Fear of work: Ergophobia

[marthamarie]

I am posting this in 2 different forums because I am not sure where this fits.

I recently switched job professions to be a CNA in a Long Term Care (Nursing Home) facility. It began almost instantly (maybe about 2 weeks in) when I began to get extremely upset at work. Crying mostly for several minutes. I would go into the bathroom to hide it.

Now it is getting worse. Before I go into work I get nauseous, heavy breathing, and my heart starts pounding. I get this way when I think about work. It can ruin my whole weekend sometimes. On my way to work a get extremely upset, I cry with all my might.

I love what I do, and I know these feelings are completely irrational. There is nothing I can think of that is the "reason" for this.

These feelings take up so much of my time and energy that I go in exhausted. I feel like maybe I am just lazy and don't want to work, which gets me depressed thinking why do I belong here in the first place then?

I know I should get help but live in an area where you would have to drive over 200 miles for a specialist and can't afford it even with insurance.

Don't know what to do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[fernandogress]

As is the case with all phobias, the person impacted with Ergophobia has experienced an actual trauma. That traumatic experience is that automatically and consistently associated with work.Maybe the ergophobic person has experienced the trauma and humiliation of being terminated, from employment, due to substandard performance. Perhaps this person is severely shy and withdrawn and experiences intense anxiety when required to socialize or present work related information to co-workers. Maybe the person coping with Ergophobia lacks the necessary skills and training to perform their job and realizes that they actually are failing.