Across the UK, individuals can often experience periods where personal pressures and workplace demands begin to impact their mental health and affect their ability to sustain employment.
Through our delivery of the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service, we have so far supported more than 45,000 people with confidential, tailored one‑to‑one support for up to nine months – helping individuals manage anxiety, stress and depression so they can stay in work or return after a period of absence.
This support was essential for Chris Martin, a long‑serving Business Analysis Manager at West Midlands Police, when he found himself struggling during a period of significant change both at work and at home.
An unexpected turning point
At 45, Chris had spent over two decades supporting major transformation projects across West Midlands Police. Following a departmental restructure, he was managing increased responsibilities while coping with the bereavement of his mother at the same time.
The combination of sustained workplace pressure and personal loss exacerbated long-standing anxiety, creating a level of strain that began to affect both his wellbeing and work performance.
Reflecting on that time, Chris explained: “Basically, life was a lot busier at work, and my home life was quite stressful as well. Things were just happening and stacking on top of me from both sides; personal life with my mum dying, and professional with the new job. It all just got a bit too much.”
When pressure quietly becomes too much
The emotional weight of the year began to take its toll. Chris found himself becoming more anxious, withdrawn and reactive, with stress increasingly following him home. He experienced panic attacks, which made him realise the situation was affecting him more deeply than he had initially acknowledged.
He explained: “I wasn’t myself. I was overreacting to things and getting overwhelmed. I would come into work already stressed and anxious, and the smallest things would tip me over. I started to withdraw, got quieter, and I could see that I wasn’t behaving how I normally would. It was happening more regularly, and I just knew something wasn’t right.”
Discovering support at the right time
West Midlands Police actively promote wellbeing resources, including the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service delivered by Maximus.
Reassured by the confidentiality and work-focused nature of the service, Chris self-referred and was quickly matched with a dedicated Mental Health Support Service coach.
Within days, he was connected with Mental Health Support Service Coach Cherag Ali, beginning regular online sessions over a six‑month period. The rapport between them developed quickly, something Chris described as essential at a time when opening up felt difficult.
Working through the root causes
Together, Chris and Cherag explored the emotional toll of the restructure, the grief he had not fully processed and the sensory challenges he experienced day to day. As their conversations deepened, Chris began to recognise long‑standing patterns in how he reacted to busy or high‑stimulus environments. These insights helped him make sense of experiences he had struggled with for years and gave him a clearer picture of what he needed to stay well at work.
Cherag supported Chris to identify workplace triggers and understand why certain settings led him to feel overwhelmed.
They developed a Wellness Action Plan that helped him communicate these needs to his manager, something he had never felt fully confident doing before.
As the sessions progressed, Chris recalled: “Cherag would probe me about why I was feeling like that and what was causing it. Instead of just looking at the behaviour, we looked at the reasons. It made me more reflective, and I started to understand my triggers much more easily. I’m very sensory, and when things get too busy – big rooms, lots of people talking – it really triggers my anxiety. I’d come out absolutely knackered. Talking it through helped me realise why I get overwhelmed so easily.”
The deeper understanding also resonated at a personal level, helping Chris make sense of long‑standing patterns within himself and in his family, and giving him greater compassion for how he experiences the world.
Feeling stronger and more able to cope
After six months, Chris felt noticeably steadier and more in control. The techniques he learned became part of his routine, helping him navigate busy periods and challenging environments with greater ease.
He also grew more comfortable talking about his mental health. With his manager’s support, that honesty strengthened his working relationships and shaped how he now leads his team – actively promoting wellbeing, sharing resources and encouraging colleagues to seek help early.
Looking back, Chris is proud of the positive impact the support had on him: “It came at exactly the time I needed it. I had been struggling for months without realising how much it was affecting me, and the support helped everything make sense again. It showed me it is okay to talk and okay to be open. I try to role model that now, and I would recommend the service to anyone who feels like things are getting on top of them.”
