Posts by Larry Campbell

I was watching some old highlights the other day—just some classic sports clips from a decade ago—and it hit me how much of the "narrative" we consume is built entirely around these invisible deadlines. You know the ones I’m talking about. That looming sense of urgency where a person’s entire professional worth for the next several years seems to hinge on a single stretch of performance.

It’s a fascinating psychological phenomenon to observe from the outside. We love to talk about it like it's this clear-cut motivator. "He’s playing with a chip on his shoulder because he needs that big payday," or "She’s playing more aggressively because she knows the scouts are watching." It sounds so logical on paper, right? The idea that the fear of instability or the hunger for security acts as a sort of supernatural fuel.

But honestly, I’ve always had my doubts about whether that "contract year" energy is actually a net positive for performance, or if it’s just a recipe for burnout and bad decision-making.

Think about it from the perspective of someone in a high-stakes, high-pressure environment. When you know that every mistake is being magnified by the reality of your bank account and your future career longevity, do you actually play *better*? Or do you just play *scared*? I’ve seen so many talented individuals—not just in sports, but in music, tech, and even corporate law—hit a wall exactly when the stakes were highest. They start overthinking. They stop playing with that natural, instinctual flow because they’re too busy calculating the consequences of a single slip-up.

I remember a buddy of mine who was a high-level consultant. He was up for this massive promotion that basically guaranteed his financial independence for years. Instead of being at his peak, he became a total wreck. He was so terrified of messing up the "big moment" that he started playing it safe, avoiding risks that had actually made him successful in the first place. He ended up looking stagnant right when he needed to look dynamic. It was like he was paralyzed by the very thing that was supposed to motivate him.

There’s also the ethical/social side of it. We, as the audience, become these weirdly intense judges. We scrutinize these people through a lens of "will they get their money?" It turns a human being's craft into a transaction. It’s almost like we’re rooting for the struggle rather than the skill. We want to see the drama of the "make or break" moment.

I wonder if the people actually living through these periods even feel that "motivation" the way we describe it. Or is it mostly just an agonizing period of anxiety where you're constantly looking over your shoulder, waiting for the floor to drop out? It seems like a massive psychological burden to carry, especially when you're trying to perform a physical or creative task that requires total presence and "flow state."

Is the "contract year" a genuine catalyst for greatness, or is it mostly just a hype-machine narrative that ignores the sheer mental exhaustion of playing for your life? Does the pressure actually sharpen the blade, or does it just make it more brittle?

dustytinker52 said:You reach this point through therapy and dedicated self-work too... I completely agree with that last part, because that’s exactly how I managed to overcome my agoraphobia and social phobia. You have to rebuild that core sense of self-confidence and feel that you are safe and protected (whether that's through logic or even a higher power, if that helps), believing that nothing bad is going to happen. It’s a long, grueling process, but it's something you have to do for yourself; nobody else can do the heavy lifting for you.

I know, believe me, I know. At the end of the day, the weight falls entirely on your shoulders. I’m not saying psychotherapy can't work wonders—it absolutely can—but there's a catch. When you're finally left alone with your thoughts, everything is back on you, and you need an immense amount of strength, willpower, and courage to face it. You have to give yourself grace and time. A problem you've been battling for ten years isn't going to vanish overnight.

dustytinker52 said:That’s really the crux of the matter, isn't it? All those little platitudes—"just keep your chin up" or "show your fears who's boss"—they sound great on paper, but in the real world, they rarely hold water without actual psychiatric support and some serious, intentional spiritual work to rebuild your own resilience. It takes real time and grit to recover, because after being subjected to something as soul-crushing as workplace bullying, a Highly Sensitive Person can spend years just trying to find their footing again. If I could offer one bit of advice for when you start your next job: make sure you learn how to mask your vulnerability; don't let them see just how much it affects you.👍

The problem is that this constant hiding is killing me. Realistically, I know people barely notice, but I’m constantly plagued by the fear that someone *will* see I'm not okay, and then what? I can't exactly call out of work every single day. I really need to find a way to "dial down" the intensity of worrying about who is saying what or what they might think... maybe if I could do that, I might actually find some peace of mind.

