View Full Version : How many people work?
winter-blues
14-02-16, 15:37
I'm curious to see how people maintain there daily routines. I'm lucky because despite what I'm going through I've been able to keep up at my job. My office is close to my home which helps, and my job is fairly low stress which also helps.
Also if you are working how much do you share with your co workers if at all.
WB
faithfulone
14-02-16, 18:05
I'm currently back at work, but had taken several weeks off, not only because of the anxiety....well mainly because of the anxiety, but also some health issues that aren't quite resolved. I can usually work with pain, but because of it and the anxiety I was in a bad way. I am very thankful I was able to go back for a few days a week without constantly panicking. I have a couple of close friends that know a little of what I'm going through, but they don't know the extent of it and I'm sure they really wouldn't understand the full of it anyway, but they have been supportive.
almamatters
14-02-16, 18:23
I work full time, I work in a fairly stressful job which is difficult . Only one of my colleagues knows I have anxiety , I am not confident that the others would understand. I would be lying if I said that I don't struggle sometimes.
I work part time but only one person at work knows I have anxiety issues, however I am self employed so it's really not in my interest to let them know about my 'issues'!!
When I worked for an organisation only my boss and friends knew, not the general office, no-one else's business really!
Job isn't stressful as I'm mostly in charge of my own workload.
winter-blues
14-02-16, 19:50
It's good to hear that. I personally need my job for many reasons, but also because I find the routine of going to work is actually good for me. It helps me and although my boss can be a pain at times, I like what I do.
I work and I share the workplace with 50 people. I find that the routine helps to keep the anxiety levels in check :)
glassgirlw
14-02-16, 21:06
I work about 50 hrs a week. My coworkers do know about my anxiety. They had to take me to the er once. Actually that's the event that triggered my HA to come back...was super dizzy. Felt drunk. ER ran tests and diagnosed me with positional vertigo. Ever since I have had issues reigning back in the panic / anxiety attacks.
almamatters
14-02-16, 21:12
I think a lot of my colleagues suspect I have anxiety but I won't actually confide in them. I'm scared of being judged or them thinking I can't do my job. Normally I manage but if I hit a bad week I really find it hard. The routine of going to work is good for me as I need distraction to cope.
I've managed to keep working through a very difficult time. It's been difficult but it also keeps me busy. I'm much better kept busy in the company of my patients and colleagues than at home alone. I've found that a few days work makes me feel progressively better even though the early mornings are hideous, and a weekend with no plan to wake up to sets my mind in a negative spiral.
I work part time...4 days per week in a routine job that isn't massively stressful. Well it wouldn't be to a non anxiety sufferer but for me its as much as I can manage and at times I find it a struggle to get through the day. My colleagues know about the symptoms I suffer from but not that I have an anxiety disorder because it's a big office and there are some seriously unkind gossipers.
winter-blues
14-02-16, 22:42
Wow, I'm surprised by how many people work and that's encouraging. When I replased a couple of months ago I was scared that I wouldn't be able to cope and have to stop working. This is actually what happened to me years ago when this happened before, but at that time I was not on any meds and wasn't seeking any therapy. That's not the case now, although I'll admit it helps that my work is close to home and I have an office where I can go a hide. I've confided in a couple of my co workers that I'm going through a rough time, but have mainly explained it as depression due to lose of a family member, which is true.
MissyMischief
14-02-16, 23:00
I stayed at my job for nearly a year after my anxiety and panic attacks got pretty bad. I'd make some progress getting better, then backslide again. Eventually, I just felt so hopeless...no one at my job knew I was suffering and I felt completely alone. And I was so afraid that I'd have a meltdown at work on a shift and ruin everything (which only increased my anxiety). I worked a night shift in a group of only four people, so if something had happened to me, it would have made it very difficult for everyone else. Well, I ended up abruptly leaving my work when I felt so miserable and trapped that I was basically suicidal. I've been trying different medications for the last 7 months off work, to find one that works for me. I miss the routine of my job, but there's absolutely no way in hell I could have coped with start up side effects of AD meds while working. I'm thankful to have the time off, and I'm feeling a bit better, though not completely consistent yet. I hope to do some part-time temp work in the near future just to get back into the swing of things. I'm an introvert, but I miss the social aspect of working with other people as well.
