How do I cope with anxiety attack in open plan office?

[littleflybuzz]

I was just wondering if anyone could offer tips on how to cope with feeling anxious/panicky while being stuck in an office with little privacy?!

I am temping for 6 weeks in an office job (I've worked here before but not when I've been anxious)!). I am sitting at my desk in open plan office (4th floor) with a very tight chest and feeling tearful, wondering how I can make it to 5.30pm!

I don't know what has triggered it - it started on the tube into work and it's the feeling that I've nowhere to go if I have a panic attack. I had one last year in a job and had to run into an empty meeting room and ride it out - it was very frightening.

How do I keep myself calm, while doing work (it's admin work)? I don't know my colleagues enough to explain. I have recently come off Sertraline (did it very gradually and officially stopped last week) so i wonder if it's that? Just feel very alone and vulnerable! The toilets here are tiny and claustraphobic so escaping to them doesn't appeal!

As it's a temp job I don't get paid if I go home sick so I want to try and keep working.

Hope you're still there Little. The health boards don't get lots of traffic. You might get more replies in chat or AIBU.

A couple of things to try:
Smile. It can help your brain to realise that you're not actually in danger and hopefully lessen the panic.
Break the day into smaller chunks so instead of thinking of lasting until 5:30pm just get through each half hour or 10 minutes or whatever.
If you need to tell a white lie, say you twisted your back or similar and need to walk around a bit if it gets too much.
Good luck.