Can some targets of severe workplace bullying become so angry and embittered by their experiences that they are unable to move forward in their lives?
In 2003, Dr. Michael Linden, a Berlin psychiatrist, proposed recognition of a new condition, Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder (PTED), asserting that a traumatic event could trigger “embitterment and feelings of injustice” that impair one’s “performance in daily activities and roles.” These reactions can be so strong and enduring that they render someone helpless to address the situation.
PTED is not listed in the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and this absence limits its application as a formal diagnosis. Linden believes the evidence merits its addition to the next version, now under deliberation.
While some disagree with creating a separate psychiatric diagnosis, others cite PTED as an important breakthrough in our understanding of trauma. For example, I recently cited Cheryl Dellasega’s invocation of PTED in her new book When Nurses Hurt Nurses (2011).
PTED and workplace bullying
I do not have sufficient expertise to pass judgment on the DSM debate, but the concept of PTED rings true based on my knowledge of the experiences of some bullying targets, especially those who have experienced job loss and career impacts. At times, the anger and embitterment run so deep that they disable individuals from taking actions in their self-interest.
This is not a negative judgment on someone’s character, and I wish to distinguish it from the maddening “it’s time to get over it” line that so many targets of abuse hear from well-meaning family, friends, and associates. Furthermore, I’m not talking here about the normal angry feelings that bullying targets often experience, some of which can be awfully hard to let go.
Indeed, words like “angry,” “bitter,” and “embittered” carry very negative connotations when used to describe people. They paint individuals as unpleasant and unsympathetic figures, while downplaying or ignoring the events that caused them to be this way.
By contrast, the concept of PTED helps us to understand that anger and bitterness may be natural responses to trauma and injustice, in some cases becoming disabling. Equally important, it may lead us to, as Linden suggests, “specific therapeutic interventions.”
PTED and workplace violence
On occasion, acts of severe workplace violence have been committed by those who purportedly were bullied at work. Could PTED explain why? As reported in the blog Living the Scientific Life (link here):
Dr. Linden suggested that loving, normal individuals who suddenly snap, killing either their family or coworkers and then themselves may actually be suffering from post-traumatic embitterment syndrome.
Worth our attention
Friends in the mental health field tell me that getting a new diagnosis into the DSM is a gargantuan task. Nevertheless, PTED helps to shed light on emotions and behaviors that many of us in the anti-bullying community have observed. We certainly should keep it on our radar screen, especially if it leads to counseling and coaching approaches that help targets improve the quality of their lives.
***
I had intended to cover PTED as a post about the law and mental health conference that I’m attending in Berlin, but unfortunately the presenter (NOT Dr. Linden, by the way) on this topic was a no-show! Nevertheless, due to its significance, I thought was worth writing up anyway.
Wonderful post, David! I have had some experience with this type of behavior – both from myself and others. It is debilitating to feel that there is nothing that one can do to “get over” the pain that was caused by such evil people. I have had two jobs since leaving the bullying environment that I suffered through and was unable to keep either job. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, expecting terrorism and FEELING TERRORIZED whenever innocent, constructive criticism was given to me. Since working for the 2010 US Census, I have basically worked from home as a freelance writer, mainly doing ghost writing due to the anonymity it entails. I am also applying for disability because my therapist and I do not envision a time when I will be able to make a sustained living otherwise. Bitter? Hell yes! Traumatized? Indeed! Your post rings true in my case David – thank you for putting a name to yet another aspect of the post-trauma experience. Peace to all – Drew
I fully understand your feelings where I worked right before 911 all around 911 these Bullies are
terrorist’s gang bangers wolf in sheeps clothing
Call it like it is Behavior so out of the rehlm of exceptable , Burning banks ,county buildings flooded out accounting dept. following people to other jobs job after job after job
PTSD is NOT an mental illness it is a INJURY!
Yes it is a psychological injury, but it also makes people depressed and causes physical illness. PTSD can also have chemical dependency and psychotic breaks associated with it.
Great post! I think this is extremely important information for our topic.
Thank you for this post. It has been 13 months since my job where I was bullied. The bitterness at the bullying and at the dumb boss who let it continue still bother me. The bozo boss once said “Don’t let it bother you so much.” Enough said.
Nurses also hear: “Don’t take it personally!” “You need a thick skin if you are going to be a nurse”! “It’s part of the job”!
UGH!!!
