Returning to work

[KayleighJane]

hi everyone, just looking for a bit of advice really. I saw the doctor last week and he thinks im progressing really well and now thinks i should return to work, I do want to return to work but im scared and nervous- i don't want to have a panic attack at work also I am going to start driving again which I haven't done since January and i'm also terrified of having an attack in the car and crashing. Has anyone else felt like this and returned to work? did going back to work help? any advice/words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated x

[elainey70]

Hi Kjane,

i returned to work on monday, having been off for 8 months. I too felt like you, still do but it;s not as bad as i thought. My first day went really well and i felt good to be back in a "normal" routine. I am doing a phased return, so if this is something that is available for you i would recommend it. I won't lie i am scared when i leave my "safe" people but i know this is my anxiety and i will not let it control my life. I wish you luck on your return. x

[mac999]

Hi mate, I have been having panic attacks for years now and I drive, don't let driving worry you if you feel like your going to have an attack just pull over and compose yourself. If you are ready to go back to work then go for it. I tell people if I'm in a place I'm a bit nervous about I have panic attacks. Don't ever fill embarresed that you have them.wishing you all the best

[KayleighJane]

thanks to you both for your replies, I think i will be doing a phased return to begin with which the doctor and my boss recommended but even though I shouldn't I feel really embarassed about having these attacks especially as you know they can come on at any time. I'm hoping that going back to work will give me something to focus on rather than sitting around the house thinking about panic attacks and anxiety, also I have applied to start uni in september so I really want to start driving for that and also get used to being around lots of people again! x

[Kells81]

HI Kjane

I ahve recently started back at work and I have also started driving again-I wont lie and say either was easy but I did it because I knew that I had to do it for myself.

With the driving I started off my going around the block and when I was ok with that I did a bigger circuit and then I gradually kept increasing the lenght of my journey. I still cant drive further than about 30 minutes but I am doing so much better than I was.

On my first day at work I was terrifed, it toook me nearly 2 hours to get in because I kept having to stop my car and park and I was convinced I couldnt go back. I just had to keep reminding myself that everything I was feeling was anxiety and that I would be fine.

I felt so proud of myself when I managed to go in and it just made me want to go in more. I have been gradually increasing the amount of hours and days I spend at work. I often still feel really anxious on Mondays because of teh two day break from having to go in but no matter how hard it is I still feel so proud of myself everytime I go in.

I guess you just need to remember that it isnt going to be easy but dont let that stop you, keep trying again and again. Tyhe only way to get better is to do teh things that you are terrified to do and guess what.......you CAN do it!!! xxx

[KayleighJane]

HI Kjane

I ahve recently started back at work and I have also started driving again-I wont lie and say either was easy but I did it because I knew that I had to do it for myself.

With the driving I started off my going around the block and when I was ok with that I did a bigger circuit and then I gradually kept increasing the lenght of my journey. I still cant drive further than about 30 minutes but I am doing so much better than I was.

On my first day at work I was terrifed, it toook me nearly 2 hours to get in because I kept having to stop my car and park and I was convinced I couldnt go back. I just had to keep reminding myself that everything I was feeling was anxiety and that I would be fine.

I felt so proud of myself when I managed to go in and it just made me want to go in more. I have been gradually increasing the amount of hours and days I spend at work. I often still feel really anxious on Mondays because of teh two day break from having to go in but no matter how hard it is I still feel so proud of myself everytime I go in.

I guess you just need to remember that it isnt going to be easy but dont let that stop you, keep trying again and again. Tyhe only way to get better is to do teh things that you are terrified to do and guess what.......you CAN do it!!! xxx

thankyou that is really positive you should be proud of yourself its fantastic that you have achieved all that, I am going to try my hardest as i need to do this. I went for my uni interview by myself and even went into asda on my own last week (ok so my mum was waiting outside in the car lol) but all of these things mean a lot to me x

[blueangel]

You've had some great advice here already, but if you need a hand negotiating a phased return to work, drop me a PM as I'm a union rep where I work and often have to do this sort of thing for people.