Anxiety about going back to work

[Mugs]

Hi Guys
I appologise if I have asked this question before.
I am facing a return to work in the next few weeks.
I am a nurse and I have been off work for 2 years, some of that time I was recovering from surgery but most of the time I have been trying to recover from anxiety.
Even though my anxiety has improved a lot, I'm still afraid my anxiety will prevent me from getting back to work.
I love being a nurse and my anxiety has never been related to work.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Mugs

[Mugs]

Thanks so much Karina, it means a lot to me.
I guess all I can do is try and hope it works like that for me too.
Thanks again.
Mugs

[Mermaid16]

I agree. Working creates a distraction so you don't think about it so much. I do get tired easier though. So I always have a quick lay down when I get home (not to sleep, but just to lay quietly and relax) before getting chores done.

[Mugs]

Thanks
The anticipatory anxiety is really getting me down. I pray that once I actually get there I will feel better.

[georgewing]

Its normal to feel fear because you have anxiety but when you will start your job it will be like you will confront your fear and you will come back on your path .Its like a driver who dont drive 2 years and its a fraid of driving car but when he start driving his confidence come back to him again and its again a good driver

[Mugs]

I need to find a way to leave my anxieties and worries at home, any advice on that?
My anxiety does not stem from my job.
Thanks

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hi Mugs,

Since your anxiety doesn't stem from work, how do you feel in work? Does work increase your anxiety? How do you feel going towards your place of work? And how do you feel once you are in there?

The reason I ask is to understand the impact a bit more. For me, work was the catalyst. This meant going back was seriously hard for me. Just driving to the building had me shaking, going through the door was tough and then staying in there. Walking around and talking to people meant feeling the anxiety rising. Feeling trapped and unable to escape if people blocked me into a corner was triggering.

If you don't have those kind of problems, returning to work might not be as bad as you think and once you are there it will get better? The first week was the worst for me but I have to say that even the first day I sat in a quiet office reading my mails and talked to the odd person and managed to do it. Day after day it would get that little bit easier. Six months on and I was confident again and doing big things. I still had issues with travel and didn't want to work at other sites but I was running meetings, workshops, speaking to people of all levels and all with confidence again.

It really did give me a big boost.

I hope it does for you too but nursing is a hard profession full of stressful & emotional situations, as you know better than I ever will, so how do you feel about that knowing how it was before this all started? You sound like you are looking forward to it because you enjoy it - that is a massive positive because wanting to do something is empowering.

What are they suggesting in terms of a phased return? That will give you the opportunity to ease your way in and monitor how you are feeling.

[Lucinda07]

Your GP could recommend a phased return. One of my colleagues had 3 months off with stress & the doctor did this - plus lighter duties.