MH in the workplace

Hi @LilMapleLeaf

Yeh I seem to have a bit more perspective this week and I've been busy with work, which takes my focus away from anxious thoughts. I'm a person who is a bit driven by the validation I get from good work haha,

This week has settled a little more. Sometimes the little things seem difficult to manage and there are so many of them - work, housing, health insurance, dental ... I get over adulting. The lift in my building is broken on my floor today and my anxious thoughts worry that I;ve done something to make it happen. So my anxiety can feel like a full time job.

That said, I feel fortunate to have therapy and it's on tomorrow, even if it's not promising a short-term fix.

Hi @Hyperballad ,

I absolutely understand that, make sure you are mindful of not hitting burnout because you take on too much work to stop those anxious thoughts! Self care is so important.

I too am very over adulting!

Those anxious thoughts do sound intense. Have you ever heard of cognitive distortion thinking patterns? I've just pulled this definition from the internet:

"A distorted thought or cognitive distortion — and there are many — is an exaggerated pattern of thought that’s not based on facts. It consequently leads you to view things more negatively than they really are. In other words, cognitive distortions are your mind convincing you to believe negative things about yourself and your world that are not necessarily true." https://psychcentral.com/lib/cognitive-distortions-negative-thinking#definition

One of these cognitive distortions is called personalisation, which is taking things personally when they’re not connected to or caused by you at all. I've attached a link below for you to read through if you are interested in learning a bit more about it. Hopefully it can help you to identify when you are experiencing this and maybe help your anxiety out a little bit.

https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/mental-health/personalisation/#:~:text=Personalisation%20is%20a%20cognitive%20distortion,no%20justification%20for%20doing%20so.

I really hope some of this helps you and that you are doing well this week.

It's wonderful you're making tracks in the right direction. @Hyperballad

I agree with what @LilMapleLeaf has said about cognitive distortion. I too share in these anxious thoughts and while they have not completely gone, I have managed to quieten them down.

This subject of therapy was very interesting to explore. One of the best things I discovered was actually what @LilMapleLeaf had said "Cognitive distortions is your mind convincing you to believe negative things about yourself and your world that are not necessarily true." Reminding myself of this with a simple saying of 'these thoughts are not mine' has helped greatly break some of the anxiety loops I was stuck in.

Hope this helps in your own journey. 😀

Hi @LilMapleLeaf and @Tranquil_Atoms

[Trigger warning: mention of suicide.]

Thanks you for that. The cognitive distortions resonate a lot with my experience. It’s a bummer of a thing that happens for me and much as I try to sit outside that and get some perspective, it can be tricky. Where I can I try mindfulness and breath work to come back to the present moment. It’s the reason I went to therapy for the first time years ago and a reason I am back there.

I find it useful to see terms like this because it helps me put a name to the experience and realise that other people experience it.

have generally been feeling better. Work has occupied things a bit and there’s a little understanding now at work that I’m a bit wobbly (my father attempted to take his life just before Christmas).

So am having patience with myself.

Thanks again 🙂

@Hyperballad

I'm so glad it has helped to put a name to whats going on. I know for myself when I was given a name to identify certain aspects of what I was going through it really helped me understand myself a lot more and as you said that I'm not going through it alone.

Something else that really helped me out was sort of what you already mentioned, knowing that I wasn't the alone in what I was experiencing. I actually spent some time in hospital for my mental health and I was so scared to go at first but when I was surrounded by a bunch of other people just like myself it helped me feel normal in a sense and that I wasn't alone in what I was going through which is what I think is so powerful about these forums. I'd encourage you to stay active on these forums, engage in everything there is to offer as it may help you in those feelings. It might also help to maybe find a group therapy or something you can engage in to help those feelings?

I'm so glad to hear you are doing better and thank you so much for keeping us updated on how you have been progressing. It's been wonderful to see you grow these past couple of weeks I've been able to talk with you.

I'm also so glad to hear you say you are being patient with yourself! Well done you!

Thanks @LilMapleLeaf … I think being busy has kept my mind off things and have been working hard.

its funny because a really strong wave of anxiety came over me this evening from nowhere, like just a feeling of dread and fear about the future that made me feel nauseous and pale. It’s suxh a derailing feeling, especially because they’re doesn’t seem to be an obvious trigger for it. These feelings have been on and off in a strong way since late April last year when I was evicted and then June when I had a stage 1a melanoma.

i feel like I haven’t felt completely stable and level since then.

Hey @Hyperballad ,

I'm sorry it is tough for you right now. It must be so hard to have that anxiety over your head.

Are there ways you feel you can better manage the anxiety?

I'm here if you need a chat.

Thank you @tyme. I usually spend some time doing breath work and just give myself a break from things. It was good to join the chat in the evening and thankfully have a therapy session this Friday. There are lots of big feelings and a weekend with lots of plans (would prefer to have a weekend to myself to decompress but will push through).

Go slow @Hyperballad . Just do what you can. I look forward to hearing how you go.

@tyme @I have gone so far ok. I have had a few drinks with friends and now at home and will see how things go