New job terrible anxiety!

[Bridgetx88]

I'm due to start a new job tomorrow but am feeling terribly anxious. I haven't worked for 4 years party due to having my daughter and partly because of anxiety/emetophobia/agoraphobia. I'm scared I will have a panic attack and end up walking out. I felt anxious just popping to the pharmacy earlier. Got to try and keep it together for a whole day. The job is perfect it's 9-5 on a Tuesday and a Thursday which fits around childcare but just so anxious. Can anyone give me any tips to be less anxious?

Think of them in their underwear. You’ll realise they’re only human just like you!

just kidding.

you must have passed an interview process so remember you have as much right to be there as anyone else.

Maybe watch a few videos on YouTube on how to appear confident, strong handshake, stare into eyes, strong stance etc.

goodluck!!!

Starting a new job would be anxiety inducing for anyone let alone someone who suffers from anxiety anyway so it’s perfectly normal to be feeling a bit anxious right now, you just have to think that it’s almost never as bad as you are imagining in your head! Can you think about what things in particular are making you anxious? For example if you are worried that you’ll have a panic attack just think worst case scenario u have a panic attack but there are options like taking yourself off to the toilet, distracting yourself, deep breathing etc which you could use if you felt like one was coming on… but probably you won’t have one at all, it’s just your mind telling you u will!

Sorry that was a bit rambling but my point is if u rationalise what you’re worrying about it hopefully becomes less of a worry!

im sure you will be fine once you are there, it’s just the thought of it that makes u panic! Good luck xx

Yes I agree you need to accept that feeling anxious in this situation is normal. Whilst yours may be extreme, we all feel it to some degree.

Accept that you will feel anxious
Expect that it will improve once you start
Put controls in place to provide self reassurance e.g. if I feel sick I can go to the loo. If I feel panicked I will hold my breath and count the 10 then slowly release and do it again

Worst case you can leave, and you know that so you can avoid catastrophing, but it's really unlikely it'll come to that

Good luck, congrats on the job, I hope it goes ok

Thanks for all of your replies, I know it is normal to be anxious starting a new job. I am just catastrophizing thinking that I will have a full blown panic attack and will embarrass myself infront of a group of strangers. I guess worst case is me having a panic attack and just walking out and going home. Is that even that bad? I mean if it didn't work out I never have to see them ever again.

I don't know whether or not to just tell my manager I suffer from anxiety and occasionally might need to get up and go outside for fresh air. What do you think?

That’s a tricky one @Bridgetx88 I guess it depends on the kind of work you are doing, would it be easy enough to pop out if u needed too without causing too much disruption? As an anxious person myself I think I’d be too worried about mentioning my mental health on my first day! But if something were to happen like a panic attack I would prob mention it then and say I’m a bit overwhelmed as it’s my first day and could I get some fresh air? Something like that?! I think you should absolutely be open and honest with an employer if you are struggling and I’m sure any good employer would take their staffs mental well-being into consideration I just don’t know if I’d be brave another to mention it on the first day just in case they made any judgements about me! But that’s probably my anxious self thinking! Others might disagree! X

@Whycantgiraffesdance I'll be working in an estate agents so i imagine it will be easy enough to pop outside if I needed to. I probably wont say anything unless the anxiety starts to get overwhelming. I'm hoping to park my car as near as possible so that I have somewhere to escape to. Thanks again for replying.