Anxiety, stressed or just too sensitive

[EC2004]

Hi all.

This is my first time posting on this page. I haven't been diagnosed with anything and to be completely honest I'm not sure if I have anxiety or if I'm just too sensitive so I don't know whether I should be seeking help.

By way of background, I work in an industry that is stressful, time sensitive and just full on. I find that I can go periods of time without incident however there are instances where I find myself really stressed worried about work. I work really hard to keep on top of my workload and I am always willing to help a co-worker when they need assistance. Despite occasional positive feedback, I still feel worried.

Regularly, I struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep and I often wake up feeling like I've slept for an hour and dreading work. Every morning on the train to work I experience knots in my stomach. I find that I am irritable at least half of the time.

Occasionally, I experience what I call a breakdown, where I am just inconsolable. This has happened a few times and has been the result of something relatively minor which is something I can't control or not my fault but I've taken it personally.

Most recently I encountered a problem at work that made me so stressed and worried that I almost immediately started crying (just after 9am) and I was tearing up throughout the day. I couldn't stop thinking about it (even though it was something that I couldn't control, it wasn't my fault, I worked to sort the problem and it really shouldn't have been a big deal). I experienced a hot flush that seemed to last for hours (a co-worker tried to comfort me and mentioned I was burning up) , I was shaking I could barely write and I couldn't control the tears. Even after I'd solved the problem and realising it may have been actually been a misunderstanding/miscommunication and leaving work at the end of the day, I still cannot help but cry.

These things have happened a few times before in my time at this workplace, and on those occasions one of my colleagues have sent me home and I've needed to call in sick the following day because I still couldn't compose myself.

As I said these incidents don't happen often but when they do, they sneak up on me and I just can't get over it.

I need help identifying if it is something I need to address with a doctor or if I'm simply sensitive.

If anyone has any tips on how to manage it, that might be helpful.

Thanks in advance

[BballJ]

Hi EC2004,

Firstly, welcome to the forums.

I know it can be tricky to diagnose these sorts of things but any sort of situation like these I always think need to be spoken to a doctor about. It could quite possibly be anxiety or a mental health condition which if it is, it isn't the end of the world and the good news is you can learn to manage it and live it. I personally have suffered from anxiety for around 10 years so I know a lot about the symptoms and to be honest anxiety has such a broad range of symptoms, where what I get may not be the same as what you get but it is all one in the same just bundled up as anxiety. I highly suggest making an appointment with your GP and explaining how you are feeling and they may refer you to a psychologist who can help you understand all of this and give you tips to manage it all.

Please, post back as much as you like, we are always happy to talk.

My best for you,

Jay