Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago · 4 min. reading time · ~100 ·

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Is Anxiety Disease Interfering With Your Job?

Is Anxiety Disease Interfering With Your Job?

. You are
not alone..
1 5


We all get anxious when it comes to our jobs, however, Anxiety Disease - also called Anxiety Disorder can lead to missing too much time from work, leaving work early, or ultimately losing your job.

Many people aren't aware they have Anxiety disorder until their symptoms worsen.  Most people with Anxiety Disorder have had a degree of it their entire lives, and without proper treatment,  the symptoms intensify with age.  When symptoms of anxiety begin to intensify; those symptoms will begin to affect your job.

I began working as a Respiratory Technician when I was 19 years old.  I loved my job!  I was so proud of myself at the young age of 19 years old to be working with trauma patients in the Emergency Room, and Intensive Care.  I was proud that I was learning so much, and at a fast pace. I enjoyed my one on one time with patients who needed breathing treatments. I even enjoyed charting.  I got a long well with the many Physician's we had to interact with,  which is very important when you are working in the Medical Field.  I must admit, when we were called to the Emergency Room stat,  a rush of adrenaline would over come me.  I believe that 'rush' helped me to cope during some very difficult trauma's we would face.  When you heard the stat page to ER, you never knew what you were going to see until you walked into the Emergency Room.

0ace141f.jpg

One afternoon we received a stat page to the Emergency Room, and we were told that there were two cold water drowning victims that would be transported in.  The patients were still in the water, so we had to set up our equipment in order to be ready when the Paramedics brought the patients in.  We were told to go back to our floors and continue our treatments there until we got the call that the patients were en-route.

I was working, and suddenly hear my name being paged stat by the hospital operator.  I picked up the page, and it was the Emergency Room Supervisor;  she asked which floor I was working on, and asked me to meet her at the end of the hall.  I couldn't understand why she wanted to meet me because she was not my supervisor.  I met her, and I will never forget the words she spoke.

"Lisa, your brother is one of the cold water drowning victims!"  I panicked, and asked where he was?  The Nursing Supervisor told me, "He's in ER in shock, and he needs you."  At this point I was beginning to feel tears well up, and I asked her who was with him in the water?  She told me "Bobby something."  I spouted off a last name, and she said, "Yes, that's his name."

At this point, I ran to the Emergency room to be with my brother who was in shock. Bobby was brought in approximately 20 minutes later and sadly, he did not make it.

After this incident, every time we received a stat page to the Emergency room I would begin to get dizzy, worry it was going to be someone I knew, feel nauseated and just want to run in the other direction- out the door!

As time progressed so did my symptoms. I decided I needed something less stressful, so I transferred to our Cardiac Lab, and thought that would make life much easier.  This couldn't have been further from the truth.  I began having panic attacks in the form of extreme dizziness which I felt I was going to pass out from.  The panic attacks would come on without any precipitating factors.  I thought I had a serious illness because they were so frequent; I didn't know anything about Panic attacks at the time. Panic attacks can present with many different symptoms.

After seeing many different Physician's for my dizziness, along with other symptoms, it was determined I had Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It was time for me to reassess my life.

The good news is there is treatment, and many people will have to make life style changes that are conducive to their own health. A life style change may mean a change in career as well. In my case, it was determined that a chain of events (seeing people die, in particular, my brother's friend), opened up a can of worms because I had lost my father 8 years prior to working in Respiratory Therapy. I also found out later on that I did not go through all the stages of grief; factor in the fact that Anxiety Disease is not due to a person being nervous- According to the Cleveland Clinic.

"Like certain illnesses, such as diabetes, anxiety disorders might be caused by chemical imbalances in the body. Studies have shown that severe or long-lasting stress can change the balance of chemicals in the brain that control mood. Studies also have shown that anxiety disorders run in families, which means that they can be inherited from one or both parents, like hair or eye color. In addition, certain environmental factors—such as a trauma or significant event—might trigger an anxiety disorder in people who have an inherited susceptibility to developing the disorder."

The good news IS- there is life , and employment beyond the disease, and you are not alone.  

