Help- Work Conference

[saintanselm]

Dear All,

So on Wednesday I don't have to but really ought to attend a huge work conference. I woke up in a panic about it last night. I work as an academic and do some lecturing too. Usually I ' feel the fear and do it anyway.' I usually take a seat close to the exit and get through it by thinking that no one would notice if I wasn't there anyway... which is probably true. I catastrophise that I'm going to have an epileptic fit, or make a fool of myself. Completely insane as I'm in good health and whenever I've felt like this is the last 5 years nothing has ever happened. Its a shame you can't ' reason' your way out of that horrible anxiety feeling. Its just there. Or can you?

The point I'm trying to make is I can usually get through these events but its just that ' I get through them.' I don't enjoy them, which I should. I think it was the Philosopher JP Satre who said that ' hell is other people!' Any tips how to not just get through the conference but also enjoy it appreciated!

J

[ynos]

Sorry I have no tips but I have always felt very much the same about events like yours and never really 'enjoyed them' but talking about it to like mind afterwards can sometimes feel like you've not missed out on too much by being anxious.
Hope it goes well :blush:

[rb1978]

I'm not sure I have tips but I often feel as you describe. A couple of years ago my anxiety reared its head in a big way and I began to develop agoraphobia. A couple of times a year we have away days or half day conferences at work. The first one I went to after the anxiety situation was a disaster. I sat by the door but had big big problems with panic and in the end left early feigning illness.

The second one (last year) was fine, mainly cos I had the experience of the first one to learn from.

I also thought about other things I do that I can't get out of easily - but which I survived. I love going to classical concerts - they tend to last a couple of hours and you can't easily leave because everyone would notice and you'd spoil their enjoyment. I kind of thought to myself that if I survive these things regularly - and really enjoy them - then I can sit for a few hours or longer in a work conference or away day.