anxiety about errors or mistakes

[anxiousjo]

Hi there,

Doors anyone else suffer from panic attacks due to thinking they have made errors or mistakes at work. I'm terrified of making mistakes! It's making it hard to work. I m scared I'll damage someone or end up in prison!
Please let me know your stories and/our solutions!
Thanks jo

[NE21 worrier]

Hi Jo,

Sorry you didn't get a reply to this thread. I think it's worth me posting something just to tell you that you're not the only one who thinks like this as this thought process is also something which I get - but which I am trying to get over.

There is a word for it: perfectionism. To be a perfectionist can be a good thing as it ensures you set yourself high standards which means, at your best, you can provide a quality service. However, it becomes damaging if you expect to be in top form every day.

Humans are not computers, we make mistakes - and we may be prone to making more if we get wound up about them so it can be a bit cyclical. Your fear of doing someone damage or ending up in prison is typical catastrophising (I don't say that as a criticism as we all do it) but, at the same time, you simply must accept that these things are unlikely and have some faith in your ability.

Hope things are going better now,
Peter:)

---------- Post added at 22:38 ---------- Previous post was at 22:34 ----------

Some reading: http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/docs/1%20What%20is%20%20Perfectionism.pdf

And the whole module (with exercises) is here: http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=52

:)

[Annie0904]

If anything went wrong at work I always panicked I would get the blame even when I knew who had done it!
I had a text message from someone I work for and panicked straight away... I hardly dared read it, when I did it was to Thank me for doing such a good job! :D All part of anxiety :)

[anxiousjo]

Thank you so very much for replying to this message. I work in healthcare so a mistake could be v serious ! Probably the wrong career choice. Waiting for more counselling but at the moment 2 weeks into a 6 week wait. Just have to keep swimming. Thanks jo

---------- Post added at 21:42 ---------- Previous post was at 21:39 ----------

Thanks for the links too I 'll have a read