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Anxiety disorders  "affect about 40 million adult Americans.They are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S. Most anxiety disorders begin in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. They occur more often in women than in men."

With proper treatment, early recognition and even employers who educate themselves, you do not need to give up your day job.  Don't be afraid to speak about it, because it's an illness just like diabetes, thyroid disease etc... , there is no shame in having any illness.  The only shame is when it's untreated, or not recognized.

I have found over the years that it's good to be open with those you can trust. They may not fully understand what you are going through, but this is the case with any illness when another has not experienced it, yet a good employer along with a good support system outside of your job will help you to over come obstacles you may have thought were not possible.  Remember,  with diligence, and faith in yourself anything is possible. Never give up, and never think you are not worth it!  And, what I have found works very well for me & it's proven to work for many is some form or exercise or relaxation techniques.  Exercise increases endorphin's, and reduces stress/anxiety.

Remember, with support, treatment, education,  and understanding; You've got this! 

*This was originally posted on my blog site, onevisionary.co *

Images provided by google images, ER photo: 

http://www.southcountyhealth.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Images/SCH%20ER%20Trauma%20Room%20v2.JPG

"Your not alone," Photo- 

http://www.quoteslike.com/images/367/you-are-not-alone-echoes-eMsL7y-quote.jpg

Header Photo:

http://cazandramacdonald.com/wp-content/uploads/blogger/-v8BA9Wy6-aI/UWt55YZKNsI/AAAAAAAAA-M/BQumzyV6fcM/s1600/anxiety.jpg




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Comments

Bill Stankiewicz

6 years ago #50

Heartfelt post here

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #49

#86
Antoinette Capasso-Backdahl, I'm so sorry I missed your comment. You hit the nail on the head, "When someone is having anxiety and then realizes they are in a non-supportive environment it escalates the symptoms." Yes, that's so true and many try to hide their symptoms or make excuses which only makes prolongs the symptoms.

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #48

#84
I will get in touch with you when we get back from Colorado, FOR SURE! Shelley Brown

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #47

#79
#81 I just spoke to someone the other day who works remotely out of Cleveland for Marriott. I found out because I can't sleep at night and I called to make a reservation on the phone. For some reason I had a feeling she worked remotely and I asked. We talked for some time and she said that it's going to grow and they are going to do more virtual training (hotels, credit card companies, airlines, car rental agencies and more). Once companies are able to implement more virtual training they can expand their territories for hiring remote workers. She's a night owl like me and works Thurs-Monday from 10:30 pm - 8:30 am and she loves it. Right now many companies need people to live within the vicinity in order to receive training on site. I agree, remote work would be ideal for many who are stay at home moms that may need extra money but don't want to leave their children, people who do have disabilities, yet are able to continue to work- the workforce can be very brutal on people that have open or hidden disabilities. I'm very sorry to hear of everything you've been through but it's also refreshing to hear that you are finding what works for you in order to keep functioning. Those of us with severe anxiety understand that if we don't continue to push ourselves we can end up with full blown agoraphobia and that's a scary thought. Hang in there (easy to say, right?) and lets keep these topics/discussions open. I think it helps when people can finally speak without feeling retribution. It validates that this illness is real, as my dr. told me- it's a medical illness. So, it appears within the Medical community they are progressing!

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #46

#78
I'm sorry to hear that Shelley Brown! I worked with a woman a few years back who suffered from Anxiety Disorder and panic attacks. She had a very bad one at work once and passed out. I guess she was shaking on the floor real bad right before she passed out. The saddest part of this story, a co-worker of mine told me about it (she was actually my boss). She went on to say, she's strange... she once got all flustered and was flailing on the floor (then the woman telling me this began to mimic the 'flailing' as she called it) and laughed. I became angry and said, well what REALLY happened to her?! She said, oh I think it was an ear problem or something but she over reacted. They had to call an ambulance for her. I don't recall the entire convo because it hurt to hear someone make fun of someone who had a medical issue, it blew me away actually. I will PM you, maybe we can put our brains together and come up with a plan. We'd need a few professionals or at least one along with many story tellers. So, who knows, maybe we can brainstorm and make it happen? I'm game!!

