Working while going through withdrawal

[[ki...]]

Hi everyone,

 

Just wondering if people kept a full time job while going through withdrawals?  I have tried to maintain my job but it's really been a struggle.  I had a severe panic attack the last time I worked and haven't been able to bring myself to go back to work yet.  Any suggestions or tips on what to do?  I really need to work to pay my bills and provide for my family.

 

Kiki

[Guest [ba...]]

I worked.  It was pretty rough at times, but it also kept me busy which was good for passing time more quickly.  I think high stress jobs make it more difficult. 

 

Advice...  Avoid stress.  Do one thing at a time.  Take breaks when you need them.  If you've been out of work, try coming back part-time at first.  Don't overdo it.

[[NJ...]]

Many of us work. For me, going super slow in my taper to avoid a flare of symptoms, supportive medication (remeron), meditation when I can, and exercise all help. I actually think working has helped--it's a distraction, keeps me from sitting around and overthinking things. I know I have to feel well enough to get up and do this everyday, which has also put into perspective that my taper will need to be long and slow, which is okay. I am looking for a new job, and that does concern me a bit, starting somewhere new when I don't always feel good, but if I find the right place I am going to leave where I am.

 

[[ki...]]

Thanks, I like to hear that other people are working through this.  It gives me some motivation to see other people have worked and made it through.  I'm trying to learn some coping skills to help if I do get in a panic at work that will calm me down.

 

Kiki

[[Kl...]]

Just started back at work a couple weeks and it definitely helps with distraction however most days I haven't felt particularly good. It's not easy but I need to do it. I have had worse sx this past 2 weeks and I hope it's not because of work. Fortunately it's very relaxed and low key.

[[Ma...]]

I started working in early August. I weathered some pretty intense symptoms in the first two-three weeks, but things have steadily gotten easier. I work full-time and teach adolescents, so I wouldn't call it "low-stress," but I'm happy to be at work. Now I go for several hours each day at work without thinking too much about my symptoms and it gets me out of my irrational thoughts/fears. Work is starting to feel like a great blessing--some days I even look forward to going to work in a way that I never did while on a benzo.

 

Let us know how it goes!

-Mark

[[cr...]]

I've been working throughout except for one day. I've been lucky in that my symptoms have been better earlier in the day, actually felt fine for 6 hours today. By 4 pm, I started not feeling well. Not sure about the toxic mornings I hear about & why I feel better earlier in the day. I will have hit the 2 week mark on Wed. My worst symptom is the head burning along with muscle tremors in my chest & some burning in my chest

[[ki...]]

I went back to work on Friday and it was ok.  Still not the greatest but hoping it will distract me from my anxiety and intrusive/obsessive thoughts. 

[Guest [ba...]]

I went back to work on Friday and it was ok.  Still not the greatest but hoping it will distract me from my anxiety and intrusive/obsessive thoughts.

 

Good luck!!  :thumbsup:

[[Ol...]]

I've been wondering the same thing. I am a freelancer and so is my partner, and I have not been able to work since July, so he is working for the both of us. I know someday I will have to pick up another job and I am just hoping he can float us until I have healed at least enough to get the eff out of bed! We both work in production so it is often high stress 12+ hour days. Maybe time for a new profession?

[[ki...]]

I've been wondering the same thing. I am a freelancer and so is my partner, and I have not been able to work since July, so he is working for the both of us. I know someday I will have to pick up another job and I am just hoping he can float us until I have healed at least enough to get the eff out of bed! We both work in production so it is often high stress 12+ hour days. Maybe time for a new profession?

 

Olivekitty,

 

I am a garbage man so the loudness of the truck has been something that I have had to get used too, it seemed to give me more anxiety.  Just on Friday, I started to listen to my headphones and that seems to help.  I definitely think stress and loud noises amp up the withdrawal sometimes. I'm just trying to get by day by day.  Good luck on your journey through this hell!!

 

Kiki

[[ki...]]

I started working in early August. I weathered some pretty intense symptoms in the first two-three weeks, but things have steadily gotten easier. I work full-time and teach adolescents, so I wouldn't call it "low-stress," but I'm happy to be at work. Now I go for several hours each day at work without thinking too much about my symptoms and it gets me out of my irrational thoughts/fears. Work is starting to feel like a great blessing--some days I even look forward to going to work in a way that I never did while on a benzo.

