# Do you get anxiety before going to work?



## ShyGuy11

and makes you want to skip work, and stay home?
sometimes whenever I have anxiety, heading to work, I find a way to be late, and then at the last minute I chose to skip work.... this happened multiple times.. its like you're sabotaging yourself.. anyone gone through something similar?


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## MissElley

I get anxiety before work , before the gym , before entering a shopping centre, before entering a library ...

But the worst is before hitting the gym, have major anxiety. I tend to spend at least 1 hour in the ladies room (trying to pump myself up with music in the cubicles).. then eventually go into the gym ... I walked in then walked back out once (waste of petrol).


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## rockyraccoon

I get extreme anxiety at the thought of working. I get it before every shift. I dread Sunday nights because I know I'll have to start a whole new work week the next day; hence I love it when Friday comes around because I know I will have a few days off from work.


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## Tu Cielo

Yeah I do most of the time. Mostly because I don't want to see certain people at work who I feel awkward/uncomfortable around or I don't feel like dealing with customers. I've called out waaaay too many times because I didn't feel like going it and I end up regretting it when I am actually sick and need to call out. I haven't been getting a whole lot of hours for the past few weeks, so I'm dreading next week when my hours are starting to pick up again.


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## Durzo

yeah, and placement, and university, and college lol.

I skip a lot of stuff like this....


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## OldSchoolSkater

Yes. I've done it. Some days I wake up and my anxiety is so bad I just tell myself I should call in sick, so I do. It's like once I get it in my mind that I can't go I seriously just can't go. 

It's gotten much better over time, but it still happens where I'll think of any excuse possible not to go and then just call in sick. Moreso lately though, I've been forcing myself to go so that when there is a good opportunity I can take an extra day or two off. 

I know the exact feeling that you are getting.


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## Arctor

I used to get a lot of anxiety before going to work. It was hard, and I guess what has made it better is me becoming more at ease with myself and generally combating my anxiety on all fronts. I'm immensely grateful towards my earlier self for persisting though, because without the experiences I had and the opportunities it gave me I wouldn't be in the place I'm in right now. I recommend that you try to analyze what you dislike most about your job, and what concerns are due to your anxiety, and what problems would be legitimate grievances for anyone. For example, I thought it was painful to have to talk to my co-workers and customers. That's hardly reasonable and something you will have to face. If that's what makes you suffer you should try to face it, as running away will only make the fear worse. However I also had a quite bad boss and the mood around the workplace wasn't very good. This is bad for anyone, and if things like these are your main concerns, you should look for another job. Dealing with your anxiety is hard enough without having to deal with other kinds of crap, so avoid that if you can.


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## serenegeek

It happens to me A LOT and I also end up skipping multiple times. Sometimes its from the moment I open my eyes, I start to sweat and think about the day ahead and my heart starts racing so fast, I feel unable to breathe etc. so needless to say I don't hold jobs for long and it is so frustrating, I just want to be normal and just do whatever I am supposed to do but I am SCARED out of my mind and mostly I don't get where the anxiety is coming from.


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## coldsorehighlighter

Before, during, after.


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## FadedSoul29

*Not again!>*

I can totally relate to getting anxiety before going to work..I've lost multiple jobs to this...its so fustrating...i try to calm myself but all these thoughts keep running through my head...it happens before every shift, or at start to a new job..lately its just been getting worse..is there ne type of coping or methods of dealing with this..!?:um


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## LocaKatie

*Anxiety before Work*

Not sure if anyone responds to these threads but I have had the same issue for years. I am able to get high paying jobs and each time I do I am happy and cant wait to start, but a few days in the anxiety starts again. I wake up in the morning and like many of you have said something in my brain talks me out of going in. I feel so guilty for having this problem. I know so many hard workers that dont make as much as I can and they go to work everyday with no problem! My husband has been so understanding I don;t know how he does it. He said he just wants me to be happy. I want to be normal! Once I get on his insurance through his job I think I may want to talk to someone about this :blank


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## briguy61

Oh yeagh I got nasty anxiety before going in because it meant I had to smile, I had to talk to people and actually concentrate on a job that needed to be done. I still get it when I go in but i try hard not to skip any days it can very tempting and to just sit here and spend the rest of the day hiding from the world. I feel as though I had nothing interesting to say to anyone and seriously didin't want to hear about any of their stories or even cared about their weekend or what going on in their lives. I felt as though I am constantly being judged by my coworkers or other people.


