How do you cope with work?

[elgrande]

Hi all

Just wondering what peoples experiences are with this condition in relation to work and holding down a job? I work in a large insurance office and I'm finding it a bit of a struggle at the moment. I'm anxious and agitated for most of the day although its worse in the afternoons. The actual work that I do, without going into to much detail, is very morbid and involves me reading medical reports for serious illnesses all day as well as the departed. I think exposing myself to so much misery on a daily basis might be part of the problem! So I find myself taking lots of breaks and sometimes sitting in the toilets for 5 or 10 minutes just remove myself from the situation. The office is very busy, noisy and bright so I think the environment is contributing as well. I feel trapped as its well paid and I have a mortgage etc to pay.

[hesson81]

I notice a lot of people dealing with Anxiety in the afternoon more than any other time of the day.. I wonder why that is. Just something I have noticed.

I sometimes wonder how homicide detectives can do their jobs, and continue to them with all the syuff they see day to day. They must deal with anxiety, or some or most probably don't. Ever wonder when you watch CSI miami how they are able to see such horrible things and just act like it doesn't effect them. I think that's far from reality. I think when you have to be around stuff like that, it measures up to how much it actually effects you as an individual.

Like, how come some people come back from War with PTSD and others don't. I think what it is, is the ability to see, witness, and just put behind you. To turn it off. If I went to war, i would come back with Major PTSD. Not bastardizing the people that don't, war is war. I just think it would be a tuff thing for me to put a lot of that stuff behind me, I can't see it from a war is war point of view, even though I know it's true.

Any way the point as far away as it seems I am, Is your work may or may not have anything to do wth the way you feel. I have said it many times, it may be the emotions you attatch with a lot of the stuff you come accross. Though, understandably i can see why you would have some not so good emotions to the stuff you come accross at work. I probably would to. Do you personalize? Do you see something about someone else, and think what if that was my grandma, or my dad, or my brother? Then you harness emotions that don't need to be harnessed. It is what it is. If you ever have to deal with something like that, you'll cross the road when you get there.

Afternoon anxiety, what are you eating for lunch?? Might wanna look at that.

[snowpea]

Oh my goodness elgrande, I feel for you! I think that job would be difficult to do, even for people who DON'T have anxiety. More power to you, I could never ever do that job, on a daily basis. I have to admit that would be too hard for me.

Have you ever thought of a career change? To something less stressful?

I find if I have job which I really enjoy, I experience little to no anxiety at it.

[elgrande]

The job is niche and the skills required are sought after and rewarded. The difficulty life insurers have finding claims assessors means they try hard to keep you and make it difficult to leave. For example, I have a 3 month notice period in my contract if I want to leave which is way more than the average 1 month here in the UK. That seems to put perspective employers off in other unrelated industries. I've actually thought about just handing my notice in and taking my chances on the job market and I think I should find something else within 3 months. Its risky though as I don't have any savings and have a mortgage to pay. The work is interesting and challenging but I don't think its well suited to something with anxiety as its hard to switch off and not be affected by the work. I think having a constant exposure 40 hrs a week to a lot of the bad things which can happen in life is giving me a distorted view of the world. Its definately intense!