Work anxiety

Missberri · ‎13-10-2025

Hello,

I've been struggling for a long time with anxiety at work. I've had social anxiety all my life and I've had periods where it improves but a lot of the time I just feel constantly anxious.

For my current job I pretty much work from home everyday. I've been at this job for about 4 years. Working from home has been helpful with managing anxiety but I also feel like it has made my social anxiety worse.

I hate virtual meetings and I always feel on display when I talk in them so a lot of the time I just dont talk. My team is constantly trying to get us to do team building catch ups and ice breakers and things and I just feel like I've had enough. Its exhausting me mentally and I feel like I cant escape it. It sounds so stupid because I dont even go into the office and barely have to deal with people, but I just prefer doing my work without constant chatter on teams and constant meetings to catch up on this and that and play forced games and talk about myself and stuff like that.

I feel like wfh has made me more anti social. But theres no point going to the office because pretty much no one goes. I want to get a new job so bad. Not only because of this but because im so sick of my job. It has been repetitive for 4 years and im at a point where im just having no growth at all. But I keep getting rejected for my applications because the employment market is tough right now. I also dont know if a new job is going to fix how im feeling.

I feel like my team is starting to get sick of me being in the background and theyre starting to dislike me. I wish I knew how to improve my situation or just leave im just not enjoying it anymore and I'm so tired of it.

smallwolf · ‎13-10-2025

Hello and welcome.

I can relate to what you’re saying. I worked from home for years (too many if you ask me now), and I feel there were two effects of this on me. Initially it was fine - I would say. As time went on though the lines between work and personal life blurred. This also meant that over time, the lack of social interaction made me feel like I was just fading into the background of everything.

I know you mentioned not wanting to go back to the office, but sometimes being around others, even just a little, can really help break that cycle. Maybe everyone has that thought that if nobody else is at the office, why should I be there?

What sort of work you do?

If you want to chat some more ... listening ...

Missberri · ‎14-10-2025

Hi thank you for your reply!

I definitely feel like working from home is starting to get to me. I also feel like a lot if the day is often quiet and i don't have much to do. And this is starting to impact me mentally as I feel a bit useless and like I have nothing to offer.

I totally agree about wfh being good at first but feeling not great after a while. Even though I have social anxiety I used to be more social. But now I even struggle to socialise with friends. I am considering going back to the office but youre right i think the more people started working from home, the more others stopped going haha so now no one wants to go. Maybe I will consider going back in. My partner started going back to the office every day and he's a lot happier. My best case scenario would be getting a new job that has more of a hybrid culture so I still get to wfh sometimes. Im currently working in a customer service/admin type role but im aiming to get into IT.

I appreciate your advice! Ive been very increasingly avoidant of interaction and it's really starting to catch up with me. And I just dont enjoy online catch ups because they feel awkward. Im hoping I can break out of this cycle soon.