Meltdown before job interview

[Jdean]

Hi everyone

I've suffered from crippling social anxiety pretty much since my early teens. I masked it with alcohol for many years and then stopped about 6 years ago when I realised it was an addiction.

I guess I've reached a kind of crisis point as it's affecting my ability to get work and perform at work (I work in IT). Yesterday I had an interview lined up for a really good job and I pretty much had a panic attack, hyperventilating and felt like my arms were on fire. I cancelled and have felt terrible since then. I need to change something.
I'm on citalopram for almost 2 weeks and I had felt that this was starting to help. The GP says I need to take it for at least 6 weeks to see if it will really help.

I think I probably need some kind of psychotherapy/counselling. What do people recommend for SA ?

Thanks so much for this site
Andrew

[Spot-the-frog]

Hi Andrew,

2 weeks isn't long on citalopram, it really does take 4-6 weeks to get into your system before you notice the positive effects.

I would ask your doctor to refer you for some counselling, maybe CBT?

[Gabor]

Hi Andrew,

I am coping with similar problems when I have to go interviews. That's right, it takes about 5-6 weeks until Citalopram (and other SSRI-s) starts to relieve your symptoms.

However, I developed a practical approach to job interviews. The evening before the interview I do some jogging (roughly 5-6 kms), often combined with press-ups. The point is to make yourself feel tired from a physical point of view. This normalizes your breeding and you feel that you have adequate control over your muscles. If possible, I schedule the interview for the morning the next day. In most cases, this works for me.

BR, Gabor

[Jdean]

thanks for the tip Gabor. I need to exercise more for sure as this always helps with mood anyway.

I have scheduled an appointment with a psychotherapist for next week now as well.

[Mrs G]

Hi i hate interviews as well and tend to get in a mess. Im not really enjoying my job at the moment and the thought of putting myself up for interviews and having to learn a new job and meet new people really scares me. I remember once getting a reiki session and taking rescue remedy prior to an interview and i was that anxious it really didnt go anything i went to interview but mucked it up cos I dont come over confident at all and hence didnt get the job :)