Link between anxiety and having no job

[MONKEE_MAGIK]

Hi all,

I have been out of work now for nearly a month but this is also the third time in the past 6 months. I have been working as an temp for over 12 months as I have had no permanent job offers as yet.

I have suffered with anxiety, panic attacks, and heath anxiety since I was about 7 years old. I have noticed that the more I have been sat at home alone and trying to look for work that my anxiety levels increase. Not only is my self esteem decreasing with every job I am turned down for but I am also becoming more and more reclusive and frightened to leave the house. It doesn't help that I have relocated to a new area with my partner so I have no close friends or family nearby either.

I was just wondering if others on the forum find that the more time you spend alone the worse your anxiety becomes?

Sorry if it is a bit long winded!!!

Thanks :)

[daydreamer]

Hi.

This sounds familiar as I am in the same situation. Its like a vicious cycle, months of not being able to get a job, being turned down all the time, becoming more anxious, being more reclusive, then feeling like Im too anxious to get a job!!! Its like I need to break the cycle somewhere but I am finding it really hard at the moment.

I think its important to get out and do as much as possible to keep you busy, do something that you find interesting and you get some enjoyment out of. Voluntary work is also a good option if you feel up to it? I am going to look into that in a few weeks time when I feel more up to it!

Good luck :)

[MONKEE_MAGIK]

Hi Daydreamer,

Glad I am not the only one stuck in this cycle. It is difficult to get out and do things as I spend alot of time looking for jobs and if I leave the house I feel I should be back at home trying to get a job! I am doing my own head in at the moment.

Voluntary work is an option thanks for the suggestion. I'm not going to give in to the anxiety as it has controlled my life far too long!!!!!!

Thanks and good luck with your own job hunt!

Monkee :)

[Rom]

Yes Im in a similar situation myself its a very gloomy and depressing place.What i do is say to myself one step at a time no matter how small that step might be.Sure i have weeks that are really bad and nothing happens but i choose to accept that as part of the parcel.I know it seems things will never improve when your in that loop all i do is hope.

[daydreamer]

yes I totally get what you mean about feeling like you should be looking for jobs and not enjoying yourself, I feel guilty like that a lot of the time! I think maybe we are putting too much pressure on ourselves, I know I did and I think thats what caused my anxiety to be so bad lately - daily panic attacks, the lot! I think if I'd spent more time enjoying myself doing normal things whilst also looking for a job and not making jobseeking into an obsession, I wouldnt be in the situation I am in at the moment.

I like your positive thinking, dont give in to it! take some time out to have fun and hopefully you will either find a permanent job or some more temp work soon. Good Luck to you too, fingers crossed for ya x

[malc38]

I know exactly were you are comming from, i was made redundant in Feb 2009 and up to that point my Anxiety had been really improving. Since that however its gone down hill fast over the last year and like you i also feel worse if i have to go out the house now, i do one day voluntary work a week and its the same story every week, night before feel rough, on the day feel really bad, but i still mange to go and do it so i suppose thats something. :yesyes: I also feel like theres no way i could work full time at the mo, but im sure this wouldnt be the case should i eventualy get a new job.

Take care

Malc

[MONKEE_MAGIK]

Thanks for all the comments. I am sorry to hear that others are in a similar situation.
The work situation here in the UK is not very good at the moment is it! I notice you are all from the UK so I assume this situation is common for alot of people since the recession!

I get a little annoyed when looking for jobs as I feel that I am a really hard worker, I have good experience, I am well educated, but I am still getting very few job offers.

I have an interview next week working in an occupational therapy department. I know I would really enjoy the job and I have been a physio assistant before so I know what the job entials. The thing is I am thinking of not going as I am very obsessive about germs and tend to handwash alot. Recently my eczema has been bad and I have needed steroid cream to ease the patches on my hands. I am worried that this job will make this problem worse and this will just make me even more anxious than I am now.

Sorry to waffle on but I think I need to get my anxiety out before it makes me explode!!!!

Anyway take care all and good luck with your jobhunting! keep smiling and remember anxiety isn't going to win! :D

[daydreamer]

Hi MONKEE,

Sorry to hear about your eczema, I know it can get worse with stress. Well done for the job interview, thats great. I was just wondering if when you worked as a physio assistant you had the same issue of the germs and handwash a lot? Did you have a way of tackling it or overcoming it?

[NotResponding]

yea it's said to get worse when people get avoidant, that's how it's a vicious cycle i guess...it's a cycle that gains momentum, but avoiding stuff seems like the only option, I avoid=Im not anxious...

[MONKEE_MAGIK]

hi daydreamer/ notresponding,

Yes I still had the handwashing issue when I was a physio assistant and it got worse and started to increase the handwashing I did at home aswell. I have always had a germ phobia. When working in a healthcare environment it is easy to do as it is considered normal to be washing your hands very frequently so I suppose it felt normal. I have recently stopped using soap and I only use emollient wash and I limit the number of times I wash my hands which has in a strange way improved my germ phobia a little. However my fear is that if I worked in the healthcare environment again I would start the obsessive handwashing again. My fear is of contaminating others much more than worry for myself if that makes any sense?

I suppose my thinking is do I sacrifice a job I would like for taking care of myself and taking a job that I consider safer? I feel really selfish but I think deep down I would be more comfortable not taking that type of job.

But I suppose like you said notresponding I will then get stuck in the cycle of avoiding things in order to decrease the anxiety.

I think I will go to the interview and perhaps worry about things if I get offered the job. If I don't at least I have had some more interview practice.

Sorry about the waffling again!!!!

Thanks for the support :)