scared of work

[guest]

Hope you can help

I've been unemployed for nearly a year through a horrible fear of work. I keep making excuses for not applying for jobs and two years ago i managed to go through a interview and was offered a second interview which i ended up turning down as i was so scared. I really regret that and think about it all the time.
I think it has started from my school days,leaving without qualifications where my friends we're all going to uni.
I'm terrified of answering the phone at work,which i have no idea where that has come from.
It just seems to get worse and friends and employers all think i don't want to work. But i just can't stop the fear.
I'd really appreciate some advice,thankyou.

Jane

[honeybee3939]

Hi Jane

I myself didnt work for a long time because of panic and felt i didnt have the confidence to hold down a job. I had a few different jobs but i had to leave because of panic, i thought i would never be able to work again.
But i knew deep down it wasnt helping me been at home all the time so i decided to get some voluntary work at my local day care centre for the elderly. While i was working volunatry i never had any panic i think its because i could just do as i pleased and didnt have any set hours and also i didnt have any pressure or routine. Doing this really helped me build my confidence as i hadnt worked for such a long time. I now work part-time although its not with the elderly i work in a office now.
Maybe you could try some voluntary work to help with your confidence.

Hugs
:hugs:
Andrea
xxxx

[Piglet]

Yes I was going to say exactly the same as Andrea - voluntary work is the way to start because you can choose your own hours and there is no pressure there.

Someone had a link for finding out what's available to you in your local area - it may even have been a link from the JOBPLUS site.

Welcome to the site.

Piglet :flowers:

[samc100]

I had a year not doing 'proper' work and I was petrified of having a 'proper job' and that was when I didn't do panic attacks.

So please don't think it is abnormal reaction. The fear would be there for everyone.

Have you got any learndirect centres near you so you could do some courses ( they do short courses on maths/English/IT skills) to get you back into the swing of things. You can build these up for qualifications too if you get really into it.

Have a word at your local careers place or job centre or library.

Take little steps. Good luck xxxxx

[guest]

Thanks everyone for the great advice.

Hopefully i can make a change and get out and about.

Thankyou:)

Jane

[bubblygirl]

that could have been me writing that post but after a year of being out of work ive now been back at work for 2 weeks. so if you want to have a chat sometime just pm me your email address. x

[guest]

I finally got a weeks temp work but i only managed two and a half days and had to phone in sick,i just can't seem to cope with full-time work.
I just wanted to run away as soon as i got there and i couldn't cope with being there all day. Now they said they want me to come back temporary still full-time. I don't really like the job but i can't go back to being unemployed again.
My stomach is in knots about having to go back as i feel scared all the time,i would ask if it could be part-time but i'm working for a agency and the're already unhappy with me being off.
Any advice about what to do?

Thankyou

Jane