How can I cope at a job that gives me anxiety?

[Blackwoodforest]

My anxiety is worse than ever, and it's affecting my ability to work.

Last year I finished university. Overall, I didn't enjoy the university experience due to a minor social phobia. I mostly practiced avoidance unless I absolutely had to go to uni. I didn't make any friends while there. However, my anxiety was no way near the way it is now. These days, I have almost constant physical manifestations of it, which never used to be the case.

The only thing I can think of that's making me anxious is my desk job, the same job I had at uni, but now I work four days a week. For some reason, I think it's making me more anxious than it used to.

The commute makes me furious. My new (patronising!) manager and the awful open plan office filled with really loud extroverts constantly talking on the phone is making me miserable. The lack of opportunity to get more responsibility or learn anything new has really been getting to me.

So, as a person in charge of my own life, I've been looking for new jobs... but I'm having no luck landing interviews. So basically, I'm 100% stuck working here until someone gives me a chance at another job.

I'm really starting to struggle and become resentful and it's starting to show through. Obviously, I want a good reference, so I need to keep good relationships with my coworkers.

How can I cope in the meantime?

[Dahila]

you cope like everyone else, we need to pay the bills so we cope with stress and keep working

[Blackwoodforest]

If I knew how to 'cope like everyone else', I wouldn't be here. Something a little more constructive than that would be good thanks, Dahlia. :/

[Dahila]

I can tell you how I cope; meds with combination of meditation, and breathing exercises. Good diet; I make my food from scratch. Clean water, no junk food for the last 15 years or so. No pops, no sugar, no alcohol. Just coffee and tea
Working in garden with my flowers helps a lot, having a thousand hobbies helps too:)) Read the boards and you will find how people deal with it. We all have this problem

[The Intolerable Kid]

While the "perfect job" is near-mythical, there are things you can do to make day-to-day survival there easier. Do they let you use headphones? Listening to your iPod instead of mindless chatter can help. Is it possible to adjust your hours? If coming in early or staying late means fewer of your piers are there, that's a good thing. Best of luck to you.

[Blackwoodforest]

I can use headphones, but I have to answer the phone a fair bit so it gets annoying having to keep taking my headphones out. That certainly did help A LOT though. I can't adjust my hours, it's typical office hours. I've been trying to go for a short walk to the coffee shop around the corner. It seems to get worse every day though... and I'm starting to think they're trying to get back at me for taking an internship one day a week that I absolutely LOVE - but it doesn't pay. :(

[Kirk]

I have been a CPA for 38 years and have had my own business as a CPA for 14 years. Clients lie to me sometimes and say they never got my invoice,
i got stiffed for $7,500 last year, etc. My best advice is to try to make the best of it. I would try to make your time off from work more enjoyable, so it
may make your work life more bearable. I would also try to make friends at work and try to get along with others the best you can.