Work Anxiety

[Yvaine]

Hi all,

This is my first time ever posting on here! 🙂

So basically I've had anxiety since I was young and as far as I remember was consequently diagnosed with GAD. I've been working in a new job since June 2018 in a completely unfamiliar field and I've been suffering panic attacks and severe anxiety every day since. I've been finding it really hard to be happy or stay positive, I still attend social action the hope that they make the anxiety and pain go away, but half the time I'm thinking about work and about how unqualified I believe I am and start catastrophizing in loops. I lose sleep, fear that time is moving so fast and dread just claws away at every moment.

I've never felt this bad before and I'm lost on what to do. I've been considering medication just to take the edge off because right now I'm just not coping well mentally/physically/emotionally.

Doea anybody have any advice or similar experiences and can offer any support?

Ps: my boss knows that I have anxiety but has told me that I have to find a way to put it aside and focus on my work because I'm just making mistakes all the time that I shouldn't be and they're getting more stressed and concerned about everything I'm doing on the job (making sure I'm doing it right).

Hope that all makes sense. I'm just feeling very alone right now and feel that my anxiety is so out of control I can't feel content or happy without being reminded that anxiety and dread will always come back to take it away.

Thanks so much for your support and responses in advance! God bless.

[blondguy]

Hi Yvaine

Welcome and good on you for having the courage to post too!

We are a friendly and non judgemental forum...Your privacy is paramount to Beyond Blue too 🙂

I understand your pain on this as I used to have chronic anxiety for a long time when working in a senior role.....and yes.....its a bad place to be in. Can I ask if you have been diagnosed with GAD by your GP?

You are not alone here Yvaine

we are here for you 🙂

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Yvaine]

Hi Paul,

Thank you so much for your warm welcome. I really appreciate knowing I am not alone. It's so easy to feel isolated in the mind.

I believe as far as memory goes it was diagnosed by a psychologist 🙂

[blondguy]

Hey Yvaine!

no worries at all and thank-you for being a part of the forum family 🙂

You posted that your boss mentioned to leave the anxiety aside and focus on your work...That is upsetting

Can I ask if you have a GP that you can talk too?

A huge amount of my therapy has come from a couple of GP's who provided excellent counsel 🙂

When our anxiety effects our day to day well being....we then know we have an issue that requires some counseling/therapy. I kept putting off my therapy for years and (just for myself) my anxiety became worse...

Out of respect for you, I started to take a small dosage of meds after 13 years of anxiety attacks which did reduce my chronic anxiety by approx 70%...(anti-depressants)...even though I was silly to leave it so late

Any questions are more than welcome Yvaine! There are many super gentle people on the forums that can be here for you too 🙂

my kindest thoughts for you

Paul

[Yvaine]

Paul,

Thank you so much for your kind words. As a first time poster on here, is so wonderful to be met with such support and empathy!

I'm planning on having another chat with my boss to explain that my anxiety is a condition that I don't have 100% control over all the time (I mean if I could control it I would). So hopefully that will go well, as I'm nervous to have that conversation again but more in depth. Just quite nervous about reactions and such.

And yes, I do have a GP I plan on seeing asap about other treatment options. My current psychology sessions are more CBT and it seems more like talking about doing things practically (which I was up not doing in critical times and relying on distractions).

I find it so tortuous and difficult to get through even 4-5hrs and leave the office exhausted. It's a high-pressure reception job in the medical field. I think I've battled my anxiety to the point that I'm really not coping well in the day from day so best to start taking all the steps in the right direction! 🙂

Thank you so much for your insight and I'm so glad that your condition has improved! That's great 🙂

Have you been on the medication while working in a job/if so, how did that work out for you?

[Yvaine]

Hey all,

Just an update: I've been on medication for about a month or two and things are improving in terms of coping with the anxiety. Thank you all so much for your ongoing support 🙂