How do you cope at work?

I recently started a new job. My husband and I moved nearly two years ago and I had been unemployed since then. I have always had terrible anxiety and panic attacks but throughout the whole job seeking process my attacks have been absolutely crippling. Now that I have begun working, I am finding it very hard to cope. I can barely eat anything, I have been having terrible panic attacks off and on everyday. I currently take effexor and ativan. I feel like the effexor is doing nothing for me. The ativan helps, but not enough. I feel like anything stronger would just make me too tired to work. I am really concerned about how I am going to be able to continue working if my panic attacks do not stop.

Hello!

Thank you for your reply. I have been on effexor for at least 6 months now. I have thought about having my dosage increased but I just remember how sick I was when I started taking effexor and I worry that I will have the same problem if I up my dosage. The first week I started taking effexor I threw up nearly everyday.

I am looking into seeing a psychiatrist right now. I just found out that under my husband's health care plan, mental health visits are covered at 100%! I am hoping that it will help me. I am having a very difficult time coping with the panic attacks right now.

When I am having trouble with anxiety and work I tend to take my meds in the AM, and that involves an SSRI and a benzo. I take the benzo as a precaution everyday for about a week and that usually gets me through to midday or the afternoon and that makes the rest of the day easier.

Once I experience a few good days in a row I will take just the SSRI and then take the benzo with me to work and have it ready if I feel the anxiety start to rise. I try and see if I can make it to midday without taking it. Then I will and get through the rest of the day.

Then I try and get to midday and not take the benzo, and then see if I can go the rest of the day without it.

Usually it is the nature of anxiety to wax and wane, so do not be hard on yourself if you have to take it (the benzo). There are so many fears about being hooked on them that are not that well founded. I still have it in my head that the benzo can cause me to get hooked and I have been off and on a low dose for years (.25) sometimes ativan and sometimes Xanax.

Today I took the Prozac and I honestly can't remember if I took the Xanax with it or not. I go with how I feel day by day and then forget about it. It also helps to worry about something else. I obsess so I get into the Yankees or football or something, or read and get your mind off the anxiety.

Otherwise you will be anxious about your anxiety and that's not a good loop to get into.

Good sleep prior to work can help too, go to bed and get some good sleep, just getting good sleep can help so much@