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #45

#75
Hi Shelley Brown was referring to as well? Never feel shame!!

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #44

#74
I'm so sorry I missed your comment Antoinette Capasso-Backdahl. I understand the part about giving in. I think that is something many of us struggle with depending on the day, the week or the month(s). Never give up, we can't allow this disorder to rule our lives. It's a struggle, a major struggle but there is always hope with good therapy, a good psychiatrist and support system. I have learned to listen to my body as well, which means if I'm having a very bad day, I just chill. Other days when it's not so bad I push myself to do what I need and find things to do that actually take my mind to another place. I was just telling someone that I love traveling but get so anxious weeks before because of the intrusive (rapid firing) thoughts. Once we are on the road and viewing something outside of my daily environment, I feel like a weight has been lifted. It's a tough fight, but one worth fighting :))

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #43

Hi Antoinette Capasso-Backdahl, you are so right, it does affect cortisol levels which is one reason people develop belly fat... or better known as that hard to get rid of, dangerous visceral fat. Anxiety disease can cause so many physical diseases. My Dr. told me they consider Anxiety Disease a Medical Condition now. Meditation helps me if I don't have a full blown panic attack, by then the chemical responses are beyond our control. I wrote of being out on the breakwater in Maine and having a horrific panic attack, I can attest that meditation would not have worked in that situation. You made great points about the news cycles and media- I've been trying to watch shows that make me laugh. It's hard not to watch the news though because I want to stay updated on world/US events and that has become much more stressful. My husband began watching the news every night over the past 4 months or so, I finally told him he needed to stop and just watch shows that were conducive to his mental health because it was causing him to feel so angry. That's not like my husband at all.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #42

#70
Interesting stuff Robert Cormack and great analogy with the use of ginger ale 'going off in my head,' by Tony Soprano!

Robert Cormack

7 years ago #41

They did some studies at the University of Toronto, comparing certain centres of the brain using MRIs. Depression causes red areas whereas, when the brain is more stimulated (read happy or relaxed) the centres turn yellow. Both CBT and SSRIs produced the same yellow areas over essentially the same time (SSRIs were quicker but tended to move from red to yellow to red while the CBT patients were more consistent). Yoga and meditation are particularly good before stressful days, parties, lectures, etc. It takes time, but it's important to reduce stress levels whenever possible. Anxiety is really the build up of stress, acting like a release valve. If you think of air suddenly coming out of a tire puncture, that's what anxiety is like. That's why Tony Soprano once said about his panic attacks "It feels like a can of ginger ale going off in my head." Very apt description.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #40

#67
lol no biggie Lisa Vanderburg :)) Should see my typing when I don't have my glasses, I have typo's galore.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #39

#66
Hi Robert Cormack, I agree... I've found after being in therapy for quite a few months now that was the beginning of my tipping point. I always thought maybe there were many triggers but never brought it up to the Dr because I didn't want to sound like a major complainer. Sad that with an illness we still get embarrassed. Thankfully, this is the first Counselor who seems to really know what he is doing. CBT for quite a few months and just began my first session of EMDR followed by some type of meditative techniques to bring the mind back down before I left. As even my Dr. told me, this can work much better than meds- we shall see, I have a lot of hope! I haven't given up on the idea of taking yoga either. Tag me in one of your next buzzes, thanks!

Lisa Vanderburg

7 years ago #38

#65
My bad - you're right Lisa...it was his friend Bobby. MUST put my glasses on! :)

Robert Cormack

7 years ago #37

I've written on this as well, Lisa. So many people change jobs, linking those jobs directly to their panic disorder. Unfortunately, events at work may only be the tipping point of many early unresolved issues. I think panic disorder is the result of too many "triggers." It's not the job so much (Let's call it the irritant factor), it's all the triggers making an anxiety soup in our brains. CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) takes time—more time than most people want to spend—but it can be just as effective as relying on SSRIs, etc. I also firmly believe that medication and yoga—together with CBT—is more effective SSRI therapy (and a lot less expensive if Trump really bungles healthcare). Thanks for the post.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #36

#64
Hi Lisa Vanderburg, My brother is still alive. I forget what I said that may have been misinterpreted that I lost him. Appreciate your kind words!

