Anxiety/panic & Agorophobia

[jeanette]

Hello, I'm 36 years old and over the passed 8 years have sufferred with anxiety and panic attacks and over the last year been diagnosed by my GP as having agorophobia. I left my job in February of this year after having worked for the civil service for 15 years. It got to the stage where i could no longer cope with the stress and trivulations of an office invironment. You may think i took the easy option but it's probably one of the hardest decisions i have ever had to make. During my last year, after having returned to work in the January 02 from a severe spell of anxiety that lasted 7 months, in which my doctor signed me of a month at a time. I returned to work on a part time basis giving me the chance to get back some of the confidence which i had lost during my time off, which i slowly built up ove the next 3 months by which time i had returned full time. Things were going great initially, although we were in the middle of changing our computer system which i was then given the responsibility for as my colleague who had done most of the back ground work had a bereavement in her family so i had to take over. By the end of the summer early autumn my stress levels went through the roof and my symptoms came flooding back with vengence. Anyway, i just felt that i should briefly explain why i left my job and will one day probably regret it. I do not why i have beenstruck with this disease/disorder all i do no is i have every sympathy for all others that are too suffering as i am today.

Jeaette

[Meg]

Hello Jeanette,

Welcome to the site.

I hope you've had a good look through the posts and seen what sort of things are discussed. Perhaps there are issues you'd like to raise...

What have you been doing with your time since February ?

I look forward to meeting you in the chat room one day- lively after 9pm.



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[irenehester]

Jeanette, I too had to give up work (or perhaps I was given up) because of my problems. Despite having a good recent degree and being commited to working I was unable to cope with full-time work. I have not now done any paid, formal, work for almost five years. Although I miss the status and salary, I do not miss the rat race. I know so many people who define themselves only through what they are paid to do and so many of them are unhappy. It staggers me that anyone with serious anxiety issues can confine themselves to working in the 'normal way'. I do not beleive I will ever do that again. Not sure it was ever very healthy for me.