"Light at the end of the tunnel"

I graduated and started several jobs that caused a negative impact on my life causing severe anxiety. I would start new jobs and leave within a week as I would have endless panic attacks during the day causing me to leave work early each day. Employers had no choice but to dismiss me. I didn’t understand why I felt the way I did but I felt trapped at work all the time. I would uncontrollably cry and would struggle to breathe.

I was having panic attacks that caused me to lose many jobs straight after uni. I had to take 2 months off work and that led me to being referred to IAPT & I got put with an amazing therapist, Natasha.  She helped me recognise that running away from a situation is on a temporary relief. I had to face my fear of being in an office and eventually my anxiety would drop naturally. Natasha really explained to me why we have panic attacks which reassured me that I won’t die at work and it is not a threat. I was able to break out of the vicious cycle of panic attacks and leaving work as by the end of the CBT sessions I have been able to stay in a job for over a month which is a big accomplishment to me. 

Natasha allowed me to recognise how to continue to face my fears as I needed prolonged exposure and to do it without any distractions that caused me temporary relief! I have been able to use the breathing and muscle techniques that I have been taught to ground myself and recognise that work was not a threat. Even though there are still some days where I feel very anxious, instead of leaving the office and going home; I have learnt that in order for the anxiety to be controlled and to become less, I need to face it and control it without letting it control me.

I was very reluctant to ask for help but I recognised that I really needed it before things got worse for me. The best decision that I made was calling my Gp and being referred to IAPT. Thank you for the lovely receptionist that I always saw and thank you so so much Natasha for allowing me to see light at the end of the tunnel!