What do I do about anxiety at work?

I'm a college student working part time at a game store and at the bottom of the ladder because of my part-time status (which I don't mind). I've been working there for about 3 years now and have always had anxiety at work but have been able to control it after getting used to my coworkers and the work. Recently we've had a change of management, along with transfers, firings, and 2-week notices. Even though the new bosses aren't nasty to me and I haven't had any particularly bad confrontations with customers, my stress level has just been rising and rising. I literally feel bile in the back of my throat at the end of the week when I call in to find my new schedule and I worry constantly. The thing is, I don't really want to leave--it's a good job about something I enjoy but the stress is literally eating away at me. Am I going crazy, or what can I do to get rid of this anxiety? I've tried meditating which gives me so-so results and I don't want medication. Is quitting really my only way?|||Your anxiety probably has to do with the new management. A lot has happened there. Coworkers have left. You might be worrying about losing your job. Let your bosses see what a hard worker you are. Hopefully as time passes, you will feel more comfortable at work.|||Life is absurd - just go beyond it - breathe and relax.|||I think that you may be catastrophizing. That means that your brain is thinking about the worst possible thing the entire time you are at work, which in your mind is getting fired. So look at it this way. So what if you did get fired? Are you going to die because of it? No. Are you going to have a crappy life because of it? No. Are you going to be shunned by your friends and family forever? No. Is your girlfriend going to leave you? No. Are you never going to find another job because of it? No. So now that I've covered some pretty bad things that would be bad and none of them will occur if you get fired, what are you really worried about?





Even CEO's who have million dollar salaries that are few and far between get fired and find another job paying just as much. It's just the way that it is. So stop catastrophizing, you can't control getting fired, you can influence not getting fired to the best of your ability but you can't control it. So a good rule of thumb is that you shouldn't worry about things that you can't control. Spend time worrying about things that you can control.





Good luck|||totally normal feelings! when one company bought our company, there were TONS of firings, but they called them "layoffs". i'd go in to work every day wondering if i had a job! my shrink put me on Klonopin because i told her that i felt i was crawling out of my skin, it was sooo bad! i've been a LOT better since, but i still have my days/moments. if you're not looking to do meds, i was told meditation or yoga is great. also journaling, and listening to soothing music. i wouldn't just quit...see if you can try one of the above first. then if nothing works...then you've tried all you can, and then you can make your decision at that time. good luck!