I’m new here and only starting to take the first steps..

[Hopeful021]

Hi all

This is new for me… I’m only just starting to accept I may have anxiety. It seems to be triggered at work. I quite like my job and work with good people so I don’t know why I feel this way. I started to recognise it when I knew k had to speak publicly. The build up would cause me so much stress and then over a year ago I had my first panic attack while public speaking. I lost my vision and my voice. It was horrible but eventually I just admitted to the crowd what was happening. I then had a year off on maternity leave and didn’t think much more about it. I went back to work recently and now I struggle to even talk in any pre planed situations. Even if it’s just me and my close work team. Today my boss asked me to attend a very high level meeting and present. I haven't stopped feeling sick since and literally can’t stop thinking about it. I have kept my feelings hidden as based on previous experiences of people know I feel like this it makes my anxiety worse as I think people are watching me more closely and analysing me. It sounds so minor but I’m worried that it’s going to take over. Im worries I will have to leave my job.. Im just posting here to see if anyone else experiences this? Thank you

[Sophie_M]

Hi Hopeful021

Welcome to the forums and to this kind and supportive community. We are really sorry to hear that you are having these intense feelings at the moment and that they are having such an impact on your life. Thank you for showing such courage in posting and sharing that experience - you never know who will read this post and feel less alone on their own journey. In addition to posting in the forums, we also invite you to call or chat to one of our trained mental health professionals who will also be able to listen and offer care; it’s completely confidential and available 24/7: To call us, contact 1300 22 4636
To use webchat, Click Here 

Thank you again for joining this community, we hope that you can join other conversations that resonate with you and read about other users and their journey to better mental health. Kind regards, Sophie M

[Petal22]

Hi Hopeful021,

Wellcome to our forums.

Im sorry you are feeling this way I understand that anxiety is hard to deal with.

Have you ever seeked professional help for your anxiety?

I understand that speaking in front of people can be nerve racking at times especially if your already anxious about it before you have to speak.

Im sure you are a great employee and understand everything that you need to present.

Please try to let go of fear.

Fear is the one thing in life that will always try to hold us back but if you can let go of fear you will fly.

Try to practice just remaining calm.

Have you ever tried meditation?

Please don't allow your anxiety to push you around and make you leave your job, anxiety can be managed and you can learn how to manage it.

[blondguy]

Hi Hopeful021

I understand your feelings as I have been in senior management/HR for a long time and the pressure can be intense as I had my my early panic during a AGM....It was horrible..especially in boardrooms/conferences

Just from my own experience Hopeful021....can you have a talk to your GP...preferably making a double appointment as our GP's have a better understanding about anxiety feelings than even 10 years ago

You are strong...very strong

The forums are a safe and non judgmental place for you (and myself) to post

we are listening 🙂

my kind thoughts

Paul

[jaz28]

hi there,

i like your username and how you are hoping you can seek help. there is light at the end of this! it can seem overwhelming now but you have come to the right place! i extend a warm welcome.

as most others have said, seeing your gp and getting a mental health care plan might be beneficial for you. you can learn some skills to control this. it really helped me anyway!

you will get better and feel better soon! i believe in you.

all the best,

jaz xx

[StevenK]

Hi there, performance anxiety or anxiety in general floods the body with cortisol(stress hormone) it also takes our ability to function properly, we literally become somewhat stupid when we are in fight or flight. That part of the brain thinks there is a tiger trying to kill us.

so it’s important to understand what our bio chemistry is doing. Also most people suppress or repress there negative emotions. They have learned this as a child. However we have a deeper mind that remembers everything that ever happened

good thing is we can change. Most people are scared to feel the symptoms of anxiety so they indeed create more of it by fearing fear itself

so anxiety has a creation point it started somewhere and we have to treat the root cause, of those insecurities and fears. We have to start fixing stuff by focussing on solutions.

As for what your going through, some of your confidence has disappeared due to chronic anxiety. It eats away our self esteem.

a really big thing is you have to accept and acknowledge the fact that we don’t have the confidence we once had and so we need to step way back.. it’s not our fault either

it requires to have self compassion and to start over. So what does this mean? Sometimes we have to get back to basics and start reading building our self esteem and confidence

you Can’t act confident and perform confident if your current state of mind is panic and turmoil.

this is very key. And yes when we are in fear of panic we freeze. And some of us also freeze with presentations.

Also sometimes being honest is a great way to share with others. If your doing a presentation you can say hey guys forgive me at the moment I am feeling nervous so bare with me.

You see the trick with anxiety is to allow yourself to feel the way you do, no matter how horrible it feels, don’t fight or push it away