Roger Scott17 said:Talking through your fears and flipping the script on your own thoughts—honestly, that’s the only thing that actually works for anxiety (assuming you're hitting up therapy, too).
Once you finally face down those fears head-on, you realize they weren't even half as scary as you imagined. You just have to push through to that moment.
Workplace bullying and a life that's basically one giant stress ball are the huge triggers—especially if you're someone who feels things deeply.
Sometimes I get the feeling that people who are just totally numb or don't give a damn about what happens next... well, they don't really deal with this stuff.
You just have to dig deep, find that inner strength, take control of your headspace, and SHOW THOSE FEARS WHO'S ACTUALLY IN CHARGE.

Exactly. I know the theory inside and out. Now I just need to actually put it into practice.🤔

Sandra Morales said:It is good that you identified the cause 🙂, as that is a significant step. Unfortunately, people close to me suffer from this as well, so I understand you quite well; I hope your family is being supportive. As an observer, it can be difficult to watch someone struggle with something as simple as going to the grocery store. Have you explored any alternative methods? Based on my experience, Thea Helling found them helpful, though her attacks resurfaced after two months—things were going great until a bit more stress hit, and it felt like starting over. Do you pray at all? The point is that chemical imbalances occur in the brain during an anxiety attack, causing a spiral of negative thoughts that eventually trigger physical symptoms.

My advice: When it starts, Uspraviti yourself with a deep breath and exhale (close your eyes—I know it’s hard when your throat tightens—pray, or whatever works for you, just adjust your posture). Meditation and autogenic training really do help. I know how terrible this feels, and I assume you don't want to rely on medication for the rest of your life. In my view, the only way out is to rewire the brain's habits, which is an exhausting process of learning new ways to think. Were you prone to panic or constant worry during your childhood or youth? Hang in there.🙂

I second everything you said.👍
Yes, I've always been a worrier, constantly anxious about everything; it's been a lifelong companion...
I completely agree that the brain needs to be reprogrammed, and that requires immense effort and constant self-work—no sugarcoating it. I'm doing my absolute best; I have to live, I'm not alone, and I am truly growing through all of this day by day. It's hard, it's hard for everyone, but I'm pushing through. Thanks for the support.

Sandra Morales said:Are you suggesting the cause of your anxiety is harassment from twelve years ago, or is the true cause still unknown?

Hello.

I am fully aware of what triggered my anxiety, but the physical symptoms didn't truly manifest until I was subjected to that unbearable level of pressure and stress; that was when everything finally boiled over.

dustytinker52 said:Why don't you try sitting down and actually talking this through with someone? You’ve just buried everything deep inside without ever truly processing it... you can't just sit around expecting things to magically "get better" on their own. People spend years, sometimes decades, fighting the fallout from abuse or workplace bullying and similar stuff...

Thanks for the advice, Tina, but I have obviously spoken to someone; I've been seeing my psychiatrist for three and a half years now and I am back in therapy once again.

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I trust things will eventually settle down—they have to, because this nonsense can't go on forever.

Drew Lee3 said:Hey there.
Work anxiety isn't really my battle, but I dealt with a nightmare version of it back in high school—which, let's be honest, is basically just a mini version of a workplace anyway. Since I didn't realize at the time that an anxiety disorder actually existed, I was just totally baffled by my own reactions. I honestly thought those feelings were just... me? Like, they were just a core part of my personality, so why would I even bother looking for help or putting a name to it? Meanwhile, the other kids just labeled me as antisocial. If I couldn't even make sense of myself, how on earth were they supposed to? I didn't have a single friend at school; I spent every single break just hovering by myself. I had a social life outside of campus, sure, but at my primary "job site" where I spent most of my hours, I was a total loner. And the teachers? They weren't exactly empathetic or understanding, not even the psychology teacher.
The silver lining is that I finally grew out of that miserable phase. I guess I just toughened up along the way.
At least you’re self-aware enough to recognize what's happening. My advice? Bite the bullet and face whatever it is you're afraid of head-on. Exposure is the best kind of therapy.