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## visualkeirockstar

A little bit but it doesn't stop me. I need the money and the job so i go no matter what.


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## Mindquod

I do each week, but not every day. It gets worse around the weekend, and it seems like my mind and body kept trying to keep me from going the past few Saturdays. I hate Saturdays, because there are more people in the building.


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## laura1991

ShyGuy11 said:


> and makes you want to skip work, and stay home?
> sometimes whenever I have anxiety, heading to work, I find a way to be late, and then at the last minute I chose to skip work.... this happened multiple times.. its like you're sabotaging yourself.. anyone gone through something similar?


Yeah i think I sabotage myself a little, as I am usually 5-10 minutes late. I distract myself from going, but never have actually called out. Its strange though, because I was actually thinking of calling out yesterday..

Every day when I get to work, I get a little nervous, even though I've been working there for a year and a half now. I eventually relax more and more as the day goes on, but certain days I have little ease. It helps though that I work with ppl all day.


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## The Enemy Within

All the time. 

I work at a public service job, so is easy to get medical certificates and sick leave. I'll be honest to say that 50 % of the time I skip the day at work was because of my SA


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## MrQuiet76

Before the first day or two of work at a new job or whatever, my anxiety would be so bad that I could barely take it... but once I got into the routine, I probably would only get nervous if i had a meeting/presentation/etc.


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## jam7455

*Yes i do*

But after the first couple of hours I am fine........but the TURTH is I hate this FEELING of uneasieness and dread I get every time before going to work........if is VERY RARE that I dont feel this ANXIETY......I absolutely HATE it.......even though I know it will go away after I start working.......I still cant stand that I have it...............Sometimes the right ANTIDEPRESSANT will help!


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## nrelax11

OldSchoolSkater said:


> Yes. I've done it. Some days I wake up and my anxiety is so bad I just tell myself I should call in sick, so I do. It's like once I get it in my mind that I can't go I seriously just can't go.


Im just like you. Once I get a thought, like not going to something, I do whatever I can not to do whatever it is I don't want yo do.


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## AiC1990

I've always had anxiety pretty bad before and during work, but not as bad anywhere else, whether it be a busy gas station or something like that- nothing compares to the amount of anxiety i get just walking into a place of work. I'm about to get a job at a local Subway so I'm gonna have to work directly with customers, which scares the hell outta me just thinking about it. I actually feel imprisoned and an overall sense of doom just as I walk in to any place of work. Hopefully some day I'll just grow out of itar


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## noyadefleur

Sometimes, especially if I know I've not been doing so well at work or not meeting my quotas. I used to get anxiety going to work all the time once I first started, but now that I've been around for three months I've gotten a bit more used to it.


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## ChuckBrown

Yes, but I'd be worse off unemployed. My employees are just the worst and very confrontational. I'm trying to transfer to another unit.


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## Taaylah

Yes. I get anxiety before I go anywhere in public.


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## JamesM2

I often get bad BDD attacks before going to work, which are cause for a lot of stress and anxiety, and occasionally complete meltdowns where I have to give up even trying to go to work, and just go back to bed in defeat. 

It's rare for me to make it to work on time - most mornings are just a horrible mixture of stress and anxiety trying to get out the door, and then even more stress trying to make a mad dash to work in rush hour traffic knowing I'm already ridiculously late, so even before I make it in to the office I'm so worn out by the efforts to get there that I get there emotionally exhausted and grumpy, just wanting to get the next 8.5 hours of pure hell out of the way so I can get the hell out of there and go home and hide again. 

I've recently developed a rash on my chest that I can only put down to the high stress that trying to get to work puts me through on a daily basis - I'm really not sure how much longer I can keep it up.


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## Canadiangirl86

Every single day! I work full time so I basically have this anxiety constantly at the thought of going to work, the things I did to screw up at work, the thoughts my coworkers have of me, having to deal with my extremely extroverted and obnoxious boss, etc. I worry before I leave about the day ahead and then come home and ruminate about all of the "stupid" things I said, how I didn't take enough initiative, if I'm going to get fired...etc. My coworkers are ok but they're all extroverted people who love hanging out together after work and I just can't do that and I therefore isolate myself. I work in a centre for children with Autism and always have to work with not only the kids, but my coworkers as well. I never have a chance to escape to a quiet office or even my own cubicle. 

My anxiety would be so much less if I could just work alone and actually have the time to sit quietly and make sure my work is done properly.


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## singnswimgirl

My stomach is swirling the night before, I can barely sleep, and then I'm a mess in the morning. Repeat cycle.


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## ericalynnxx

I have a lot of anxiety before work most of the time... Sometimes it's barely there and sometimes it overwhelms me. It kind of depends on the day. I hate it. I hate it even more because since I've worked there for over a month now I feel I should be over it.


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## sarahhendo

This happened to me today and I feel really ashamed of myself. 

I started a new job yesterday and this morning I woke up really early and the awful stomach swirly, cold sweaty, brain melting anxiety started. I even get so bad sometimes that I make myself physically ill - that's what happened today. 

Needless to say, I lost the job and I feel really stupid about it now. But that feeling! It's so horrible. Gah, just needed to get this out.


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## Bearyfluffy

I get anxiety before going to school. 
:|


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## The Sleeping Dragon

Now that I work for more a year there, no. As long as I have a routine I'm fine.


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## Raynic781

Always, but once I get there I'm usually fine.


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## GangsterOfLove

If I had a job I would.


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## selene2012

I get anxiety before and during work just about every time. I work in fast food. When it is really busy I don't mind working so much, but when I have to come in late when it is slow - it's a nightmare. When it is not busy, people tend to get more lazy and chat and horse around more and I'm not so social. I never have anything to say to my co-workers, it's not that I dislike them, because I don't, i just feel really awkward and end up stand or cleaning like a weird bump on a log. My co-workers even ask me why I'm so quiet and never say anything. :roll


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## Leah6731

Yes, I got anxiety almost everyday before work but the thought of calling in or having to explain why I was absent was more terrifying than just going in... so I ended up being a model employee, albeit a quiet one


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## Paloma55

Yes, especially on Mondays. I typically get to work 45-60 min early and park in a nearby church parking lot to get "centered" before work. I also take my medicine at that time and then I'm ready to take on the day!


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## Dimmie

...I never want to go to work, my boss is a backstabbing lieing *******, but I need the money so...


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## BeachGaBulldog

I don't work. I can't. I am on disability for depression, anxiety, and social anxiety disorder. I just can't deal with the people at jobs. I am not a people person. Never have been, never will be, and don't want to be.


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## Hermiter

Yeah every day i think 

Theres a possibility someone might eat me
So i try to hide beneath the rotten bananas 
It smells bad they should just put them in the plaintains sectiom


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## Alexis4

Wow! I'm not alone. I get anxiety before going to work and u usually end up being an hour late. I'm the boss too! Who does that. The executive director might fire me one day and my employees don't take me too seriously. I'm in therapy and trying to make a turn around quick because I'm getting older and use to have goals. Hang in there, I know how it is.


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## Hamtown

Well i quit my job recently as a special event caterer, it drove me absolutely mad in the end. I was there for about 2-3 months. I never ever thought i would do this but i am thinking of doing some volunteer work. I want to see how i perform when the work values are different. Actually contributing and working in a place that resembles these new communties i love, rather then what feels like a dictatorship.

The fact is, you can only get along if you get along. Most people i work with seem extremely limited in there range of thinking. They think about work,other people, make meaningless comments out of thin air..i just can't communicate with them. I absolutely dispise repetitive work too or where i have to fake smiles while im scared...when you aren't working towards something meaningful for yourself, its soul destroying, it generates anxiety. I don't want to make that mistake again.


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## Markula

i have a pet peeve about getting to work early so i dont stress about being late or having to rush. so i have a half hour of stressing sitting in the parking lot waiting to walk in where ever my job is. 

sometimes when i wake up i think today is going to be a bad day and i jinx myself.


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## Lacking Serotonin

**** yea, that pre-work anxiety is God awful. I would dread walking into work everyday from anxiety, not so much the work itself. Just co-workers and bosses.


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## LolaViola

YES. I get anxiety every single time I have to come to work. Along with SA, I also suffer from depression. Work takes so much out of me. It's not even the work itself that depletes my energy. It's having to put on a fake smile and interact with customers and co-workers when I would rather not be around them. The whole charade is so exhausting.


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## DaydreamBeliever10

Yes all the time, some days it's worse than others like when I have to do a certain shift where I'm in a supervisory role. I have 3 of those shifts coming up, I've tried to swap them but no one will and I can't do it, it makes me feel sick just thinking about it. I'm feeling like I can't breathe just reading this thread and thinking about work.

I would love to call in sick but I can't make that phone call and I've never been able to tell anyone when I'm really sick let alone when I just can't cope to go into work. I've been sick at work due to anxiety a few times in the last couple of months but I can't bring myself to tell anyone so I can go home and I've gotten too good at hiding the fact I feel like crap.

I know I will stress myself sick for an upcoming shift and I wish I could call in sick but I can't bring myself to do it so I will suffer great distress and anxiety. Maybe I'll pass out and then I can get out of it but then the embarrassment of passing out in front of people will probably give me a nervous breakdown.

Life is becoming more and more of a struggle due somewhat to my work anxiety. I hate it and I'm having an anxiety attack just thinking about work right now.


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## OwlGirl

Everytime, before & after classes..


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## sad vlad

I used to be anxious in the morning while getting ready for work. Not so much anymore. It's been 5-6 y of same thing so your brain gets used to it. The monotony of doing same thing every morning and seeing same stuff while going to work is bigger than the anticipatory anxiety. :roll
The anxiety while being at work is another thing and can still be pretty high sometimes.:blank


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## dexlab

I do. Most days I wake up with the feeling that 'something terrible is going to happen today' like I'm going to fall over or someone will laugh at me on the way to work, or I'm going to have to make a scary phone call, or I will give someone the wrong advice on something and get fired, or my workload will suddenly triple and I won't be able to deal with it...
I find the best thing that helps me when I'm feeling like it is to get up and just carry on through my morning routine as normal (all the while worrying and telling myself I don't have to go in if I don't want to) and then before I know it I'm dressed and ready so then I think well I may as well go in now and just try to get through the day.


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## nala2013

I get anxiety before going anywhere. I get to the point sometimes I feel like I'm going to have a nervous breakdown but I still go. Especially work but I have to go. I just think about the bills I have to pay. I don't ever want to get to the point where I can't come outside.


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## NewWave

Yes, everyday. I have it before, during, and after. Fortunately, I do not allow my anxiety to stop me. I have, however, allowed it to push me to perform better at work. I believe if you just get up and go to work, you will realize you can make it through each day. If it is really bad, you might want to contact your doctor and inquire about medication. Finally, if you analyze your worries, you will realize that they are the same thoughts and they have never came to fruition. I hope this helps.


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## brothersport

Yup, I definitely get that way before work, especially when I think about dealing with the commute (I rely on public transportation). The thought of being on the bus, or train with so many people makes me want to stay home. Putting on my sun shades beforehand helps me deal with it a tad bit better.


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## jesse93

Yep, I get anxiety every single morning when I wake up for work, I also get it before going to bed, even though I've been working there for a month now and you'd think I'd be use to it, but nope I still get anxiety over it every morning.


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## LifeInABottle

Yes, a lot. I only ever called out twice because of it, including today. When I wake up feeling anxious or depressed I know that going to work will only make it much worse. I get anxious about going in and calling out because I know my boss will yell at me. It's in the pit of my stomach, and gets bad to the point I feel like I could vomit, sometimes I cry or my hands begin to shake.
Retail is not worth all of that on me.


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## HenDoggy

Not really, I learned to separate the professional me from the personal me. I feel like a robot at work tho, just doing the routine


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxSharkG1RL

My anxiety is the WORST when I have to go to work. Like the night before I have anxiety. The morning of I have anxiety. on the way to work I feel like i'm almost going to have a panic attack. It's because I had my first panic attack while on the job. So I just feel like my panic has something to do with me working and me feeling like trapped like I can't just run outside when I want to, to try and calm myself down or something. The trapped feeling gives me so much anxiety. I refuse to work right now.  I have a job interview in 2 days my first one in like 3 months since my last job. and I am scared to DEATH. I just keep trying to tell myself each day that I am not going to die on the job and that's all I need to know.  Good luck to you. Hope it gets easier in time.


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## Nekomata

I generally feel ill everyday as I go on the road to work. I used to feel anxious the day before but these days.. meh. It's probably worse early morning saturdays... since I arrive earlier and have to sit around waiting for the first damn phonecall at 8am... ughhh why do we have to phone anyone at that time in the morning...


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## Elle16

*yes*

I've worked in my field for 22 years, but still get horrible anxiety every day before work. I wish I had chosen another profession. I am a medical professional, so I have to interact with patients, families, and other healthcare workers all day. I also work in the most heavily regulated setting in the US. Our company has strict productivity standards, so 90% of my day must be face to face treatment which is billable to the patient. Also, my diagnosis and treatment of the patient must be accurate or my patient will not get better. In some cases, if I do not provide the correct treatment, my patient could die. I would love to work in a job where no one was relying on me for their well being and for a company that was not intent on its owners staying rich.


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## xxxmikeyxxx

Yes, because my work place is very toxic. Lots of work place bullying going on. Rumors. Gossip. Backstabbing. It's awful. It's worse than high school ever thought about being. It's just a very negative and hostile work environment and I have difficulties being in the place.
However, on my shift there are so few staff that I don't have converge unless it's a dire emergency - and if I call in then everybody will hate you and you'll become the subject all of the toxicity until the new gossip comes up.


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## bitesizedxcupcake

I've skipped interviews or class because of how bad my anxiety is. lol


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## Ellazona

yeah would normally get pretty bad anxiety before work but not anymore! I know that i was stuck in a pattern that gave me anxiety so i managed to change that and now I'm fine


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## anxiousali

I can fully relate to this. I have been studying for over 3 years now and have only ever had one job and even though I was doing good at my job I still felt so anxious and dreaded going to work everyday, I'd pull a sicky just so I didn't have to go. I feel as though I've trapped myself, I have social anxiety yet I have chosen the career of a nurse :/ now I have a job interview in 2 days and am feeling very anxious. I feel so afraid I'm going to have a bad interview but if it goes well and I get the job I'm afraid to work, I feel I won't be confident and will mess everything up, plus as a nurse I'd be dealing with people everyday, their health will be in my hands. I'm just not sure I can do it. :/


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## Russell James

*I always suffer from pre work anxiety and now I'm close to losing my job*

Hi Got a Job at Walmart about 3 months ago first real employment either then temp jobs. I have disabilities where I don't learn as quickly. My probation is up in 20 days but I already have two written ups due to my attendance because I called in due to my anxiety. Plus I left work an hour after I started. Like recently on christmas eve. I was scheduled to work 1-9 my usual shifts are 4-12 so I came into to work christmas eve was fine but I forget to take me medication for ADHD so If I don't take it I'm emotional so I was zoning a buggy in a department I didn't really know and I had a costumer freak out on me over a toothbrush so I got emotional and left work. My anxiety is usually bad not because I hate work its because I'm not fast as I should be When I'm opening boxes of product on the shelf I still don't know where everything goes. Like on friday I had to do three carts of HBA cosmetics shampoo etc. And it had to be done before my shift I was zoning all day and they gave me the hba stuff the last 3 hours of my shift. In one hour got barely anything done because the one brake pack took a long time. The manager was kinda getting a bit fed up so she sent a second person. Also when I gotten written up the manager asked me if I wanted to throw in the towel and maybe this job wasn't for me. I don't want to give up I want to not disappoint my friends and family everything I ever done I gave up on but my anxiety is even worse because I'm on the verge of being terminated on my probation and now I'm paranoid. If I do get terminated I'll be embarrassed because anyone can work a walmart job. If I can succeed at walmart I can't succeed anywhere. So now my anxiety is through the roof.


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## joyjoyjoy

99% of the time. There are days before my day off that i would feel like I can do it, but sparingly! It literally makes me unable to sleep sometimes. my attacks begins the days before my workday... I dont skip though, I only do when i' having physical sickness. I gotta work and earn a living an I grew up sucking it up so I guess that's why.. I totally refuse being dysfunctional just because of a psychological breakdown.


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## jengem

Every morning when my alarm goes off I battle with myself whether to go to work or stay home especially on the days where there are work activities that will involve everyone gathering together like an office bday, holidays, etc. I think I've already used every excuse on the books on why I can't attend.


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## Glycerin

I have a day off today and tomorrow and I'm already scared of going back to work!!!  There's no life quality at all with this ****ty brain of mine. I wish I hadn't been born.


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## twitchy666

*never*

only when not allowed any work

spending the future without anything to do


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## Destormjanina1

I was always scared to go to work. Having to come in and say hi to everybody when you first come in. Having to be polite and engage new faces everyday. Drove me up a wall. I hope that anxiety lessens when I start working again.


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