Anxious about going to work in Friday's heat

[Infinity07]

I work in a public sector job, it's very demanding, fairly physical and carries the responsibility of others.
I have a long term anxiety and a panic disorder (under treatment) which work are aware of but it's not really an issue there. However, I do have certain triggers and one thing is when the weather is extra hot like it's predicted to be on Friday (33°c here in the SE). The heat really makes me panic as I get anxious about how it physically makes me feel. I have health anxiety. The older I've got, the worse I seem to experience this.

So I'm debating with my conscience whether to take Friday off work or maybe part of the day off. Work will not accept my anxiety reason regarding the weather, I just know what they're like. So I'd have to say something else.

It's only Tuesday and I'm already getting so stressed about this. Don't know what to do.

@SweetMystery Its not gonna be high heat though is it? You’d think it was the Sahara dessert the way you’re describing it!

God there are some total arseholes on this thread aren't there?

Summer of 1976 anyone? I mean wtaf?? Etc etc

I suffer in the heat. I find these really really work.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SS9NPLJ/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=44eaa1c7026188793899abd374cc0c70&content-id=amzn1.sym.e4f48e2a-4f4e-495a-a95b-34f114e19c84%3Aamzn1.sym.e4f48e2a-4f4e-495a-a95b-34f114e19c84&hsa_cr_id=4521504680602&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=ae2c3329-a752-46a3-bbda-b017b5bece3a&pd_rd_w=mNtZy&pd_rd_wg=rBYcC&qid=1655236519&ref=sbx_be_s_sparkle_lsi4d_asin_0_bkgd&sr=1-1-fd947bf3-57d2-4cc9-939d-2805f92cef28&th=1

Plus, whenever you can run water as cold as you can over your inside wrist, this will start to cool your blood.

I'm also a teacher btw, not in the UK and it's going to be 36 degrees here on Friday. Planning for 40.

When I taught in a Med country we finished work at mid-day from May to the end of September! In the UK I taught in a greenhouse, or so it seemed but we just got on with it, the Head wouldn't even let the male teachers remove their ties!!!!

I wonder what % of UK schools have AC? Not many I would bet.

They are brilliant ! I bought one - i work in a hospital - air conditioning been broken for months 😳 - bought this off Amazon - brilliant- it cools your face and neck as well worth the £25 !

God the twat posting from people who can't be arsed to read the OPs posts is just tedious. If you're going to engage with the thread try reading instead of just running your mouth off.

I am over 60 and live in a country which is hotter than the UK, but I have never in my life heard of people who become anxious about heat, or hate it so much that it makes them ill. What is wrong with you all? I don't particularly like the heat myself, but just have to deal with it. A/C is common here now, but when I was young it wasn't and we just had to get on with working in the heat. I've even had a physical outside job for a while in mid summer and I managed to cope with it. It wasn't pleasant, but life isn't always just the way we want it to be and people can't opt out every time the going gets a bit tough.

People are being dicks OP about the heat. I suffer with hyperhidrosis whether it be winter, spring or summer - face and hair soaked.

Have you asked your doctor for a drug called propanol? It's a beta blocker and at 10g 4 times a day it can calm you immensely.

You can’t go off sick every time the weather gets hot. If your anxiety is so severe that you can't cope with summer weather or face teaching certain year groups, you need to seek urgent treatment for anxiety, not drop all responsibility for your paid job each time you have to face something unpleasant. Most people get very anxious about work at some point - I suffer a lot with anxiety and there are specific things that make me shake with nerves, palpitations, cold sweats, the lot. I also have a colleague who throws up with nerves before certain events, and I really feel for her, but neither of us takes the day off each time.

If you need to be signed off for an extended period for mental health treatment that's fine. Your employer will be able to arrange a supply teacher and so on for that. But it isn't fair on anyone else to take sick day on full pay because you don't want to work when it's hot.

@onlythreenow you've heard of one now - me!

@Kerrrmieee - sorry, I will rephrase that. I've never heard of anyone in the country I live in, I've certainly heard of many on MN!!

Anxiety rearing it's head again. There's a lot of it about nowadays. 🤔😮

How do you think people in the Mediterranean who have it waaaaay hotter than us cope?! Oh yeah, they just get on with it!

