catastrophizing and panic attacks

[Will29]

Things havent been great lately, i am very stressed at work with constant fear i am going to loose my job by even making the smallest of mistakes whilst also in constant anxiety due to the fact that linked with my fear at work i wont be able to provide a good way of living for my wife and 2 kids. I have felt a tremendous amount of pressure in knowing that they are all realiant upon me to provide them with what they need, we have outgrown the 2 bed flat we currently live in but i just simply cant afford for us to move. I think this is where my fear of loosing my job all the time come into play as i know if i loose it i wouldnt be able to gain further employment nor would i be able to provide for my family making me a complete failure. I had a small issue at work the other day which i totally blew up about in sheer panic that although it was my fault they were just going to kick me out of my job it is awful, such an awful feeling. As i have mentioned before in a previous post my wife in no way can support me mainly as she doesnt understand anxiety and panic attacks and also because she says she too is stressed out.

It is a feeling i am sure some people can relate to on here where you make a situation out to be a million times worse than it actually is and then start looking forward and thinking well time in my life isnt getting longer so i am missed my chance to do anything good in my life

Sorry if any of this inst clear i am not feel too great at the moment, i am constantly seeking peoples approval and understanding, just for someone to say that it will be all ok.......however this doesnt happen often and i dont think it is normal the amount i am seeking it from people all the time

[Maldon84]

Hi there,

I am in exactly the same situation as you and I feel your pain. I have quite a high pressure job and I would dwell on the fact that I could not concentrate very well and felt I would lose your job. However, I have realised that the pressure that is occurring is centred within me and the unrealistic expectations that I have on myself. I would worry about losing my job and my wife and kid being homeless!

However, thinking rationally about it, there are lots of support mechanism in place even if it should happen e.g. family, benefits etc and I took comfort from that.

Once I stopped letting the concentration issues bother me, putting down to anxiety, I found that they got better. I am not saying that I am fully better, I still have days were I make a catastrophe out of nothing and my symptoms get worse, but I have seen a reduction in symptoms.

Hope this helps you.

[lilboo]

Hi guys! Same boat, raising 2 kids but on my own with a demanding job. I've taken a week off that I can't afford but thought !?@& it as without my sanity I've got jack anyway!! Hang in there, perspective will kick in once we all calm down. Well that's my game plan!! Tis a lot of pressure on our shoulders but I think I got to this point anxiety wise as I need to change how I am handling this all.

[Will29]

I mentioned in a previous post i had a disciplinary due to performance (diregarding i had lost my father to cancer that same year!!) and i think if anything it is that looming over me that i hate, it is due to be cleared off my record at the end of this month so hopefully that will ease things a little, i just cant help but be paranoid when i forget to do the smallest thing that they are just going to turf me out and i will be a failure as a father and husband for not being able to support my family

[lilboo]

Hi will29, sounds like you take your responsibilities very seriously which of course is how it should be. However, we all need down time which has been driven home to me since this episode. Sounds like you need a shoulder. Makes prefect sense you have been stressing over the disciplinary, enough to make anyone paranoid about their performance. If you continue to feel uncomfortable at work to the extent it's making you ill, perhaps start slowly looking for alternatives, just a thought.

[flipsake]

Hi
Me too. I Start with a bit of stress and then usually it leads on to a health anxiety issue. I'll find some minor issue (today it was being full - I know !) then I turn this into something catastrophic. Not quite sure what it even was today but once the adrenaline was flowing I feel terrible. Shaky and then I get all the follow on symptoms from the panic. By the end of it I was panicking about the anxiety effects and had forgotten about the indigestion.

To give myself a break I will be kind and forgive myself as I have been coping with my mum who has been very ill with cancer although she now seems to be making good progress. Plus job stress and the self induced stress of guilt about all this panic and anxiety. This is putting pressure on my family life although they all do a great job of trying to be supportive and snapping me out of it.

The big problem for me at the moment is that I have lost all points of worry between not worried and total panic. I go straight from one to the other.

Been to the docs and had a bit of advice, nothing I didn't know already but I find it a comfort that I go in there and am given a clean bill of health and sent off to relax.