Posted 1/21/2012 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hey guys,
I am a new member to Healing Well and I am new to any type of support community such as this. I have always dealt with anxiety to a point (busy stores made me anxious, elevators make me really anxious) but since September it has been getting progressively worse.
To give you some back story, I had some health issues that started January 2011. I had a lot of stomach issues that kept me out of work here and there. In late July I sprained my ankle and missed 4 days of work because I was on crutches (I was a preschool teacher, I took care of 8 1-2 year olds every day), and then at the beginning of August I had a surprise, I had appendicitis and had to have my appendix out (going to the doctors and the idea of surgery gives me horrible anxiety too so this was a very traumatic event for me that night). After being off of work for 2 weeks after surgery I returned to work and less than a week later was fired without notice due to my attendance (they said it violated their attendance policy but I was never given any forewarning).
I started unemployment in mid August and have been on it ever since, and now I only have 2-3 weeks of unemployment left with no REAL job prospects in the future (my dad is self employed, off currently after knee surgery, but said I could work with him if he had work when he goes back).
My anxiety has been getting progressively worse since I've been off work and at a much faster rate since I realized I don't have much time left on unemployment.
I went to talk to someone yesterday for the first time, but since I don't have insurance I had to go to a local free clinic and I believe I ended up really talking to a social worker and not a therapist, unless they are the same thing? She recommended to me to join some type of support community so that I would be able to talk about my anxiety with other people who understand.