Beth
David, Thank you, once again, for keeping your ears to the ground and hearing the approaching sound of this pattern of behavioral response to Trauma. This does, indeed, shed light on behaviors I have noticed in my direct work with bullied targets. Another common enough behavior is impaired judgement over seemingly routine or simple decisions. Such knowledge helps to inform me when formulating a working hypothesis of “what the hell is going on” in a workplace and with a person or persons.
I am willing to bet some “burned-out” nurses fit into this profile. I think of the rippling effect on patients, colleagues and families. So costly.
The cause and effect of bullying is a vicious negative cycle that is way to easy to ignore or blame victiims. Your work, David is helping to make it more visible. I appreciate posts from Greg and Drew too and Dr. Linden’s work.
Beth
Such an important post and good comments also. It’s easy to say, “Don’t let the Turkeys get you down,” but no matter the degree of one’s personal bullying experience, the damage is insidious and long lasting. I’m very thankful for counselors and educators — and of course those in the trenches, David.
I do not give advice to anyone else because the variables are so —- well, variable —– but for myself — I do try to work on a little piece at a time to try to be able to move forward a little bit (in my personal growth). Right now I’m working on dwelling on the positive things in my day. I think, also, that my working days are over — for various reasons — not the least of which is the toll the bullying has taken on my self-esteem.
Survival is good, though. And surviving by dwelling on positives is a hard thing to learn. It took me longer than I would want people to know for me to get to the point of remembering to find positive things to think about. But it has helped me. It isn’t denial or cooperation — it is re-directing my thoughts toward a more positive result.
@Alice – I agree that PTSD is an injury and not an illness. I believe you and I have discussed this before. I have re-read my comments and David’s post and I’m not sure if I see what you are objecting to. The fact is, whether it is an illness or injury does not take away from the fact that it causes one to have extremely negative emotions and may lead to a disabling condition. I know for a fact that I am nowhere near able to return to a traditional work setting. My condition actually goes much further back than the workplace – in fact, my therapist and I agree that workplace bullying exacerbated an already existing condition caused by trauma that occurred during childhood. I had learned to cope with that situation and was doing fine until I was bullied in the workplace. That negative treatment put me back to square one and ruined many years of positive growth in my life. So maybe that explains why I’m pi$$ed off for what happened to me in the workplace! Peace to all – Drew
Both my own experience (segment on Aliana’s Case against Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in: http://www.stopemployerbullying.org) and the many letters I receive from other bullied employees confirm that this deliberate, and often meticulously planned and executed, assault on whistleblowers and other “inconvenient” employees leaves permanent emotional scars.
I appreciate all of these comments. I only wish that the topic didn’t resonate with so many people who have experienced bullying at work, showing once again the destructive force of this form of abuse.
Other people get Raises,pats on the back Thank you how’s work Just Great! We got bullied,sabatouged,gossipped about lied about FRAUD agaist us credit ruined loss of tons of money benefits friends this went on from 1994—– I could not take anymore of this dileberate attack agaist any one trying to do thier job
The Targets need JOB’s without harrasment and bullies
we are not complaining we worked around people who where doing everything they could to GET IN THE WAY stop things from getting done and Managment paid too little attention for too long
David THANK YOU so much for this article it is really brilliant and spot on. Can I add too one of the things we do or an analogy is this…..It is like we have become sort of allergic to people too as in those that cause a trigger reaction in any way ( rudeness, bully behaviors, any disrespect etc). We also feel the rules and values we thought where there to protect us are NOT and the world has now become an UNSAFE PLACE because of this. ( all from the Abuse and the lack of support and Justice). The norms and rules of society we thought where there are not and the rules and policies of our workplaces are not in reality there to protect us at all. Basically : we feel what we thought was always there is NOT and this turns our world upside down”and we fell we dont understand nor know how to or fit in any more” Can I add, a result we tend to when triggered Over-catastrophi se every day events thus causing more pain for ourselves and other around us! I have met many who are so damaged that they need real help to help themselves. I was such and had a lawyer literally take over my life for a while and a psychologist as I was soooo depressed. It is so important to have real HELP as we are so damaged that we are unable to fully function and ARE VULNERABLE . The organizations often use this time to get rid of the TARGET. This is one of the reasons it is so important to have a counselor, psychologist or legal person and you Doctor with you. One or all of these professionals. With proper treatment we can function again. It takes a time and each case is different depending on severity of injury. I for one can never return to my beloved profession. I am not alone sadly in my profession that cannot! A loss to the community as well as I was a high achiever and good at my job so where the many others I know. The typical target personality as in WBI!
