Anxiety / work

[anxiousaussie]

A someone please give me some practical advice on how to manage my anxiety when I notice it come on and try and stop it from getting worse?? I had the worst anxiety attack at work this morning.. Felt out of my skin and sick from it.. Thanks

[jklivin]

I dont know if your job allows you to do this or not, but what I find helpful is gowing for a walk outside and taking deep breathes. And while your walking dont obsess over what caused you to get anxious because that will just feed the anxiety - think of other things, then hopefully once you relax go back in and face whatever it was that started your attack.. hope this helps..

[laurandisorder]

I have low blood pressure, so I use it as an excuse if I feel anxiety creeping in. I take 5 minutes out - in fresh air if possible - do breathing exercises to stop the hyperventilating (free iPhone app call relax is excellent for this) and go to the bathroom and splash some water on my face.

I also refill my water bottle and take some sips and have a quick snack to make sure my blood sugar is ok. Check your triggers too - sometimes just taking a layer of clothing off helps if it is too stuffy.

It might not work for everyone, but it has saved my butt a few times.

[dazza]

If, like me, you are a text-book case of anxiety disorder, where the cause is obvious and your journey to recovery is fairly rapid through defined aids (therapy, self-help & meds)... then you may realise that A/D & panic attack severity has a few stages.

The worst stage is of course the beginning, where one day your brain flips and ya just don't know what in Satans underpants is going on.
I, like many of us, was a complete, anxious wreckage. As far as I was concerned, I had days, hours or even minutes to live.

My head was so full of god-awful fear and my body so out of control that, little could bring me back down to earth once panic set in.

Sure, I'd go for a walk but I just took the shit with me.
(Well, let's face it... the problems are in the head and you have to take your head with ya, eh?... unless of course you're Worzel Gummage)

So, despite taking a 15 minute, anxious, fucked-up, life-fearing stroll to the nearest grassy knoll & sitting there contemplating death for an hour... I'd return to work pretty much the same, fucked-up, anxious mess as I left really.

On 3 or 4 occasions I just left work and fled to my partners (she's a district nurse and can wangle her hours somewhat). She'd give me the company I needed whilst I shook in my perceived, deathly throws.

The first few excuses to work were simply "feeling sick".
After a doctors visit and an early diagnosis of anxiety disorder, I let my work know and they were very good about it.

Despite the shit I was going through I did try my hardest to get to work. Fuck it was tough... really tough.
I came up with a compromise... I said;

"I have A/D & panic on a daily basis. Worst case - I could be taking a LONG time off to get over this.
However, what I would rather do is come to work, but be able to just GO if I needed to."

They were happy with this and really good about it, actually.

[anxiousaussie]

Thank you for advice, I guess it is good know ing that I am not alone.. I am the only person at my work as I work retail and cannot leave work. I will try and remove a layer and get some fresh air as it is very stuffy at work. It only happens in the morning and only when I'm working a day shift.. I usually work nights. Anxiety is a terrible thing and I really thank you for your posts..