Quote Originally Posted by betsie View Post
Hiya

I think you aimed this post at me, not too sure as your quotes aren't working!

I had all the same anxieties as you do around working. My best advice is to get something close to home and not too much of a commitment to start with. With your age you should remember that the first job you get is not going to be your last. Push yourself, and do it. I found that i liked the money and the freedom it gave me so i started working more and built up.

The other thing to remember is, if you aren't well then you can leave. No one can tell you that you cannot leave. Whats the worst that can happen? They fire you? Oh well, you get another job. But only use that as a last resort - you may feel ill at work. I certainly did many times. It was ALWAYS anxiety and I pushed through and made it to the end of my shift. Always.

I do not drink. I am also scared that even one drink will push me over the edge. What country are you in? I am in the UK and the drinking culture here is awful. I have been going to parties with people drinking since I was 13. I never told people I didn't drink, I also didn't tell people that I was really drunk when I wasn't either. I used to take a bottle of coke and just drink that. If someone asks why I wasn't drinking, I just told them I didn't want to. And if they aren't okay with that, or thought I was boring or a killjoy, well that was their problem in my eyes. I believe anyone that doesn't believe that you can have fun sober should take a very long look in the mirror and try to understand why they need to drink to have a good time. I suggest you go to this party that is coming up, if you don't want to drink then dont. You are more likely to have a better time at the party sober than if you were to have one drink and get anxious that it will make you unwell.

One thing I did try on the drinking front was to have a bottle of beer, or glass of wine when I was at home. See how it made me feel to try and see whether I would be comfortable doing it in a social situation. It wasn't for me, even a couple of sips will send my anxiety insane so I just don't bother. As I said in my previous post, I am 23 now - and I have gotten this far without drinking for fun so I am sure I'm not missing anything!

It's often hard with the travel I have to do with work to be so far away from home and worry that I may get unwell. I still worry every single day I drive to work. However, I have gotten used to it. I make sure that my car is a safe place to be if I feel unwell. I always have things with me to make things easier. A bottle of water, mints, music, something light I can eat to see if it makes me feel better and I always keep a bin bag in my car "just in case"! It may seem extreme, but it is something that makes me feel better to have on me, so I do.

If I stay in hotels, I find that okay as I have a room and a bathroom just for me. I do worry that I won't have anyone to help me, although I know I have parents and a partner that will come to me where ever I am if I need them. I just try and rationalise to myself as much as possible that getting unwell isn't a situation that arrises that often for me, years in fact. I try to reassure myself that as long as I keep my hands out my mouth and eat my safe foods then I will be okay.

I have had this phobia since I was 4. I was about to throw up into a sandpit in nursery when my teacher ran over and tilted my head back so I choked on it. I have been terrified ever since.

I promise you things will get better. Just remember that.
Are they working now? I'm not sure in really new to this!
But I am also in the uk and yes the drinking culture is ridiculous! People actually enjoy getting slaughtered at the age of 13-14?! It baffles me how someone can actually plan to get to that state! I'm inviously younger than you and not even legal to drink yet but the pressure is still there from my peers. I always say no and say I don't need it, I always say it proudly but recently I've felt a lot more embarrassed and upset by the fact this phobia is the thing stopping me from wanting to get drunk not my pride. - I definetly don't want to make a fool of myself but I can't say it's that that's stopping me!
I know we have only swapped a few messages and I hardly know you but I feel such a sense of inspiration from you and almost like I'm already proud of you! The way you've given that advise with such confidence makes me feel so hopefull and happy that things can get better, I can't thank you enough.
I have also suffered with this since a very young age so I know no difference than to constantly be anxious about every thing that comes my way.