when is a good time to go back to work

[carter]

hi all,

ive been suffering major panic attacks for the past two months.

The meds seem to be doing their job im alot happier and at some times of the day i feel back to my old self.

But when anxiety hit home i still get quite ill...i can manage to cope with the attacks alot better now even though im scared to death when it comes. i really go into my shell its horrible, im like a diffrent or that person again. However now i still go out and about and im doing alot more regular things i even started back at the gym. but everything involves forward planning so i can cope, which is really annoying but hey... and if im not expecting somthing to happen or someone turns up out of the blue things flare up again.

i was thinking of goin back to work next month which gives me a extra month of feeling better as im sick of being at home and think if i dont bite the bullet ill always feel like this.

i also start my cbt in jan for 5 hours a week.

work have agreed a fased back to work and im only doing half days to start.

my councler has advsied me to chill out as initally i was a real mess and overdoing it in the hope to try and get better. I have found the more i chill out the better ive been feelin.

any help advice would be appricated ...

[jude uk]

Well its good to hear your making progress and the CBT will be wonderful. I think taking small steps back to work is the right thing to do and this will boost your confidence. I think we can become iller by sitting around. I suppose its re-inforcing the idea that we are ill and that seeps into our minds.

I think you are doing all the right things and I wish you all the best

[ronski]

Hi Carter

Your councellor is right, do everything in small steps that includes going back to the workplace. Anxiety is not an illness but a behavioural disorder and that includes panic attacks, but as you well know the symptoms and sensations do make you feel extremely unwell and are supposed to, as anxiety is supposed to make you uneasy and so making you get out of the unsafe environment. Anxiety is a protective mechanism but in our cases acts inappropiately, so i would suggest that before you go back to work you attend a few CBT sessions so ensuring you have some effective strategies to combat those anxiety symptoms that you will have on the return to work. Just expect to have them and they will be limited as you will not build up nervous tension trying to keep them at bay.

All the best and you are well on the way to recovery. Expect setbacks and you will beat it.

Ron

[darrenc]

Going back to work is a good idea and meeting with other people will help a lot. Hopefully you will also find work a distraction.

When you go back, try to be as honest as possible with your colleagues about why you have been off and how you have been feeling. Many people have had panic attacks and will know what you have been through.

Working half days will help, try it for a few weeks and see how you feel. Then if you can, try to work one complete day a week.

For days when you get really bad, I used to find that hiding in the loos until my panic attack subsided was a good way of coping, but we each have our own methods!

All the best, and you should be feeling a lot better soon!