I work as many hours as I can part-time. My job is not too stressful although I think most jobs these days have times when there can be quite some pressure, mine included. None of my colleagues know of my situation, there seems little point in broadcasting it around so folk can pass their own individual judgements on me. I perform my duties reasonably well and have not had to take any time off sick through anxiety in this employment, so as far as I can see it's not really anyone else's business. I work as hard as anyone else and make a valid contribution towards the team. End of story as far as I'm concerned!
I work full time in a stressful job... I think my anxiety has gotten worse since working there and once I get past this patch of HA I am gonna change jobs I think
I'm curious to see how people maintain there daily routines. I'm lucky because despite what I'm going through I've been able to keep up at my job. My office is close to my home which helps, and my job is fairly low stress which also helps.
Also if you are working how much do you share with your co workers if at all.
WB
You'll find a poll on this subject here http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7832&page=30
I work 16 hours a week. Half 3 -half 6 3days and 3- half 6 the other two days.. I'm a cleaner in a high school. There are 11 of us that each do a certain patch of the school. I come into contact with students and teachers all the time but manage to hide my anxiety. Some days I feel like I'm too anxious to go in, but that would mean the other cleaners would have to clean my patch as well as their own. So I just go in and distract myself as best I can
The thing is, anxiety and depression can't really disable you physically so that you can't do work in my opinion. You might find you vomit a lot and panic and cry but you are still able to work, and it's good for you in a way to do so and maintain some normality. Obviously in some cases of a "nervous breakdown" a break from work may be prescribed...
I disagree
If you vomit a lot, panic and cry, you can not work with the public.
You need a permanent smile, and complete control. If your anxiety and depression is very bad, it is disabling and does prevent you from working, living and functioning.
Mine is very distressing, and has been life threatening many times.
I agree with you, Carolin.
winter-blues
15-02-16, 14:39
I think it sounds like it's different for different people. Some people have jobs that they can do while they battle with Anxiety and Panic and some don't. It also seems like not everyones Anxiety is the same. That's not to say that anyone's is better or worse, it's just that it depends on what your dealing with at the time.
Xtrastrongbint
15-02-16, 15:45
Yeah I can't work at the moment because of vomiting...I am literally sick every time I get off the sofa so defo not working at the mo - hopefully will go back to work once I feel a bit better :)
I think it sounds like it's different for different people. Some people have jobs that they can do while they battle with Anxiety and Panic and some don't. It also seems like not everyones Anxiety is the same. That's not to say that anyone's is better or worse, it's just that it depends on what your dealing with at the time.
Absolutely. You can't generalise with anxiety which can be deadly and devastating for some.
Yeah that's fair enough. Some people's anxiety symptoms can be disabling and this can be worse in public facing roles. I've often wondered how tv personalities cope in these times and a lot of them seem to suffer.
faithfulone
15-02-16, 23:43
I agree, there were days I couldn't manage at work for 1 hour. Thankfully today I was able to work 8 hours. I have an office I can hide in for a short time, but most of my work is with patients so if I'm completely not well, can't hide for hours and leave my patients helpless.
I found work helps heaps by taking your mind off the anxiety.
I hate days off for just that reason
MyNameIsTerry
16-02-16, 04:53
The thing is, anxiety and depression can't really disable you physically so that you can't do work in my opinion. You might find you vomit a lot and panic and cry but you are still able to work, and it's good for you in a way to do so and maintain some normality. Obviously in some cases of a "nervous breakdown" a break from work may be prescribed...
