Dealing with anxiety and panic attacks at work

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.

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.

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.😉

Larry Campbell said: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.😉

Oh, I'm absolutely certain you do! 🙂

Larry Campbell said: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.

I just pace around the yard or walk laps around my room... try some deep breathing exercises, talk to the colleagues who are already in the loop about my situation, or attempt to just 'sink' into whatever task is in front of me... Basically, I just try to stay busy enough to wait it out. I avoid taking Xanax because after a panic attack, I just feel wiped out... the pill knocks me out even harder, and being exhausted is one of my biggest triggers for another attack...

Hello there.
I know exactly how you feel; I’ve dealt with similar struggles myself. Whenever I had to head into work, those memories of my panic attacks would resurface, leaving me completely unsettled. I always tried my best to distract myself and push the thoughts aside, but there were moments when I simply couldn't find any sense of calm. During those episodes, I eventually had to just pack up and go home because the physical symptoms were too intense—my hands would go numb, and I actually lost the ability to speak or walk properly. 👎👎
The modern workplace is incredibly high-pressure for almost everyone these days. It isn't surprising that we end up feeling this way, especially when that stress is compounded by a toxic boss or a paycheck that barely covers the bills. 👎👎

.. well .. I suppose I assumed that was just how things worked 😬

.. if some idiot hadn't nearly killed me, I probably wouldn't even realize the sheer scale of the mess I'm in .. long live the struggle, I guess 👋

Larry Campbell said: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.

Personally, I’ve gone through both medication and psychotherapy. They’ve been instrumental in helping me function on a day-to-day basis. Even during my absolute darkest moments, I kept pushing forward and checking off every single task on my list, even though I was going through pure hell internally. To an outsider, it probably just looked like I was having an off day or something similar.

As for discussing diagnoses, I don't go around wearing a sign that announces what I'm dealing with, though I also don't have any issue talking about it if necessary. I have a tendency to weave a good amount of humor into my conversations, so people might not always take me dead seriously—they might even find my story somewhat entertaining—but what surprises me is that most people react quite well. In fact, they often end up opening up themselves, sharing how they struggled through certain periods in their own lives. Generally speaking, there isn't a shortage of empathy out there.

That said, I’ve held my positions for a very long time—fifteen years at one job and ten at the other—and over that decade-plus, I’ve built a circle of trusted people. I am certainly not sure I would ever discuss this with people I’ve only just met. Honestly, I don't think I would.

Life has taught me how to sniff out hypocrites, malicious actors, and those snakes who hide behind a smile. I make it a point to avoid such individuals in any conversation beyond the bare minimum required to get the job done, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like this one.

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

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...

Larry Campbell said: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.

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

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.

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.

Larry Campbell said: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.

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.🙂

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.

Look, everyone’s dealing with stress and anxiety these days. It just hits some people harder than others—it turns into full-blown panic if you aren't careful. Honestly, my advice? Go talk to someone. Just a few sessions might stop things from spiraling into some massive phobia, you know?

I’ve been fighting this myself for over a year and a half now. I finally started seeing a therapist, and man, it actually helps. They’re trained to show you a different perspective on things, but at the end of the day, it’s up to you to actually take that advice to heart..

For me, it started as general anxiety, then turned into panic attacks, then agoraphobia kicked in, and then social phobia... It's a mess. What I'm doing is basically forcing myself into the situations I'm terrified of. It isn't easy, not by a long shot, but I guess it works..

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.

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.🤔

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.👍

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.