I have been thinking about PTED since your last post about it. I am sure I have it. I was not just workplace bullied however, I was arrested due to suicidal behavior, denied treatment, wrongfully arrested, tortured and denied treatment in the prison, had a prosecutor write lies about me and tell and newspaper lies, had a public defender who was a drunk and when I complained was abused, have moved trying to get counseling for PTSD in this 3rd world country I live in x3 (Alaska) to no avail(I have been misdiagnosed with almost every mental health problem in the DSMIV), lost my ability to work, had people believe egregious lies about me, had my property stolen, my cat was starved/tortured, ended up homeless three times, had the government ignore my complaints about problems with corrupt agencies (Sarah Palin), been mobbed in a village, was harassed by the police, got death threats, had state troopers destroy evidence/lie/threaten me, had to be around dominionist far right crazy people, and I’m trapped in Alaska and had my health harmed. Oh, there is a lot more. I am doing better however and feel I have the strength to start the legal fight again soon. There is absolutely no way any mental health “professional” in AK would know anything about this.
@ DREW I am disputing anything at all. I just was making a point as so many people are treated like they are mad or have a mental illness when they do not! May I reiterate too. Everyone with PTSD ( timeline thing to be diagnosed with this too) all begin with Depression. All of us have an underlying “reactive depression” with anxiety. This is the beginning or onset. I go to a brilliant Psychologist who is the best here and she has a Masters in her field and a specialist is Workplace abuse and PTSD. I have been educated by her. I also saw her off sider who is a neuro- scientist plus psychologist who educated me also. So when I make a opinion it is usually what they have taught me. Drew you and I have have chatted about this. I guess my point is that many people think we are mad and in fact PTSD can mimic Bi-Polar with it symptoms when it fact it is NOT Bi- polar in most cases. I cannot diagnose nor do I want too or would and neither can we…however the initial diagnosis is very very important. Especially when one has been fine before the TRAUMA or event that caused this to happen. With proper diagnosis one gets proper treatment……makes sense I hope. Drew I was just informing people that if you have or are diagnosed with PTSD it actually is a normal human reaction to a trauma or event and allow yourselves to know this.
Sorry Drew I meant I am NOT disputing. Not at all.
[...] Tagspsychology-and-work, psychology-at-work, Workplace Bullying Can some targets of severe workplace bullying become so angry and embittered by their experiences that they are unable to move forward in their lives? In 2003, Dr. Michael Linden, a Berlin psychiatrist, proposed recognition of a new condition, Post-Traumatic Embitterment Disorder (PTED), asserting that a traumatic event could trigger “embitterment and feelings of injustice” that impair one’s “performance in daily activities and roles.” These reac … Read More [...]
Great blog, great post. I recently blogged about the possible link between earthquakes and workplace bullying. There’s been a recent pickup in reported cases of bullying in earthquake zones such as New Zealand. Thought the link might interest your readers.
http://workplacediva.blogspot.com/2011/06/do-earthquakes-lead-to-workplace.html
Chris, thanks for the kind words. As for the bullying-earthquake connection, that’s a first!
Excellent post, David. This sounds exactly what I’m suffering from. I’ll have to show this to my psychiatrist.
Thanks for your article and work on this topic. It seems to happen to so many, yet there is as yet relatively little written about it. I too had it happen to me twice and survived. I even stayed on at the institution where it happened and in spite of the people who perpetrated it. Much later I wrote a book about my experiences with academic mobbing in the expectation that others would find my experiences interesting and useful. For anyone interested it is available at
John Towler
This article and commentary has resonated with me so much. The idea that our anger and bitterness can lead to dysfunction is totally true!!! In the wake of the emotional abuse at work that I endured, I have engaged in self-sabotaging activities, mostly of angry emotional displays, that haven’t really helped my professional status, reputation, and credibility Not that the bullies of the world don’t suck to the nth degree, but we have to fight against the anger and bitterness, or it will indeed consume us and disable us. I hate the profoundly insulting, irritating and insensitive “just-get-over-it” commentary. Would you people who say this just please shut up? I don’t care if you mean well or not, just shut it. But it is true that no one can turn it around for me except for myself. I have pursued (and still do) counseling, and I am trying to understand what about me has been broken, so I can heal and not be debilitated by the hurt I have sustained. I am talking about myself, no one else, and like Mary, I don’t want to judge others, it has just taken a long time to figure out fundamental truths and to look for the positive, as this is the only way to move on. I just mostly want to find my way out of the abyss, and the affirmation and acknowledgment that this is indeed a struggle has actually helped me to begin to find a way to move on.
