Anxiety at work

[Sunshine2]

I've just joined and briefly explained what brought me here in the introduction part of this forum. I just feel like I need to just talk to someone or tell someone how I feel without feeling like I'm putting someone out.

I haven't had an anxiety attack for months so everything obviously was too good to be true for too long. I work 2 jobs, one of which is part time retail. Around Christmas time just gone I was attacked at work (punched in the face) by a man with his hood up and he took the money from my till. I've been obviously shook up, angry, and having constant anxiety attacks and not sleeping. I went to the doctors and spoke to work and the doctors got me on medication and work is supporting me and I've been having counselling through work. I'm at the point now where I've stopped crying all the time, feel not as anxious as I have been since Christmas and still on meds. However I still feel anxious and worried about people thinking I should be over it by now (2 months later). I don't want people thinking I'm just trying it on. I know it's the anxiety talking but it doesn't stop me feeling like I'm putting this on my colleagues at work who have all had to support me when I've been in work because I have moments where I panic and need to go into the staff room to take 5 mins to get myself together and use some techniques to stop feeling really anxious.

I don't expect anyone to know what to say to this, the police haven't caught the guy cos of the hoody covering his face so I'm just in worry that he'll come in again or I'll bump into him. This is the main reason I joined because I think I've talked everyone else's ear off about this so many times I just hope they don't think I'm being silly. Thanks for listening, I just had to get this off my chest. :secret:

[glassgirlw]

That's a horrible thing to have happen!!! You are 100% justified in feeling the way you do! Fear from a trauma like that won't go away overnight so be patient with yourself. And it's great work is helping you with counseling...as they should! Do the techniques you've learned seem to help you some ? And welcome to the forum by the way!

[MyNameIsTerry]

That's a very reasonable issue to develop fear, a physical assault. PTSD cases are often similar anyway and they are recognised for their seriousness so why shouldn't this?

I think the way to overcome this is always going to be rebuilding your confidence in that setting. This is bound to be a bumpy experience as a man working in there may be a trigger or them walking up to the till. Slowly working through these scenarios and using the techniques to help you through will hopefully get you there.

[Sunshine2]

The techniques seem to be helping me, sometimes I get frustrated but I know it's going to take time. I've had time off work and I've been back in work, just not been on the till. I can now go on the till for 5-10mins at a time but I now hate going on the till. I love the regulars because they come in and ask how I am and so on cos they know me from being there so long, so I know the area isn't too bad. It's just the odd person that comes in that makes me feel uneasy now. I'm working through it but it doesn't make it easy that we've now introduced a no hood policy in store because of all these problems we've had with people with hoods covering their face and people coming in yelling and arguing with us about not wanting to put their hood down in store. If they're making a big deal about wearing it in store then I just think they've got something to hide. It's for everyone's safety really.

[white1989]

Sunshine,

that is a terrible experience for anyone to go through and you're well within your rights to feel the way you do. experiencing physical assault of that sort must be a harrowing thing to go through and especially for it to happen in the workplace, a place where we should all have a right to feel safe and secure. I can't really offer any advise but just wanted to say that you've come to the right place to find some solace and support, this forum has helped me through some really horrible periods of health anxiety and I hope you manage to come through this difficult time with the right support. best of luck xx

[Sunshine2]

Thanks for the words of support :) x