They don’t actually.

Schools in France close at the start of July and reopen in September.

Schools in Spain close for 10-12 weeks in the summer. Mid June- September.

Italy have even longer summer holidays. Beginning or Mid June to Mid/late September.

Schools also close during heatwaves.
Many schools also have shortened days.

35c on the Solento, Italy today. The world was dead by 11am, people started resurfacing about 5ish! No air con in your school.. you shouldn't be working! Even the local builders go take a break through the heat of the day. You shouldn't have to battle through, just because it's a rarer occurrence in the UK.

@JudgeJ - well, it’s obvious from your posts that you don’t believe in anxiety.

I do. This isn’t about who is best at coping with hot temperatures or not, it’s about a medical condition that thankfully is now recognised by experts. I really enjoy heat myself and can put up with considerable temperature. That’s just a characteristic I luckily have, not a mark of my character. Unfortunately, other things do trigger anxiety and I can get disproportionately upset about them so I get where the op is coming from.

The OP has an anxiety issue, so that's not very helpful.
She is a teacher so she cannot use her annual leave when she wants.
I am from Spain and I remember working one summer in my 20s during a heatwave in Spain, at 40C plus. During the day and outdoors, as it was field research.
It was....interesting! Running for the shade and carrying bottles of cold water with you to literally poured it over your head. Every 30 minutes.
Don't get sick leave OP, as other said it's avoidance. You will get though this!
Bring water, lots, drink every 15 minutes. Dress in light white clothes and sandals. Why not try to make a special class and talk about global warming and what we can all do to stop it? They will love a bit of brainstorming.

No idea why you're "sure" that OP will have air conditioning.....lots of places in the UK don't. I've worked in 9 different public sector workplaces over the years and NONE of them had AC. And as the OP said their workplace doesn't have AC maybe take their word for it?

I'm allergic to it. Actually allergic and on monthly injections to stop me being covered in hives head to toe and itching like a dog with fleas
I burn within 10 mins unless I'm slathered in SPF 50, and I don't sweat so I can't cool down properly
Oh and I live in a ground floor apartment so can't sleep with the windows open
And I'm a redhead so wasn't built for heat
Apart from that, yeah it's great!

If I could pick, I would be happy at 17-20c

Taking a day off is not sustainable. It’s only June, I imagine there will be many more hot days yet. You need to find a coping mechanism that will allow you to carry on with your work. Fortunately you work in a classroom, so you should be able to put a fan on and open the windows. Dress appropriately and drink frequently. I also find water wipes in the hot weather helpful for cooling me down and making me feel more refreshed. Bonus if I can put them in a fridge.

LuckySantangelo35

It makes no difference whether the weather forecast predicts 20 degrees or 50. The OP is suffering with anxiety (irrational or rational - again makes no difference) and she need some coping strategies.

@onlythreenow I was just pointing it out in case sweating is part of OPs problem.

I can't even regulate my body temp as it gets so bad - sweating in a winter coat (couldn't possibly wear a hat) my body trying to cool itself because I'm sweating - in the snow 🤣😭.

I think OP's problems go deeper with the anxiety though so I don't want to derail.

Interestingly in warmer climates with a breeze I'm fine (?). Hey ho, mine is another story.

OP I think you really need to speak to your GP about your anxiety, good luck.

^^ Agree with this.

Doesn't sound to me like you're taking the mickey, quite the opposite - sounds like you're managing quite a significant degree of panic disorder and are trying to work out a plan to cope with a big trigger coming up.

Choose the answer that you could live with. If you can feel ok about taking the day off, then do. If you don't feel ok about that, make a plan to go in but to adjust the lesson plans so that the class stays as relaxed and peaceful as possible. It's no good for the kids if you have a panic attack in the class and need to leave , that could make your teaching relationship with them harder in the long run. Better to reduce demands for the day as far as possible.

Do you have any possibility of stopping work for a year or so and having some time with your kids? You mentioned panic has been worse since having DC2 ... would more time together help? (Realise this might be financially impossible, just floating it.)

Exactly!