Experienced Male Primary School Teacher new job riddled with anxiety

[Guest_9632]

Hello,

So this year my family and I made a sea change and moved to a new coastal town with a new job to boot. After working for 15 years in the same school where I was very comfortable, I’m now struggling to cope with the new surrounds and routines of my new school. I’m now on anti deps, speak with a counselor and booked in for a psych (September was the earliest!)

There is no doubt the big change of moving my family into new surrounds is what’s causing this anxiety and I do acknowledge this. I just can’t help over thinking everything I do and am actually fearful of what my colleagues think. I also now work in a open classroom with 2 other classes which is so foreign to me too. I’m use to my own room with 4 walls where I’m in control and can handle the surrounds. That’s all gone now and I’m at odds with dealing with it.

At the end of the day I’m trying to get help, speak about it, my current school are supportive and I have even taken time off. But I’m still struggling to deal with the anxiety and over think so many things, especially on a Monday morning. I just don’t feel like my older self all. No doubt changing schools at the end of the year is an option but it feels so far off. I just need tips to revive the pressure and constant anxiety now.

Any advice would be invaluable. 🙂

[Guest_9632]

Evening everyone.

So that run Thursday morning was the best thing I could have ever done. My day was 10 times better and even thiough wasn't perfect, it was a lot more enjoyable. Exercise truly does make a difference.

Then covid lockdown hits!

I'm taking this as a silver lining. No more very early mornings and a chance to stop, recoup and spend time with the fam. It will be hectic with remote learning but will also give me the chance to catch up in areas of admin that I need to do as it's not all in the classroom.

Admitedly though I did feel anxious this morning (preparing with online meetings for school) as it's yet another change I have to deal with. My new school handle remote learning differently to my old school. They are extreemly thorough, which is a little dawnting, but it is for the benefit of the kids.

My meeting with DP never happened as they were flat out with dealing with the current lockdown situation. However i did actually recieve a text from my Princiapl today apologising for not getting back to me this week. We have scheduled a check - in meeting, with the DP for Monday which is reassuring.

Anyway I hope everyone out there is dealing with lockdown (those of you in vic) okay. Be kind to each other. Currently having a quiet beer by the fire with my better half but not long off bed too. Speak soon and will check in again tomorrow. 🙂 ps, thanks again to you all for your ongoing support. It is invaluable.

[white knight]

As a younger man with little money, I used to be amused by how people enjoyed shopping so much.

But with money I began to understand to benefit of spending.

So, my theory is, to keep moving actions e.g. a picnic, a playground, a walk along the beach...a different activity and environment every few hours.

TonyWK

[Petal22]

Hi Guest 9632,

Thats wonderful news that your exercise helped you 😊 keep it up.....

are you aloud out to exercise while in lockdown? If not you can do excise in your house..... I like doing exercise inside that’s on u tube....great routines...

so glad you have found the positive in lockdown...... enjoy your re coup .... I think the not getting up so early will help... all the best with the remote learning..

a check in meeting with your dp will be good...

stay safe

always here to chat to you 😊

[Guest_9632]

Hi everyone,

So the weekend hasn't been the greatest mindset wise as I'm back to my over thinking ways. I struggled through yday, pretty flat. Got some work done (it's report time for teachers) which was productive but I still found myself thinking about the future. This week we go into remote learning which I intially looked at with open arms but due to yet 'another' change in my life I'm finding myself getting anxious. Am I doin the right things for these reports, am I organised, will our remote learning worshops run smoothly? All over thinking again. I do have a meeting with principal and deputy booked in tomorrow (check in) which I'm grateful for and hopefully recieve some encourging words. I'm just so disapointed that I've spent most of the weekend struggling emotionally and tired. I keep reminding myself that I'm still in the ealry days of dealing with this anxiety isse and my anti depressants will help kick in and help in the coming weeks (I've been on them for 3 weeks) but I'm just in a rut right now. I've got a counselling session booked too for 5:00pm via phone.

I did some gardening with the family this morning and then settled into do some work but had zero motivation and ended up chilling on bed for half an hour.

Now i'm going to get up and go for a jog and commit to not thinking about work until 8:00 tonight when i'll go over my notes for tomorrows sessions for 15mins. TIME TO TRY AND SWITCH OFF I HOPE!

Finally I hope this isn't turing into a bore for people. This tool has been genuinely helpful for me in getting my thoughts down, venting, reaffirming and getting wonderful feedback and advice. All your reponses mean the world to me.

🙂

[Petal22]

Hi Guest 9632,

Positive self talk is amazing, when I went through the severe side of OCD ..... my mind was full of negativity it’s the first way it went..... I guess through out my life I wasn’t a very positive person I painted my world in negativity and spoke to myself in a negative way aswell...... as I was going through my mental health journey I asked myself why? Why did I always worry, why was I so negative..... and have these negative emotions always inside of me? I always felt not so good inside........

then I realised I had to change, I had to change the way I was feeding my mind...... and the way I saw the world....