David you are remarkable, I am unfortunatley going through pted right now and i could not have explained any better what it feels like. It is crippling and every day as i wonder if i will ever work again i experience all of the emotons you describe. when we have been wronged and abused, tortured, bullied, brow beaten, tormented, stalked, screamed at, yelled at, demoralized, had our self esteem ripped away, been micromanaged down to how you sign your name, belitteled and disgraced and embarrased in front of coworkers etc, it is very painful and difficult and wrong, and it does create an enormous amount of anger and bitterness. I could never understand why people go into their workplace and shoot their boss, now i do. I dont condone it and i would admit myself to a hospital before i ever let myself get that weak, but it does open ones eyes to the fact that not all of us can take the same amount of abuse and keep going, some people snap and the consequences are very unfortunate for everyone. My point is that the amount of pain and grief and physical and emotional damage that bullying brings on is enormous and can shatter one entire life, overlapping into many areas. From Kindergarten to our first job we are programmed to understand and let work become a major partof our identity, and when a bully destroys that identity and you feel as though you may never get it back, that could definately push some people to an edge of no return, and with that i would like to say to all targets, when you feel, or if you feel that vulnerable, before you do something that you cannot ever change or live with , get help and save yourself, the bully will get theirs in time, especially as we see more progress with the legislation ect. Also get involved and put the word out about the workplace bully institute and healthyworkplacebill.org online, there is a lot of help and education already available to help one through, and by all means get professinal help to heal yourself. Great article. I am going out to the mall right now and hand out business cards i had made up that have the websites i just mentioned on them, to do my part.
Mel, you can thank Dr. Linden for doing the hard work of thinking through this condition. This concept has resonated with so many people who have experienced bullying and other forms of mistreatment at work. So there’s definitely something to it, even if it’s not an officially recognized psychological injury.
Thanks David
I wanted t run something else by you and see if you have heard of it. One thing that i am struggling with most of the time in relation to work and the concept of ever returning is this psychological thing that is hard to explain but i will try. i started working when i ws 14 full time summers and i am 53. i have worked full time year round since 1979 about 32 years. As a young kid when we start out working we do not often know alot about the working world or maybe the specific job or career we are doing. We finsih school , maybe get married etc and well for me work had become second nature and everything i did work wise whether for my full time job or my side work i did for years remodeling etc was like i said second nature and i had become comfortable, felt experienced and had a strong sense of how my skills fit into the needs of every day society. i cannot come in touch with that anymore and i have to wonder if it is the constant brow beating and the way i was constantly humiliated that made me protect myself and put my focus on that rather than work and moving forward with my career, and it is many times that i feel broken and like i have lost touch with that part of my identity. i would be curious what you think of that and if you have heard similar concepts, or what anyone else that has been bullied thinks.
Mel, though I’m not a psychologist, what you’re describing — loss of self-esteem and self-identity — are common consequences that I’ve seen many times with targets of severe bullying at work.
I won’t ask you in this public forum if you’ve sought out career coaching, therapy, or some other form of mental health assistance, but it may be helpful if you have not — while keeping in mind that too few mental health providers understand workplace bullying.
Best of luck in dealing with all the bad stuff.
Thanks Dave
I am in professsional couseling and he is excellent and is aprofessor of psychology although may not be an expert in workplace bullying he is creative enough to understand and sort out what is going on. It is just a long process. I do agree with you it is a lot of loss of self esteem and identity. Thanks again for your excellent input.
It is helpful just knowing that I am not the only one experiencing the feelings that make up PTED. I feel if I could come face to face with the bullies that caused the damage that it may help. Two to three years after the final incident I am still suffering from major depression and major anxiety disorder. I have been undergoing electro-convulsive therapy treatments, taking multiple psychiatric meds, and going to psychotherapy at least every two weeks and still suffer. My treatment team is made up of the best of the best but the injuries I experienced from workplace bullying have not healed.