Working from home: How do you manage your anxiety and depression?

I find the workplace tough and have suffered anxiety often.

If I am short of work, my strategy is to go to my boss and say that I want more challenge in my work. "I want something that is going to stretch me".

He/she thinks I'm up for work, if they do catch me doing nothing then that's because my job is too easy and I can get it done quickly. I can tell workmates that ive asked to be pushed more because my work is too comfortable. This gives the impression to them that I am up for work and a useful member of the team - I then feel better about going to work because its not the lack of work that makes me anxious, its how others view me that has a detrimental effect.

This all sounds easy when written down but its not and I have to really build myself up to do something like this. In your position I would also start looking around for another job. Not to necessarily jump ship but to get the feeling like it is within your power to move jobs if things become untenable.

I have to think I am in control of a situation to gain control of my emotions. To maintain a healthy perspective I have to also accept there are outside factors that can influence things butt not consider these day to day.

Its not your fault that you are underutilised at work.

Thank you for your reply! 

We are on the same wavelength here totally.

The lack of work doesn't make me anxious, it's more that I have time to just sit and think I've got nothing to do I wonder if so and so can see that I haven't done much. The temptation is to save work up for when others are around, but that's not going to help me in the long run! 

I have started looking at a few roles and after getting a call back of two it did make me feel more comfortable/confident!

I am hoping the workload will pick up here, I think it is just a very slow start as a lot of management/ other staff have left and been replaced. 

Thanks for your advice. It's strange I am feeling like a totally different person today - everything I felt/thought yesterday seems so silly now. 

I had my first day in a temp job today and it felt pretty good - glad that we both had good days!

Hello everyone,

How are you doing? I thought I would revive this older discussion, as many of us may be working from home now!

Has your depression ever impacted your work? What about when you're working from home, if that's an option for you? Do you find that being around your colleagues at work helps? Or does it make it worse? How have you coped since COVID?

@Wordieboo @Debbiepeters @Katykat38 @Rf1974 @Hotrod26 @Josehc @Hedgehog92 @Ajwilso @LyndaJ67 @Tina06 @Shaunm @BakuBunny @Muffin @Gemma-Louise @littlemisskitty @Chris5k @stephanieannie @Butterbean6

Take care,

Courtney

Find facing my fears does help only had anxiety since lockdown/covid.

I wish I could work from home, it's the only place I feel safe, My insecurity, anxiety and depression are quite bad at the moment, I have even missed choir practice tonight as I don't want to face people, as if they ask how I am I just have to bite my lips to stop me welling up, I love choir just couldn't face it tonight, Like a lot of you I'm sure not a lot of people understand our illness, and having chronic pain too, really doesn't help, The only time I'm at peace is when I'm asleep, I hate it when my alarm goes off for getting up to go to work, I think I'm going through something else too at the moment. But to all in this discussion hope you are doing okay x

@flynnie Hi, sorry to hear you are going through a difficult time at the moment. Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon and will be able to return to your choir practice, since it brings you joy.

I also hope you have someone in your life who you trust and who supports you.

Take care!

Courtney