Hey hun, first and foremost sending you absolutely all the hugs. So I knew I had anxiety, but I didn’t realize I had an anxiety disorder until the day I had a panic attack at work. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by exceptionally supportive people, one regular told all the others to leave and got me seated at a table while my manager called an ambulance because I couldn’t catch my breathe during the panic and none of us knew what was going on.

When the ambulance arrived, the guy sat with me and we practiced breathing together once he realized I was indeed having an anxiety attack. You breathe in a full deep belly breathe, hold it for five seconds, and then breathe out completely and repeat. It helped me come back from that crazy place of panic and I went to the doctor immediately afterwards.

Medication doesn’t help everyone, but it has changed my life over the three years since that time. If you anxiety is generalized like mine (you are always in a state of worry and anxiousness, you just find a new reason for it to be happening and when you resolve that reason you find a new one) it is life changing to have a medication that stops that pattern of jumping from one source of fear to the next. It gives you the control to break that pattern and regain your control.

At the very least, talk to your doctor. If it’s the insanity in the world right now causing this, you need to take a step back and breathe and be with things that remind you your safe (pets, for me my parents and brother, maybe a good friend?). Either way, if your manager is someone worth working for, they will understand the need to take care of your mental health before you can come into a job like ours and be the support for your community.

Lots and lots and lots of love darling, wish you all the best.

Please please call in sick. Your body is way more important than this dumb job.

tell your manager you woke up feeling unwell so you are going to the doctor, as long as you bring a doctors note you should be fine (: i hope you feel better