Thanks. I'm facing those fears every single day, and I truly believe I'll pull through again once I finally land this new job.😉

Hey everyone.
I’m not sure if there have been similar threads before, but if you’re willing to share your own experiences, I’d really appreciate it—it would help me out quite a bit..😉

The question is: how do you manage your struggles at work? And does anyone else deal with colleagues who are actually aware of your "situation"?
To give some context, my issues—mostly anxiety and panic attacks—actually started at my previous job. Back then, we were dealing with severe workplace harassment, but it was over a decade ago, long before people even knew what that term meant or talked about it. I stayed for a while longer, but eventually, life happened, I left that role, and ended up staying home to raise my child. After a four-year break, I finally landed a job last year working a seven-month contract. At first, it was a total disaster; I found myself taking Elon Musk almost every day before heading into the office. Surprisingly, it wasn't bad—everything felt different because I finally had peace and nobody was harassing me... but clearly, the trauma stuck around. Now, I'm feeling that same tension again just thinking about the job hunt and the prospect of starting all over from scratch once more...
Hopefully, you get what I'm getting at. That’s pretty much the gist of it.

frozenorca63 said:Thanks for sharing. My doctor at the Mayo Clinic prescribed it, but instead of calming me down, it's actually cranking up my anxiety, leaving me totally wiped out, exhausted, and dealing with headaches and diarrhea. I gave my doctor a call, and they just told me I've only been on it for two days and need to give it a fair shot, unless I start feeling aggressive. They did put me on some Helex to help tide me over until things settle down. Man, I really hope this works for me... I had no idea these meds could hit you this hard. I'm in my 40s now and I think I've probably gone through maybe three boxes of Normabal in my entire life, so my body isn't exactly used to taking stuff for anxiety and all that, which is probably why it's reacting so strongly. 🙂

Every single medication carries side effects, including antidepressants. You just started, so you have to give the medicine a fair shot. During my first week, I felt like I was losing my mind... nausea, dizziness, diarrhea—I couldn't even keep food down. It was absolute hell. Just use the Helex when it becomes truly unbearable and hang in there; it gets better once you find the right antidepressant.
Good luck.😉

Paul Newman5 said:Tried Luxet and Cipralex. Both were awful. I was incredibly jittery, couldn't stay still for a second. Already posted a lot about it here. Took both for about a month before my therapist pulled the plug because it was unbearable. Third option was Wellbutrin, but didn't bother—it isn't meant for anxiety anyway, so what's the point? Now I'm just on Lexapro and waiting... for what? Don't know. Just anxious, but this isn't much of a life either. Mornings are the worst.🙂

I've been on Celexa for seven weeks now, and it's actually my first time ever taking an antidepressant. The side effects were brutal at first, but that only lasted the first five to seven days, and now I feel completely fine. Hopefully, this is the end of it.😲

According to pharmacy data here in the States, the most common antidepressants on the market are sertraline—which has been around since 1991 under various brand names like Atlanta, Hale, Luxor, Sonora, Tulin, and Zoloft.
I’m looking for some actual feedback from anyone who has used them.

Gerald Torres2 said:😂😂😂😂
You're a good person for saying that!
But honestly, I want to actually feel alive, not just exist in this state where nothing matters. My goal is to manage my condition with as few medications as possible, if you catch my drift...

Way to go, Anna; I'm right there with you. Provided it's actually doable, of course, but having that mindset is already a massive first step.😉

Hey, Vince!
Take a good, hard look at everything you just wrote... it takes a rare kind of courage and actual intelligence to say those things, and honestly, you're making sense. May this be nothing more than the starting point for you to finally go after what you want and build the life you've been dreaming of.

I’m going to try this one more time... does anyone here actually have experience working with Asante?

Anyone here have any actual experience with Asentra?