Anxiety Interfering With Work

[Deleted member 18673]

I had a horribly abusive childhood and one of the results of that is that I am terrified to death of getting people upset at me. For this reason I'm basically phobic of being late to work or making any mistakes. I quit my previous job during a panic attack. I've had my antianxiety meds upped and I got myself another job which I start on Friday. But my terror of being late and/or being incompetent is already giving me panic attacks. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle the fear every day and will end up quitting this job too. Help!

 

[Resilientbibliophile]

Same rough territory faced here,

Discreet ideas to share, although nothing strictly transformative as you might guess. Perhaps identify a place nearby (a coffee shop or some such) where you can arrive two hours earlier than your start time to ease into the need to be at a particular place at a particular time. Call it a staging area, a place to collect yourself and transition into the person you'll need to be to perform what you will be called upon to do. As comfort grows (it can please know), ease back on the responsibility to arrive so very early at this staging ground.

Others will likely chime in with other advice and strategies, but establishing the parameters of your triggers (as painful as it both sounds and is) nevertheless counts as progress and will in time translate into refined practices consistent with better self-management. Those impacted by abusive legacies however manifest are challenged to aggressively define and redefine tools and strategies to do what needs to be done. You are not alone in your struggles please do know. Kind regards...

M.

 

[Springer80]

Hello Conquer,

I know what this one feels like, like climbing up the side of a grater every day. I understand that you will probably need to work. I also hear a lot on this forum that in the absence of any treatment which actually alleviates the primary symptoms of PTSD, eventually you will reach a place of physical burnout.

So you'll make the best of bad situation for so long but don't blame yourself even is you can't manage your anxiety levels that well. Your trying your best.

 

[Deleted member 18673]

Discreet ideas to share, although nothing strictly transformative as you might guess. Perhaps identify a place nearby (a coffee shop or some such) where you can arrive two hours earlier than your start time to ease into the need to be at a particular place at a particular time. Call it a staging area, a place to collect yourself and transition into the person you'll need to be to perform what you will be called upon to do. As comfort grows (it can please know), ease back on the responsibility to arrive so very early at this staging ground.

That's a good idea. I will try that, and let you know how it goes. Thank you.

 

[healthbuilder]

I had a horribly abusive childhood and one of the results of that is that I am terrified to death of getting people upset at me. For this reason I'm basically phobic of being late to work or making any mistakes. I quit my previous job during a panic attack. I've had my antianxiety meds upped and I got myself another job which I start on Friday. But my terror of being late and/or being incompetent is already giving me panic attacks. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle the fear every day and will end up quitting this job too. Help!

Hi Conquer,

Positive attitude plays an important role in life. Don't start your work with tension. If your are late to office, then you can intimate to your boss about the work delay and you can complete it on other day. Share your feeling and ideas with other employees, it reduces your stress and anxiety.

 

[just me here]

I can identify with the feeling. Sometimes I fear that I am being judged on things that can be measured ( time of arrival, sick days off, late finished projects) and not by the things that can't easily be quantified or counted. My boss is busy entertaining cronies most of his day, he misses out on the good decisions I make and the money I save and the ideas I have. Those things don't get measured as easily, especially by someone too busy planning next weekend or discussing last weekend all day long.

My survival technique is to realise that although I fear it, I have never been criticized for being late or absent or taking too long. In fact, as far as I know, a particular coworker that most of us would fire if we could is always late or missing work and hasn't been criticized for it that I know of. I use his shortcomings to help me relax a bit when thinking about my own. He is my canary in my coal mine, maybe you need to find one. Look for the guy that can make everyone around him look like superman. Others may resent his presence, I say embrace it.

 

[Deleted member 18673]

I have been managing at work better than I expected. However, I still have a panic attack every night because I know I have to go to work the next day, and I have a panic attack every morning about making it to work on time and the panic continues even into the beginning of my shift as it changes from being about time and becomes about fear of not being a good worker and fear of being fired. I consider quitting work every day just to get rid of the panic.

 

[Springer80]

Hi Conquer,

Just wanted to say that what your going through sounds intolerable and physically painful. You have my sympathy and support. Take it easy :hug: