Fear of panic attacks stopping me get a job

[timdiesel]

Hi

Recently i got made redundant from my job. I was there for 5 and a half years. The job was as a facilities assistant where some of the job was desk based but there was alot of work where i could walk around the building which was good for me.
I was very happy there for a couple of years at the job but then ended up staying because i was scared of change and panic attacks.

I have been looking for fulltime work but am really scared from getting panic attacks. I have got to the point of being offered a 3 month temp job a couple of weeks ago, but i couldnt do it as i got so worked up about it and depressed with worrying.
I just got to attend another temp job but doing some office work for 2 months and have got really worked up, fearful and depressed again that i cant do it.
I was thinking maybe i should do some voluntary work as kind of like exposure therapy as its the starting of jobs im really fearfull of and fulltime feels too much. Im also thinking of doing part time work with something not to worrying such as shop work or cleaning until i get the confidence and have exposed myself enough to go fulltime.

Has anyone got any advice or think im doing the right thing?
I have got some cbt skills to practice so i do want to get a handle on it.
I dont really know if i want to stick with the facilties work i was doing or do something else. Although i worked an office, i seem to be just as fearful of working in big offices.
The whole situation is driving me mad and im just freaking out over what to do as i have just rented a property with my girlfiend and eventually my redundancy money will run out,

[belgarion]

I left my job because I had panic attacks, mainly because I didn't like it anymore, and I didn't want to travel on the tube anymore. I didn't start looking for jobs right away, I concentrated on fighting my issues with anxiety etc. I was almost under control when a job came up, and I had a similar decision to make. Go for the job and risk the attacks coming back, or not go for the job.. I told myself that I currently have nothing to lose. I don't have a job, and if I go for this 1 and it doesn't work out, I can leave again.. My fall back was that I could not go to work again and it didn't really matter. So I took the job and 3 years later I'm still here. I was even on meds when I joined, and explained to them why I left my last job and there was no judgment.

I say put some trust in the job, not everyone will judge you if you want to let someone know there and remember you can always turn your back on it. Chances are you won't need to, but having that there as an option gives you the strength to take a risk and see what happens.

Hope that maybe helps, and good luck!

Paul

[timdiesel]

Thanks Paul, that does sound like good advice. How did you fight your issues and get it under control?

[belgarion]

It's a long story! I won't go into all of it, but I think the best thing I did was have some CBT training. It's not a quick fix, but helped me and still does today. It's not easy, but the advice above can be manipulated into many situations. I used to be a fussy eater, but again I just ask myself, whats the worst that can happen and I can simply stop eating it if I don't like it, and I suddenly became really adventurous and loved loads more foods.

While I had attacks obviously the last thing on my mind was putting myself in risky situations, like being away from home too long, or going away on holiday. I wouldn't even want to drive 2 hours away, the traffic made me sick and panic. I missed gigs I had tickets for and let loads of friends down I'd arranged to go out with. I didn't like that, but my default response to everything was "I'm not doing it". I ended up doing nothing..

A lot of hard work and constantly testing myself has meant I've done so much the last few years travelling and putting myself in situations I didn't think I could handle. I was amazed I could do it and after patting myself on the back a few times I realisted I was doing more then I used to, because I didn't want to be held back. I'd still get the start of anxiety, but recognise it and brush it aside. I haven't had a panic attack for a long time. I don't know why or specifically how, but I have it semi under control. Either talking myself out of the issues, or distracting myself mostly I think.

I've had 1 day off in 3 years at work from being kept awake at night by anxiety. Not a full blown attack, but stopped me sleeping all night. Not too bad really. I'd have accepted worse if I'd been offered that before I started my job to be honest.

To put it simply, just test yourself. Build up confidence that way. A job can be a big test, but I say jump at it. You could consider that maybe facilities is something you don't enjoy, and doing something else might be more interesting for you? I don't know. Sometimes it's just the environment, not the job description. A good boss can make a crap job enjoyable (or bareable)

Let us know what you end up doing..

[greggs92]

Hey there,
I know what it's like to suffer from panic attacks, I left many career opportunities because of them. The more you fear them, the worst they'll be, if you didn't fear them, then they wouldn't exist. I found a way to overcome mine and I don't suffer from them any more. Please feel free to ask questions, I would love to help out

[sammiej123]

I have been doing the same - testing myself and trying not to avoid things - I too have been having CBT to help me. I am nowhere near over it all but I am making some progress by not avoiding and accepting my symptoms and trying not to panic when I get them! Which isn't easy..

[ankietyjoe]

As others have said, the best way to get through it is to just...do it.

When you start to avoid things because of anxiety, and the anxiety itself becomes the trigger, that's when things can go downhill fast.

The best thing to do is deliberately put yourself in a situation where you'll feel a panic attack coming on, and just sit with it. Nothing bad will happen, you'll just feel like it will. As you're doing it, keep telling yourself that you're fine, and this panic will pass.

The issue here is the panic about panic. The job itself isn't the issue.

If you avoid the job, you will get panicky about something else and then start avoiding that too. This is when anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder.

[sammiej123]

Absolutely right anxiety Joe I agree - even though I am still battling with it this is what I do every day with the help of CBT and sheer grit! I have had anxiety for most of my life and I am not prepared to let it ruin the rest of it. Positive thoughts to everyone