But it can. I have read cases by a neurologist where she had to assess patients who did present with physical disability following some trauma or anxiety. In each case they could prove the person wasn't actually disabled by the physical issue and that it was a mental issue. These were labelled as Somatoform Disorder cases, and that's one of the groups of disorders that cover anxiety...and one of the 3 groups commonly seen as HA.
Anxiety isn't just about vomiting, panic and crying. Obsessive thinking can cause a lot of problems in your work and push you even further to breaking. Then we have things like IBS and I bet there are plenty of non anxiety sufferers with IBS who have had time off when needed.
Like pulisa says, we can't generalise with a highly diverse spectrum of disorders. I agree with Carolin too but it's not just about being public facing, all jobs carry pressures and any job can cause anxiety to a person without human contact.
Celebs can be a tricky affair as so many of them have "faux" mental health issues. Like the alcoholics that can apparently control their addiction. Celebs that we can see frequenting tittle tattle magazines are less credible to me but then you see more credible ones like Stephen Fry. What was on the cover of one of these mags last week from one Zeleb? "How I cured my panic attacks through losing weight". Of course, that coincides with the release of her fitness DVD. :whistles: Celebs so much damage to mental health in my opinion and the stigma increases as people buy into these superhumans conquering all. Michelle Mone took an absolute caning for saying her OCD was good because it made her successful hence proving she has no clue about OCD.
---------- Post added at 04:53 ---------- Previous post was at 04:51 ----------
I dont believe that working is a choice anyway.
That's true and it swings both ways because having to leave a job or have time off can be just as compulsory when things get that bad.
I was lucky, I ensured I would be secure for a time if I needed to do this (it will bite me on old age though) but people who have to put up with all, or sign on with more pressure, have a real hard time of it with little or no options. I guess we should be grateful for having a welfare state though otherwise it could be the streets or the poor house.
Suziewuzie
16-02-16, 14:23
I'm a nurse on a surgical unit. It's incredibly stressful at times but it's the only thing I feel completely confident and unfaltering in; I am good at my job & I love it.
Everyone I work with knows I have anxiety issues, the onky time it effects me at work is during shift changeover - we have to go into a room & handover our patients to the next shift. I can't do this, speaking in front of everyone in that room gives me a panic attack. My colleagues are incredibly supportive & always do the talking for me, I just handover to the one nurse rather than all of them. I can say almost without doubt that if someone were having a cardiac arrest or became acutely unwell I wouldn't have a panic attack - I never have. It's so silly.
Currently I've been off work for 3 weeks because my anxiety suddenly flared up, my medication gave me horrible side effects and I had to be honest and say I don't think I'm able to look after people right now.
But I can't wait to get back to work.
Everyone says my job contributes to my anxiety due to the nature of what I do, but I don't feel like that's true.
Xtrastrongbint
16-02-16, 15:00
Unfortunately for me my panic disorder blew up at my job because a paranoid schizophrenic accused me of hurting him on purpose and becoming nasty (I remove tattoos via laser). That accusation has totally knocked my confidence and I've had a lot of panic attacks since and now I don't want to go back. It's my business as well and it's in tatters.....:unsure:
I've been working full time in the same job for 18 years. When my anxiety was at its worst I wanted to crawl into a hole & hide but unfortunately I didn't have that option. I have a mortgage, bills & other responsibilities. At no time was it ever easy but in the long-term work was my saviour. My mind was occupied, I was kept busy & more importantly it kept me in the social loop. I think maybe I took 1-2 days off max. I KNOW that had I took more, I would have started using it as a crutch to avoid & ignore my issues & I'd very probably still be in that hole. xx
I have always worked full time ... It's not always easy but I think it's better for my mental health to have normalcy (and be able to pay my bills haha) ... I notice when I'm home too much my depression gets worse and my mind wanders. Feeling productive helps me with self confidence too.
jadedreams
16-02-16, 16:29
I work full time too, some days it's very hard to concentrate. But I feel it is much better for my mental health as others has mentioned. It helps keeps my mind on other things, too much time at home and my mind gets stuck in anxiety mode.
faithfulone
16-02-16, 16:30
I KNOW that had I took more, I would have started using it as a crutch to avoid & ignore my issues & I'd very probably still be in that hole. xx
So true for me too!