 

Let us know how it goes!

-Mark

 

 

I'm hoping that I also will feel like work is a blessing.  That is part of the reason why I wanted to get off benzos because it was hard for me to stay focused on a job when I was on them.  I never really thought about anything important while I was on benzos.  My wife will tell me that just the way I talk and sound is so much different now that I'm off them.  It truly is a blessing I believe, right now it has been tough dealing with the withdrawals but I know in the long run it will be so much better!!

 

Kiki

[[Ol...]]

Kiki,

Loud machinery bothers me too! I remember early on before I realized I was going through withdrawals I was on my bike and I saw a garbage truck up ahead and I was totally freaked out and got past it as fast as I could. After that I was afraid to even bike anymore. I thought I was going crazy! I have since read that loud machinery is a common anxiety trigger for some people so I feel somewhat validated. Headphones is a great idea! I just went on my first bike ride in a year and a half. Small steps. I will get back to work but I'm afraid it's not going to happen until after my taper is over and I start to really heal. Until then I will just rack up the credit card debt

[[cr...]]

Whats the hardest part of working for all that are working through this. I'm having trouble with brain fog/concentration & then of course when the physical symptoms ramp up

[[Th...]]

I haven't been able to work since April. My work was full of stress factors so I quit doing it. Plan to jump soon and will look at job opportunities after x-mas depending how recovery goes. I congratulate all of you who are working as it is great you can do it. In my case it was too much so I did trade off between income and stress removal. Well I hope I can be productive soon...

[Guest [ba...]]

I haven't been able to work since April. My work was full of stress factors so I quit doing it. Plan to jump soon and will look at job opportunities after x-mas depending how recovery goes. I congratulate all of you who are working as it is great you can do it. In my case it was too much so I did trade off between income and stress removal. Well I hope I can be productive soon...

 

Some jobs are just not very conducive to working during withdrawal.  I don't think that I could have worked if I had a high stress, 12-hour job like some folks here have/had.

[Guest [ch...]]

I worked through my withdrawal, writing computer software, or at least pretending to write computer software. Luckily my employer was really nice to me and I got through it and now I am functioning again. Best wishes,

CP

[[Tr...]]

When I work I try to make things as comfortable for myself as possible. For me that means a cup of chamomile and lavender tea with milk and honey first thing when I get there in the morning.

[[Re...]]

I've worked through this entire experience.  That includes continuing to work while trying to figure out what was happening to me.  Talk about stressful......  My job is very high stress; analytical problem solving required in real-time makes it a very anxious working environment.  I remained employable (probably), in the early part of my post-acute withdrawal due to gabapentin.  However, that has been a double-edged sword as tapering gabapentin has its own issues, too.  Anyway, I had to work or face losing my home and ability to feed my family.  I'm the primary bread-winner and so it was a function of simply forcing myself to get out of bed (even when I hadn't slept at all for a day or 2, or sometimes even more).  It was horrible at the beginning, but it has improved.  I still have many symptoms which wax-and-wane but I feel I am improving.  It has been an entirely horrible experience, but it was especially traumatic in the beginning as I was a very short-term user who had experienced terrible withdrawal and had no idea what it was.  I had a benzo-ignorant doctor who had no clue what was happening and wanted to up-medicate me.    So, I had a big battle on my hands which demanded a very steep learning curve in a very short time-frame so that I could save myself from further damage. 

 

Dealing with the reluctance of certain medical practitioners to accept that withdrawal exists was particularly difficult, frustrating and potentially deadly.  Fortunately, I found good information quickly and began to understand what was happening to me.  I found a clinic that understood what was happening and actually called my GP personally to discuss my case and explain what they believed I was experiencing.  That was tremendously helpful.  Anyway, I mention this because it obviously had a huge impact on my work.  I had to continue to function at work while experiencing a horrific and bewildering set of symptoms that my doctor initially said was absolutely NOT from benzos.    It was very challenging.  I muddled my way through with a certain amount of damage, but I'm thankful it wasn't worse...... If I had listened to my general practitioner and not pushed back to the degree that I did, I shudder to think of the place that would have taken me to...... 

 

Anyway, work..... yeah did it and still am doing it.  It's been a real twister, Auntie Em.........

 

-RST