Started getting migraines last month. Doctor said it's stress-related. My jaw hurts from clenching. I work in tech, constantly worried about layoffs, kids need stuff, wife's been stressed too so we're not really... great.
I make good money but the anxiety isn't worth it. Should I look for something less intense? Lower paying? Or am I just being dramatic and everyone deals with this?
The fact your wife is stressed too means you're both running on fumes trying to be strong for each other. Someone has to break that cycle first. Honestly might be worth a couple therapy sessions just to decompress together.
If your job constantly has layoff anxiety baked into the culture that's not a personal resilience problem, that's a job problem. Your kids need a parent who isn't physically breaking down more than they need you in a specific role.
Been here. Started with neck pain, escalated to stress headaches, then the migraines hit. Turned out I needed to actually address the layoff anxiety instead of just white-knuckling through it. Started interviewing elsewhere just to feel less trapped - helped immediately.
Tech industry stress is different because it's constant. Have you looked into whether your company offers EAP (employee assistance program)? Usually includes therapy sessions covered. Beats waiting for things to get worse.
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Migraines + jaw clenching is your body's way of screaming that something needs to change. Tech layoff anxiety is real but you can't fix career uncertainty by stressing yourself into a health crisis. Talk to your doctor about actual stress management options, not just ibuprofen.