Quit your Job due to Anxiety and Depression

[ATHL2017]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum but I have been a reader for a while now. I am currently working in a Government job making around 70k a year. I have suffer from social anxiety and depression due to my job. I feel like everything I do is judged and what my appearance is against people I work with.

I really want to quit my job to give me some time to heal and find a way to deal with my anxiety and depression but my family keeps saying how proud they are that I work for the Government and if I quit, I will disappoint them.

If you guys have any tips on what I can do or what may help me improve my current situation, please let me know.

Thank you for all you posts. Its very inspiring to know that others have been in my situation but have fought through.

[Paula_T]

Hi White knight,

I found your post really interesting, I have been job hopping for most of my adult life due to this horrible disease and I still find myself in an out of work because I cannot control my anxiety.

[ATHL2017]

Thank you for the replies. Very helpful.

I have returned back to work after Christmas leave and my anxiety is sooo bad. I have OCD symptoms and they are now very bad. The anxiety is now over the top and I can barely manage to live besides work. I am planning to resign if the opportunity presents itself.

[blondguy]

Hey ATHL

Do you have a GP that you get along with?....I still see my doc every month for a 'fine tune'

A double appointment might be a really good idea

Your thoughts?

my kind thoughts

Paul

[anewhope]

I am sorry to hear about your anxiety and OCD.

If it is any help I can definitely relate to OCD getting worse in the last month. Could I ask wherein which ways OCD is being demonstrated? At the moment mine relates to Contimination OCD (huge fear of cigerettes and germs).

As I have read, stressful situations can definitely influence OCD as it feeds off opportunity to feel like things need to change. Our brains remind us when something is wrong, OCD is essentially amplifying them 10 fold.

I always think life as like a set of train tracks, we are the train and in our hearts we know where we want to get to (the destination), but there is nothing wrong with stopping at a train station occasionally to recoup. OCD is draining more of our resources than other trains and we just need to take a few more stops.

I can understand it can be quite overwhelming and you are showing great courage going back to work. I think you are also showing great courage by considering resigning if it means it will help you in the long run. Even speaking about it on the forum has showed that you want things to change and is the first great step.

[ATHL2017]

Hi all,

I have returned to update you guys. I am still in my job after 6 more months and the anxiety is still pretty bad which is now leading to depression. I have anxiety about public speaking and talking in group meetings which are causing me face spasms when I get over anxious.

I have been to the doctor and they have only ever tried to give me antidepressants which I think will not benefit me in the current situation.

Where to from here: I am willing to either try CBT or quit my position if that doesn't work because I cannot come up with the inner strenth to speak to people in public due to my social anxiety.

Don't really know what to do so I'll just see what happens from here. Thanks

[Tally81]

Hi ATHL2017, I know this ia faily old post but I was wondering if you ended up resigning from your job and if so did it help? I am exactly in the same predicament. I started in a job with Government 8 months ago and my anxiety is becoming debilitating. I have no doubt this job is the contributing factor due to stress and pressure. I want to leave and focus on healing but I feel I am disappointing my husband?

[ATHL2017]

Hi all,

Just an update on my situation, I have quit my position as of today due to depression and anxiety. Can no longer take the pain and now focused on my recovery. I have some savings and I will be moving back in with family to save money. I feel like a failure but I hope to get better soon.

[believe248]

Hi Athl2017,
Just letting you know that I quit my job last December due to my anxiety being at severe levels. I ended up taking 6 months off and it was the best thing I did. I was able to get back to a state of calm & peace.

It took me a little while to get another job, at times I felt like giving up, but eventually I did & now i have faith that if I ever need to quit again, there are ALWAYS other job options out there. Nothing needs to be permanent.

Try to enjoy this time for peace and know that you are not a failure. You are just looking after yourself.

[CoraC]

All the best to you ATHL2017. Hopefully you'll look back on this experience in 3 months, six months or a year, in a better place. And eventually with a better job. The working world can be so hard.