Unfortunately for me my panic disorder blew up at my job because a paranoid schizophrenic accused me of hurting him on purpose and becoming nasty (I remove tattoos via laser). That accusation has totally knocked my confidence and I've had a lot of panic attacks since and now I don't want to go back. It's my business as well and it's in tatters.....:unsure:
Sorry to hear this. I work in the medical profession and health care providers go through this quite often. I hate to see your business in jeopardy. You just have to know that when you've done your best according to your professionalism and responsibilities as a provider these things will still happen. We deal with this daily with families and patients questioning professional judgements and actions and no matter what there will always be someone that sees it differently. You can't let the actions of one destroy your health and your business. I wish you the best in recovering from this.:bighug:
I don't work and haven't for over 3 years now. That's more due to my depression that my anxiety. Working simply doesn't help my mood and I'd rather struggle with money that feel the way I felt towards the end of my last employment.
That being said I'm hoping to get a part time job soon as I feel able to now (assuming it's a job I'm able to do, I couldn't serve people for example).
Xtrastrongbint
16-02-16, 17:57
Thanks Faithfulone - I know...it's ridiculous that it's knocked me so badly! Kept anxiety at bay for 18 years and then that one little thing has knocked me on my ar*e! I can't explain why (although a doc did suggest that I had probably built up a tolerance to the ADs I have been taking for so long and that they were only working at a mild level) . I am one of those people though that really fails to see the start signs of anxiety and the more I think about it I think I have been getting more stressed/anxious the last couple of years (taking far too much on) so hopefully it's just a little blip to remind myself to look after myself more x Thanks for your words though - has made me feel better x
I've been very fortunate that I have been able to stay at home and look after the kids. Our eldest child has autism so it was necessary when he was younger to be around. I do volunteer in a charity shop a couple of times a week, but whilst I am waiting for my meds to kick back in I am taking a short break .... but I've been in, popped in for a chat and done a little bit of work. I want to look for a paid part time job this year, I do believe that I have too much thinking time and that makes me dwell on my anxiety.
I work behind a desk in IT in a fairly stressful job at times. When I am not busy I focus on my anxiety a lot more which makes it spiral out of control sometimes. I am more prone to a panic attack in the afternoon. For some reason after eating lunch, I become way more panicky and on edge. I wish I did something a bit more active. At 5 O'Clock I practically run into the gym in work because working out helps relieve the stress.
I've been working full time in the same job for 18 years. When my anxiety was at its worst I wanted to crawl into a hole & hide but unfortunately I didn't have that option. I have a mortgage, bills & other responsibilities. At no time was it ever easy but in the long-term work was my saviour. My mind was occupied, I was kept busy & more importantly it kept me in the social loop. I think maybe I took 1-2 days off max. I KNOW that had I took more, I would have started using it as a crutch to avoid & ignore my issues & I'd very probably still be in that hole. xx
Pretty much the same here :) I run my own building company, I often think of working for somebody else instead for less pressure but I'm sure I'd panic anyway at something or another.
winter-blues
19-02-16, 22:36
I actually tried to start my own IT consulting firm many years ago, and gave up after a year because I couldn't handle the stress, and that was when my Panic Disorder wasn't too bad. I realized at that time I'd rather work for someone else. It's has it's downside as well (no job is perfect) but i'd rather just focused on one thing instead of 20 at one time.
I have a full time job but have been off sick since may last year
I would love to be able to return as I miss working and also the money
I've been living or should I say struggling on benefits and it's no fun I can tell you. I've gone from being financially secure to living from hand to mouth.
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