"Anxiety and stress"

I was shielding due to covid from March 2020, I went back to work in August 2020, and received little support from my employer. No one asked how i was coping after being shielding for all these months and everyone thought I was doing fine however I wasn't. I felt the anxiety and stress building up in my daily working life and at home. Eventually in late October things finally came to a head when I went to work one day and I was totally overwhelmed, I had chest pains and was having trouble breathing, felt in a state of panic and didn't know what was happening to me. I was sent home from work and I finally contacted my GP for advice who suggested that I talk with occupational health. I was telephoned within days and had a really good conversation with Amanda , who was really easy to talk to and very understanding of how I was feeling.  At that point in my story i didn't want to do anything and had lost all interest in all the things that I used to enjoy doing e.g. Cooking, reading ,gardening. I didn't want to go out ,I felt so down and I couldn't see a way to get myself out of how I was feeling. I got anxious when I went out walking and I had to have someone with me as a support. My sleep pattern was terrible and I was up and down throughout the night feeling anxious.

Amanda was a great support at this time listening to how I was feeling and explaining the reasons why I was feeling this way, giving support ,keeping in constant contact with me weekly and setting me small goals for me to achieve for the following week.

Amanda emailed me links to relaxation exercises to try which included the three minute breathing space which I found helpful to relax me. When I was out walking i found that I could distract myself by using the 5-4-3-2-1 coping technique which helped after I had kept trying it for a few weeks, so at any point when I could feel stress building I would divert my thoughts to what was around me.

With regard to my sleeping pattern i found the NHS tips for a better sleep helpful it gave information of how to relax and develop relaxation skills with breathing exercises.I also found it helpful to pick a letter and try to think of items which begins with the letter which on a lot of nights helped me drift into a period of sleep. I found it took me a bit of time to perfect the exercises,but if you keep with it they definitely help.

I was also supported by Amanda with regard to medications and through discussions she had with my GP i was prescribed  meds to try for anxiety which I believe helped me after they entered my system after a few weeks. I was also prescribed pills to help me sleep, however did not find them helpful.

I am very grateful for the help and support which I have been given and continue to get as I now look forward to returning to my workplace when restrictions are lifted.

On my return Amanda has been discussing with me support which she is recommending to be put in place to ease me back into work so I don't become overwhelmed with the process. She has assured me that if at any time I need any support i can contact the practice and seek any further help which I may require.

Occupational Health is a vital service which has helped me enormously and I would recommend this service to anyone who is in need of support to understand why they are feeling the way they do.