The symptoms

Warning signs in victims of bullying or harassment:

Difficulty in sleeping

Talking obsessively about workload

Sudden bouts of crying

Loss of appetite and/or sex drive

Chain smoking and/or unusually heavy drinking

Emotional withdrawal from family and friends

Quitting present employment before being offered another job

Fighting back

What victims of bullying or harassment can do to help themselves:

Join a union. It's a constitutional right.

Consult the Employment Equality Agency (EEA) for advice and support. 01-6624577.

Log details of all incidences of harassment, including times, dates and names of witnesses

Keep copies of past references, and all memos sentr and received

Go on an assertiveness training course