[Finding the reasons for "workplace phobia". Sick leave can cause damage]

Anxiety engendered by the workplace leads to an inability to work and earn one's living. The term workplace phobia is applied when anxiety leads to avoidance of the workplace. As in the case of school phobia, a range of differential diagnoses may be involved, requiring careful clarification. Such may include post-traumatic stress disease, posttraumatic embitterment, social phobia, personality disorders, depression and organic brain disease. The treatment of workplace-related phobia differs from that of other phobias because of the peculiarities of the workplace. Simply giving the patient sick leave may do more harm than good, and as such needs to be carefully weighed up.