Crippling Social Anxiety at Work

Hi everyone - I’ve been sick with a cold and crud for the last week and am still battling it. I get especially anxious when I feel “different”. Today I am at work and am SO foggy headed and disconnected feeling. I sit in the middle of a large building and am terrified that I won’t be able to escape if I have a medical emergency. My biggest fear is losing control in front of my co workers and passing out or something.

My anxiety and panic is growing greater and greater every moment I sit here. Any advice!!????

[Hidden]

First you have to stop thinking all that! You are just over thinking and only thinking about Anxiety. I understand, I know what you are going through. Therapist said Stop! Focusing on Anxiety. We are just making, building a mountain out of a mole hill. Stop! Get back to work! Focus on work, do not focus on Anxiety! You are fine, you are just getting over the flu, cold, whatever it is. You are fine!! Get back to work, anxiety will fade away. You are fine, I've been there. I got focused on what I needed to do and it worked. Have a good day and I hope you feel better.

[mrmonk]

Hi Rose6682,

I know this may seem like obvious advice, but have you tried taking some slow, deep breaths? (I don't know if breathing techniques are amongst the coping mechanisms in your binder.) Sometimes, focusing on your breathing can help in a moment of panic. And when you see you have control of your breathing, you may feel more in control in general.

Also, do you have any kind of audio you can listen to in earphones while you work to distract you from your anxiety?

I hope this helps. I'll be around if you need a listening ear.

[Hidden in reply to mrmonk]

It’s those obvious things that I seem to forget in the moment!! It’s why I created the binder - to help me with these reminders but I always seem to forget them in the moment. I actually had to leave work and am working from home this afternoon. Feels like I gave up so am pretty disappointed in myself. Tomorrow my goal is to be able to work at the office longer and I’m going to make myself a reminder to pop up on my phone for deep breathing as a reminder!!

I do have headphones and love listening to music while I work. It helped me get through as much as I did this morning!

Thank you for your words of encouragement!

[Agora1 in reply to Hidden]

Rose, you didn't give up. Everyone gets sick from time to time and deserves

to be home. Now that you're there pamper yourself and feel better.

You deserve it. xx

[mrmonk in reply to Hidden]

Happy to help any way I can. I know you feel disappointed -- I've been there myself when I was employed, having to work remotely from home because of my anxiety -- but you did what you had to do to care for yourself and that's what's important. It sounds like you have a good plan in place for yourself for tomorrow. What sort of music do you enjoy? (You mentioned liking Bing Crosby in our classic movie conversation, so color me intrigued!😺)

[Hidden in reply to mrmonk]

Thank you! I work SO much better from home. I can fully concentrate on my work without the distraction of anxiety.

My taste in music is so completely random you would be surprised! I obviously like Bing Crosby (I love watching Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights because I love that kind of music). But I also love classic rock - Sammy Hagar, Van Halen, Rush, Boston, Kansas. And recently I have found a South Korean K-pop group called BTS that I am completely smitten by! Such a random combo of music! What about you?

[mrmonk in reply to Hidden]

My wife and I lived in South Korea for almost nine years, so K-pop was sort of the soundtrack to our lives for a while, and though it's not quite my cup of tea, I've still got Girls' Generation tunes stuck in my head, even after almost two years back in the States. It seems like BTS has really broken through internationally, so I suppose it's just a matter of time before something of theirs is looping in my OCD brain! lol

My taste in music is very, very eclectic from all time periods and most genres, but I'm particularly drawn to well-written lyrics, whatever the genre. I do have a soft spot for Britpop, though, from pioneers like The Kinks and The Beatles to later British bands, like Pulp and Blur.

[Hidden in reply to mrmonk]

How awesome to live in South Korea! I have been doing a lot of research on South Korea and the culture just because of my love for BTS. I have found that it’s been a good outlet for me to take away from anxious thoughts. Was the language hard to learn? I have been considering learning the language as a hobby - again something to take my mind away from the anxiety and depression! I started doing a little research and it felt hard to learn but I recently purchased a self teaching book so I may give it a go!

And BTS has a new album coming out April 12 - so you may end up hearing something from their album that can get stuck in your head

[mrmonk in reply to Hidden]

That's awesome that you want to learn Korean! Despite living there nearly a decade, I was never able to learn more than a handful of phrases...then again, my anxiety and depression pretty much kept me from socializing for the better part of our time there. Plus, I was never able to speak the language properly; my pronunciation was just pitiful. My wife fared a little better, but she was an ESL teacher there, so she was more immersed in it. I mostly isolated myself. So, please don't be discouraged by my difficulty with the language. Hangul, the Korean alphabet, is actually very easy to learn, and I'm sure you'll pick the language up handily...especially, if you're singing along to BTS!

I hope you're feeling better this morning, and that your day will be anxiety-free!

[Agora1]

Hi Rose, so sorry that you are suffering from a cold. I hate that foggy headed/disconnected feeling that comes from it. Too reminiscent of

anxiety. I do agree with MrMonk in not focusing on these symptoms and

to try slowing down your breathing. I know if you are stuffed up, it may be

hard to do some deep breathing but it will put you in a better place of mind..

Hydrating will also help thin the mucous in the sinuses and getting rid of

that head feeling.

There is not going to be a medical emergency and you will not pass out, that

is Anxiety toying with the rational part of your brain. You are safer at work

then anywhere else. You are around people who care about you.

It's going to be okay. Let us know when you get home in how the rest of the

afternoon went. I wish you well. This cold along with the feelings you're

experiencing will soon pass. We are right here if you need comfort. xx

[Hidden in reply to Agora1]

Your words are SO comforting. Thank you!!! I’m going to re read this tomorrow when I am back at work to remind me that it’s just the anxiety talking and not rational thinking! 💜💜💜

[Agora1 in reply to Hidden]

And we will be right here, just a message away, if you need a reminder tomorrow.

Feel better Rose xx

[mrmonk in reply to Agora1]

Good point about the breathing possibly being a bit difficult with the cold, Agora1 -- that hadn't occurred to me.