — hand them over and let God work in the silence.

Just like a seed planted in the ground, you may feel surrounded by darkness at first. But roots grow in the unseen places. If you plant yourself in the right soil — prayer, stillness, and purpose — you will rise stronger than before.

I’m praying for you and your families through this transition. God will bring you through this, and what’s ahead will be better than what’s behind.

Did anybody realize last week's layoffs were coming? For me, it completely came out of the blue. Now I'm even more nervous that it can happen any day without warning, and it's not helping my mental health at all.

As a spouse to a former Verizon employee who was riffed several years ago. I understand your fears. I pray all get the decision you wish for. Just know Verizon is a business and no one is irreplaceable. There’s no heart in it. I know what this kind of stress can do to a person. If you are riffed please take it as a blessing and leave Verizon in the rear window of your life. The constant mental torture of worry every few years is devastating to a person’s confidence and self worth sometimes. As my spouse is here in a hospice bed the only thing I’m grateful for is that Verizon means nothing to him. If you have your health and family that’s all you need. Hold your head up and find a job that won’t run you through mental torture every few years. It’ll be worth it no matter how it turns out for you today. I wish you all the best in life.

I take calls with India at 5AM most day and am expected to join calls at 4 or 5 PM the same day. If my work isn't done when India comes in, I'm in trouble. But I just can't do it anymore, it's ki-ling me. I have no life, all I do is work and get told it's not good enough. How long do we have to do this? I have to believe things will get better at some point?

Don’t let darkness go all the way inside you.

Keep some distance from it all. Don’t give it more real estate in your head than it deserves. Keep it little away!

It’s all cyclical. Bad times come then they leave. Nothing stays forever.

If you have a candle around, actually light it. It helps!

There was the time that if you proposed downsizing Workforce and talent to increase Revenue you would be laughed out of the room and you'd probably be let go. These are easy solutions in our short-term gains for long-term sacrifices we used to run by the notion that if you lost somebody of 10 years it takes you 10 years or more to replace that person. Then we started analyzing to how long it takes to get somebody at a basic proficiency and that's what we're targeting we can't keep PSO Partners worth anything to turn over is insane the internals that we have of such a bad attitude and are unwilling to change tactics or develop new ones all we have little to no control over partners and what they do tarnishing our brand you're the most Innovative thing was 5G well the thing was there's four G's before it so it really wasn't Innovative at all it was like the 5th sequel to a movie now a lot of us have witnessed the growth of new cell phones and smartphones and they'll probably be like the biggest business growth that will ever see in our lives and what we did with that money was really stupid there's so much we can learn from it but to have someone new from the business try to change so much so quickly as just a disaster and it's insane that the board or the shareholders would trust somebody with billions of dollars within days like literally days of being appointed but we've seen this all before huge layoffs in the past year every single time what would happen before them are people who have been executive level and above resign or retire or move to a different position that's because what was being demanded was against their core values and if it's against the core values of extremely greedy people you know it's wrong even though it might be legal.

I know I'm kind of going all over the place just trying to say that times have changed it's sad to see The Innovation is dead. But I do foresee though is possible class action lawsuits for psychological trauma because everyone's psychological well-being has not been well taken care of during this situation this really should be something that's pursued I really highly recommend talking to an employment law attorney especially if you felt any anxiety or that you've had to take time off or that things have been really hard around the home or even if you include cost from seeking treatment and if you haven't definitely look into it because your mental well-being it's worth more than what any company could ever pay you

Overall, being let go may be a blessing in disguise. Citi does not want people who WANT to be here but rather people who NEED to be here. People need a job that goes without saying after all you gotta pay the bills. Citi though, wants people who are really desperate like really lean on the insurance. This way management has more increased leverage against you. They can squeeze in the long hours all the while strongly insinuating to not make a big deal about it after all “you really need this job, so don’t rock the boat. How’s that insurance working for you that you really need.” Its always a tongue in cheek comment that’s uncomfortably laughed at, at the time, but the implication is still there.

There’s a mental formula that’s assessed I believe. The more kids you have, the more dependent you are on insurance, the more bills you have…..the more “they got you right where they want you”. The pressure can really be applied. Usually summed up with berating you in public on team calls so that the others can see and know to step in line or else.

I’ve been in 5 different teams over the years and have cycled through 9 different managers. Two of them were really awesome but they too saw the systemic toxicity and left to go elsewhere. The other 7 managers stuck around where they can thrive and their skills (bully tactics) are appreciated and leverages quite readily.

How many others have pivoted from "oh, God, please don't let it be me," to "fu-k it, give me my severance" since this all started?

While we all wait for our fate, I wanted to share a story to help keep things in a little perspective.

This Taoist and Zen Buddhism "Maybe" story illustrates the principle that it is impossible to judge whether an event is truly good or bad fortune because one never knows its future consequences.

The Story of a Farmer:

Once upon a time, there was an old farmer in a small village.

The horse runs away:
One day, the farmer's only horse ran away. The neighbors came to offer their sympathy for his "terrible bad luck." The farmer calmly replied, "Maybe".

The horse returns with wild horses:
The next day, the horse returned, bringing with it three (or seven) wild horses. The neighbors exclaimed, "What wonderful luck!" The farmer again said, "Maybe".

The son breaks his leg:
The following day, the farmer's son tried to ride and tame one of the wild horses, was thrown off, and broke his leg. The neighbors offered their condolences for this "misfortune." The farmer replied, "Maybe".

The son avoids conscription:
A week later, soldiers came to the village to conscript all able-bodied young men for the army. Seeing the farmer's son had a broken leg, they passed him by. The neighbors said, "What good luck that he was spared!" The farmer simply replied, "Maybe".

The Moral of the Story
The parable teaches that events in life unfold in complex, interconnected ways, and what seems like a setback may turn into a blessing, and vice versa. The moral is to embrace uncertainty, practice detachment and equanimity, and avoid rushing to label events as definitively "good" or "bad"

A few months ago, we didn't know this person named 'Dan', and a few years later, he wouldn't matter as much, regardless of the outcome on 11/20. This is a phase, and it will pass eventually.

This is the most insane place to work. The expectations of senior leadership is unrealistic, to put it mildly. I don’t know of anyone who isn’t working 75-80 hours in a workweek and then having to work more hours on the weekend to still be behind!

I have seen many people sacrifice their personal lives, mental health, and physical health for this company to only be rewarded with being fired or laid off.

They have no concept of people having a personal life. If you want to have a heart attack or stroke at your work computer then this is the place for you. If you value any kind of life or health, you need to stay far away from here.

Who's still hanging around here with zero chance of falling asleep because your stomach is in such a tight knot that lying down just makes it worse?