India, April 15 -- An IT professional deployed at a product-based MNC through a mid-sized startup took to social media to open up about the toll a toxic work environment is taking on his mental health. Currently two months into a three-year contract, he called the experience "one of the most mentally draining" phases of his career so far.

"I'm working alongside one more colleague at the client location, and the level of stress and anxiety we're both going through is unbearable," he wrote in a Reddit post. He even mentioned experiencing symptoms similar to panic attacks due to the constant pressure and unrealistic expectations at the workplace.

The workday, he said, stretches from 10 AM to 8:30 PM with barely an hour for lunch and tea co...