Had a full blown panic attack in the parking lot before my shift today. Chest tightness, couldn't catch my breath, the whole thing. My wife says I should talk to my boss about it but I feel like that makes me look weak. I just sat in the car for 20 minutes and eventually went in. Made it through the day but man I'm exhausted. Does anyone else deal with this?
Powering through panic attacks just teaches your body that work is dangerous. That's the opposite of what you want. Real talk, do you have time to talk to your manager or HR about this? You might need some actual support, not just determination.
Hey, panic attacks at work are rough. Definitely talk to someone about it though, don't just try to white knuckle through it every time. I went through that a couple years back and once I started actually dealing with it, things got way better. You deserve more than just powering through.
You shouldn't have to power through that. I know it feels like you have to but that's not sustainable. Have you talked to your doctor or looked into any resources? A lot of employers have EAP programs that offer free counseling sessions. Might be worth checking out.
Chest tightness and not being able to breathe is scary, I get it. But you've gotta get some help with this, not just survive it. Your family needs you healthy, not just present.
Powering through is temporary relief but it catches up with you. I learned that the hard way. Talk to someone if you haven't already - therapist or your doctor. The attacks usually get worse if you ignore them. You deserve support at work.
You shouldn't have to power through that stuff alone. Reached out to my company's EAP program and got some sessions with a counselor who specialized in work anxiety. Total game changer. Check if your company has something like that.
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Been there. The parking lot panic attacks are rough. What helped me was talking to my doctor about it and being honest with my boss. You don't have to disclose everything but just saying you're dealing with some stuff and might need a few mental health days makes a difference.