At what point in your treatment did you feel ready to face your fears?

[Wild_Westerner]

Hi all! I've been in CBT treatment for about a month and have started to feel better about my work related anxiety. I had to quit my full time job in marketing due to the anxiety and am now planning to work in retail until I feel ready to return. I don't want to go back to suddenly as I'm afraid I will be overwhelmed again and all my progress will be lost. 

At what point of treatment did you feel ready to confront your fears or go back to what you used to do? 

[Petal22]

Hi Wild Westerner,

Im glad that you are feeling better in regards to your work related anxiety.

I understand that we have the fear of being overwhelmed all over again and we wonder if our progress will be lost.

I believe that as we endure and learn through therapy we become more resilient to the things that bought us down the last time, we have more tools in our tool box and our lives experience makes us stronger.

What bothered us once no longer has that power because we have learned ways to manage it.

I think that everyone is different in regards to when they feel ready.

Is marketing still something you feel passionate about?

In regards to facing your fears if marketing is something that you really want to return to then sometimes we need to try to let go of fear .

Sometimes when we reach for the life of our dreams the first to meet us will be fear…. Nod and keep on walking.

[Croix]

Dear Wild_Westener~

I'd like to join Petal_22 in welcoming you back to the Forum. I did read of the troubles you had before and being put in the unfortunate position of having to leave employment , and to do so more quickly than you might have liked. In all fairness that second job did push you further than it should.

At the moment you are feelng better, and I'm very glad of that, however I'd be somewhat cautious at the moment. After all this improvement is partly due to therapy, possibly medications if you are still on them , and most importantly wihtout the current pressure of a job.

I did the opposite and hung on in my occupation far too long, and that made matters more difficult to treat even after hte job pressures had stopped. If you were to re-enter employment, even the possibly lesser stress in that retail position - and then had to withdraw it might well be a long time before you had the confidence to try again.

When you started CBT about a month ago did you have any discussions wiht your doctor or new psychologist about the overall plan and time-scale? It's quite possibles the envisaged a longer treatment time for CBT and other assistance than just one month, particularly as social and general anxiety plus depression are things you have had to deal with for a very long time.

One thing many people here have found is that feeling good on treatment can be a bit of a trap as it may lead to too much confidence too soon.

Do you think it might be worth talking with them? (my apologies if you have done so already)

Croix

[geoff]

Hello Wild_Westener, being in therapy for a month is good and feeling better is even much better, however, this treatment could help you with these particular people you have trying to deal with at work and perhaps being in sales there still may be some involvement with them.

Have you thought about applying for another job elsewhere, I'm just worried about you being around the same people in one way or another.

Geoff.

Life Member.

[Beeee]

Hello Wild_Westerner,

Working somewhere you feel comfortable as you work on your anxiety sounds like a great plan! When it comes to feeling comfortable to confront your fears, I think it's different for everyone. For some people perhaps a few weeks/months or for others, years. 

For me, when it came to morning anxiety, it took me about 6 months to 1 year to be able to confront it. Even then, it was taking small steps rather than facing it all at once. I would recommend the same and discussing a return with your psychologist rather than facing it alone. And if there's no need to rush into a return, I would also suggest taking your time and thoroughly building up your confidence. 

Wishing you the best, 

Beeee

[Wild_Westerner]

Hi Petal, 

I wouldn't say I've ever been passionate about marketing, but it is something that I like doing and am good at. I've definitely learnt better coping techniques but I think it will take a while till I'm ready to go back to marketing. Thanks for your response! 

[ecomama]

Hi Wild_Westerner, welcome to the forums. 

I've popped in and out of your thread and had a bit of reflection time about what you're asking. 

Tbh, if I were you, I wouldn't go back to marketing until I missed it. 
If you miss it like a hole in the head then that's not the feeling you'd be seeking. That's more like DREAD, not good for your MH. 

You did a courageous thing quitting a job you knew was disintegrating your MH. 
It's WISE to gauge how you're feeling, contemplating a return. 

But it doesn't mean you HAVE to return. 

Considering the fact we spend, what a third to half of our days at work? Then many of our waking hours before & after work THINKING about work... then sleeping lol. 
How you FEEL about work and how you COPE in said workplace is a very important set of facts to reflect upon. 

Not everyone may be as fortunate as I am in choice of work. 
I've volunteered my time for free when I've been on leave from work. 
It can be a PLEASURE, lol, yes I'm being honest! lol. 

Short answer: when you miss it. 

EM

[Beaser]

Hi WW.

Im glad to hear you are starting to feel better on the  work related anxiety.     A few months ago i left a job i had been in for 15 years. Basically due to having had enough of the politics and certain personalities.  Ive just started a new job in a hardware store for 3 days a week ATM.  I like you was very nervous and i actually cancelled on my original start date as a result .  Ive never worked retail either.   So far it has been a huge win for me as i get to see different people every day and i think its good for me as its like im socialising and having interactions with people at the same time.  I just thought i would share my story as i think and hope you may get the same benefits.    Hope to hear more   Beaser.

[Petal22]

That’s ok Wild Westerner,

Sometimes in life we can find a passion something that really makes us shine from the inside out……

I understand that marketing may be a while off if at all you go back to it.

Sometimes if you find that passion you never work a day in your life…….

Yours is still out there 😊

[Wild_Westerner]

Cheers Croix, appreciate you taking the time to reply. Yes I'm still on medication and have discussed with my psychologist about timeframes. She wouldn't be drawn on an exact time frame but said it could take a while to undo all the negative thoughts I've built up over the years. 

She did agree with me that working in a less stressful role is a good stepping stone to returning to full time work. I've worked in previous roles similar to it with minimal issues, definitely not mental breakdowns thank goodness.