I practiced every day to change my internal world to see the best in everything, to be positive, to be giving, to be understanding, to be empathetic, to be humble, to be love, to be kind to myself and others, with every negative thought I’d give back a positive one, I learned to forgive myself and others... with this change in myself in time I changed my mindset to be automatically like this ..... instead of worrying about the future I’d replaced that with confidence and the attitude of anything is possible in my future... I can do anything I want to do as long as I have the belief in myself I see every day as a miracle and believe if I put a positive energy out I will receive it back....

Try to hit those worrisome thoughts with some confidence you know yourself and believe in yourself.....

You know you are doing all the right things with your reports.

your a great teacher and you know you are organised...

Your remote learning is going to go great....

please try not to be disappointed in yourself it’s hard with anxiety..... anxiety makes us worry more instead of being disappointed with yourself think of the positive things you are proud of yourself for..... always look at how far you have come...... never look back.......

I hope your counselling session goes well and your meeting with the dp and principal.....

don’t use you energy to worry use you energy to believe

thoughts have power, thoughts are energy. And you can make your world or break it by your own thinking

You are doing well Guest 9632, always have the belief in yourself..

here to chat to you 😊

[Guest_9632]

Your really are an absolute legend Petal22. Your wise words are so comforting. Positive mindset is so correct. Will try to bring this to my daily routine and not focus on negatives. Easier said then done of course but will try. 🤗

[Petal22]

Thanks guest 9632, being wise is something my mental health journey taught me I gained a lot of self growth from it...... I really try to live this way...... yes it takes practice to renew your mindset but it really can be done..... it’s well worth the practice... you will gain a lot from it including positive emotions..... 😊

How you begin your day can make your day, or break your day. Your attitude and your actions have a strong effect on your whole day.

Begin with a smile calmness of mind and a heart filled with gratitude . A positive mindset that it’s going to be a wonderful day.

all the best for your day I know it’s going to be great 😊

it’s also ok that you worry sometimes... anxiety does this to us... it will improve in time.... just keep moving forward...

here to chat to you

[Guest_9632]

Hi everyone.

So lockdown and remote learning is going okay. Was stressed about it and over thought how it would turn out (as per normal) but it's turned out okay so far.

My wife is pretty down at the moment and I need to step up for her. She's been such a rock for me these past couple of months and deserves better. I need to be stronger for my kids too.

Counselling session yday helped with dealing with techniques to subside anxious thoughts. Stop signs in my mind are being used as well as exercise. I've been battling a lot with insomnia too. I'm giving some meds from the chemist a go tonight. A good nights sleep cures everything, so they say, so fingers crossed it works.

I've written down some affirmations tonight and need to do this more regularly. Also need to try and get up and exercise. JUST GET OUT OF BED then I'm okay.

Anyway in a good space tonight and hoping for good things. Keeping positive and focusing on what is good.

Hope everyone out there is going okay, especially those in Victoria.

Peace and love!

[Petal22]

Hi Guest 9632,

Good to hear lockdown and remote learning is going ok...

Sorry to hear your wife is a bit down... just stick together...and you’ll both get through it....

I’m glad your counselling session went well, glad they could give you some strategies...

Positive affirmations are great , I use them a lot too...glad to hear you are staying positive...

I hope your insomnia improves soon.....

Things will improve 😊 here to chat to you

[Guest_9632]

Evening everyone, especially you Petal22. So had a win with the sleeping tablet last night, worked really well and had some better sleep. Interrupted by the kids waking up but anxiety or not that's not going away. I'm wary not to rely on it though. Having another tonight, and tomorrow before my first day back. Then will ease off for the weekend.

Had a good day with remote learning and planning with my team. Still get anxious at planning but slowly feeling more comfortable. Easing of restrictions in regional vic has helped as it means ill be back at school friday. At the same time its made me anxious becaue of yet another change. It's change that seems to be eating at me atm. Anyway I think i'm slowly getting on top of things with my work load. Went for a run this morning at 5:30am which I was happy with. Going to give it another go tomorrow. I'm also helping at work with the remote learners (everyone scheduled on at some stage) tomorrow so will be good to get back to work but not too full on as there aren't too many kids in. Hoping to catch up and socialise with a mate this weekend too which is well overdue.

Wife had a better nights sleep too last night. I got up with the kids and let her have a decent sleep in. Have to keep at it there though, with our relationship. A surpirse visit to a winery might be on the cards in the next couple of weeks I recon.

Anyway hope everyone out there is doing okay. Hoping for a good day tomorrow. Meditation, cuppa and a hopeful nights sleep now on the cards. Take care. Peace and love.