Struggling with workplace anxiety

[blimpsgo180]

Hello,

I've been giving a fair amount of advice on this message board, but I also suffer anxiety myself. Specifically at work. I work at a restaurant, and I do just fine when my shift first starts, but as the restaurant gets more and more crowded, I start having an anxiety attack. I don't do so great in crowded situations, and although it wasn't an anxiety attack back then, the same was true in high school.

I know the CBT approach is "Spend more time in crowded places like shopping malls, and restaurants." The most I can say is I work two days a week, and I have been going for five plus months. I'm proud of that, as I'm doing the exposure therapy that's part of CBT. I can also say that I go to the grocery store all the time, and that's often crowded, and I don't struggle there.

So I'm here for your best advice. What should I / could I do differently to not feel so anxious on the job? For what it's worth, I've suffered from anxiety for maybe eight years, but there was a two year period in the last eleven years where I didn't suffer, and a one year period again in the past eleven years where I didn't suffer. Both times were terrific.

I do remain optimistic that I won't suffer for the rest of my life. Thanks!

[RelaxNBreathe7]

Hey! I suffer from anxiety too and I feel it in those situations too… crowds, social anxiety, and sometimes even at home. I am working to get through it too, but just wanted you to know, you are not alone.

[blimpsgo180 in reply to RelaxNBreathe7]

Thanks!

[moxond in reply to blimpsgo180]

Hi blimpsgo can understand the anxious thoughts determine what and we're these feelings are in the body doing a bodybscan deep breathing exercises helps for calm also trying to relax the nervous system unhook the thoughts that control the mind meditation helps replacing the mind with affirmations help you are good enough highly thought reframing thought patterns tapping is very good therapy soothing alievating pain by realising pressure you may find help how to connect on you tube tapping for anxiety EFT emotional freedom technique hope you find some clarity

[Paints123]

Hi there! Sorry to hear that you are suffering from anxiety at work. I also suffer from workplace anxiety however mine comes on differently. I start my days with high levels of anxiety and it doesn't go down until I'm on my way to work and start working. Then in about 1.5 hrs of being at the office my anxiety goes down to more manageable levels. Do you have anyone that you trust and feel comfortable sharing this with at work? Just an idea but I wonder if you do have a good buddy at work and they are willing to help that maybe you could work on a strategy with them that could help to reduce some of the anxiety.

[blimpsgo180 in reply to Paints123]

Thanks for the advice. My managers know about my anxiety. For me, the trouble is getting an anxiety attack to end. I can sometimes go the whole shift panicking. I've always struggled with this, ever since my attacks first started.

[NB1021]

Good morning blimpsgo180,

I have read your time line regarding your anxiety, I wondered if you had ever pinpointed what event/situation initially triggered the social anxiety?

Only because sometimes a better point to work from might be this event, and then apply appropriate stretch assignments to yourself as a coping mechanism.

There are lots of other sleep hygiene routines, cbt practices and medicinal options herbal and pharmaceutical that might help you a bit more.

Everything I'm saying is easier said than done as they are just words in this moment, it's in the doing.

Take things slowly bit by bit a day at a time

[blimpsgo180 in reply to NB1021]

I had my first anxiety attack on the job about ten years ago or so, when a) I had a lot of coffee to drink (too much) and b) I was afraid the middle manager who managed me was going to yell at me. I've had anxiety in the workplace setting ever since. I guess it's manifested as social anxiety ever since, because I also don't do well in crowded places.

I actually have really good sleep hygiene. I've tried pharmaceutical options (klonopin, zoloft), and decided they're not for me. I'd be curious to hear the herbal options though. Like, chamomile tea?

[NB1021]

Hey blimpsgo180,

Have you tried CBD & Rosemary tea combined together, it's calming and helps when feeling stressed.

But, can you pinpoint what it had been regarding the fear of being shouted at by this particular manager? For example did you ever have a conversation with this person regarding your concerns?

We are all prone to over thinking situations at one point or another, taking us on the slippery slope of worrying to much about what others might be thinking about us. Often people generally have to much going on in their own life's, to think the negative things that might be conjured up in our head and we are often not even on their radar.

[blimpsgo180 in reply to NB1021]

I have tried CBD and have not had a positive reaction. I haven't tried rosemary tea though.

I appreciate your advice though. I'm definitely overthinking the situation, and underestimating coping.

[mizzou7016]

Do some research on cognitive behavior therapy and cognitive distortions...helps tremendously with getting ideas to help manage your anxiety...My work is the main cause of my anxiety....working to get out of the environment that i've been in for half my life....think researching this will help

[designguy]

Some things that helped me with anxiety was realizing that I suffered from low-self-worth and an inablity to validate myself so I started researching on youtube about how to heal low-self-worth and found a lot of good information on there. I found the youtubes of Dr. Bernie Sewell and Bernadette Logue very helpful. Improving my relationship with myself and learning to be loving and compassionate with myself really helped. I also found the Dare Anxiety book and youtube channel very helpful and learned that anxiety is a paradox, the more you struggle, fight or deny it the more it persists so learning to be ok with the anxious feelings is key along with learning to never believe your anxious thoughts and know they are lies whose original intent was to protect you but now are just in the way of your healing.

[blimpsgo180 in reply to designguy]

I think I recently uncovered a (rather personal) "core belief" about me that triggers a lot of anxiety. Similar to what you went through with low self-worth. I will check out those YouTube videos, thanks.

[designguy in reply to blimpsgo180]

Good for you, uncovering and investigating our core beliefs and programing is vital for our healing because so much of our programming is from our subconscious. Becoming aware of our core beliefs and programming allows us to choose if they still fit and work for us and to change or drop them if not.

[Balloffur2468]

i can understand how you feel. What works for me is fircing myself to be present. What can I smell? What can I see? What do I feel? What can I hear?

[blimpsgo180 in reply to Balloffur2468]

Thanks. I've tried the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Count five things I can see, four things I can feel, three things I can hear, two things I can smell, and one thing I can taste. I've had limited success.

[Balloffur2468 in reply to blimpsgo180]

I just spoke to chatgpt as my therapist and it honestly really helped