Lisa Vanderburg

7 years ago #35

You have really brought home the concept of applied perception Lisa \ud83d\udc1d Gallagher, in such a heart-gripping way! The idea that the very thing that 'turns us on' or fulfills us, can turn around and become the acid that burns deep. I am so very sorry to hear your brother didn't make it - would the outcome (of your perception) have changed if he'd lived? Maybe for a while? Like Deb\ud83d\udc1d Lange so astutely conveyed, we often await for that final drop to take us from 'in control' to out of control; of our minds. Beautifully written, lovely Lady - thank you so much for allowing us in.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #34

#62
Thanks for reading Sandra Smith, yes it can feel like a heart attack or as if your going to faint ( I think I've read that some people have fainted) obviously many more symptoms and if it lasts long enough un-treated or not treated properly it can lead to clinical depression. I was going to begin with EMDR quite some time ago but I wasn't ready. It's taken a lot of work (and that means, still in a state of anxiety because of the work) but now ready for EMDR. We've been doing CBT for quite some time. Had a few set backs and will begin EMDR in 2 weeks. I may write about my set backs.. this has been one hell of a journey. I have faith in my counselor though, he's awesome and doesn't coddle.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #33

#60
I just became anxious reading about you getting fired lol. Did you really get fired because of anxiety? Its happened to some, sadly.

Lyon Brave

7 years ago #32

Anxiety, how naughty! I once got fired from a job, and then for awhile i was really anxious about getting fried from a job lol

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #31

#57
Hi Deb Lange, your poor dad! I have to tell you, somatic therapist is a new term to me. I will have to check that out. As you explained your fathers surgeries, on-going pain for years and PTSD it made me think of the back and neck pain I've been dealing with for a very long time which got worse after I fell and broke my left shoulder and right hand 2 years ago. I notice on days that my anxiety is at an all time low, the pain is too. They are inter-connected. I will check out the link you left and appreciate you sharing what you did! Sharing information is very helpful. Thanks!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #30

#56
Thnaks Paul Walters, not sure how I missed your comment, since you only posted it 7 days ago LOL. I find it easier to share some of these issues that used to be kept so hush. Thanks for reading Paul!

Paul Walters

7 years ago #29

Lisa Gallagher Again a brave and insightful piece Ms Gallagher. Whatever works for you when it comes to treatment is YOUR choice and good on you for voicing your opinions !!!!!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #28

Thanks for sharing my buzz Milos Djukic!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #27

I just re-read my comment to you Rebel Brown and I hope it didn't come off the way my mind read it. What I meant by being in my own research phase was this- being open to listening to others, including you. I thank you so much for all you've shared so far! I hope this comment made sense, because I felt my last one didn't.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #26

#48
I'm still in my own 'research' phase Rebel Brown :)) As I said, my therapist was just beginning it with me and we both had scheduling conflicts so I haven't delved into it yet with him. He's not trying to push this on me. He has other forms of treatment as well. You don't need to back out... this discussion is valuable from all viewpoints! Thanks Rebel!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #25

#44
Thanks Dale Masters, yes, highly aware :))

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #24

#42
@Shawn Quinlivan Thank you for such a detailed response. I'm the type of person who needs to read Scientific data. I'm far from a Scientist but I do understand a lot of Medical terminology. There is much to be said about treatment with Medications and on-going treatment with a therapist too. I agree, I've read that the person conducting EMDR needs to really know what they are doing. I would love to chat with you too Shawn, I value your input on this discussion. Anxiety and PTSD are hell to live with. Thanks so much for your comment!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #23

#40
Hi Sara Jacobovici talks so much about. I think of our brains as fractals. And, that may be why what works for one person may not work for another. For example, I have friends who are able to take SSRI's or SNRI's and have rebounded. I can't take those, I have a severe reaction. I'm not sure if some people realize there is a difference between anxiety we all feel over stressful situations or events vs. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The first one- life's stressors are normal even though they suck. The second is an illness that a person has no control over and the chemical messengers flood the body before the person has time to try and calm their brain. It's exhausting physically and emotionally. I really appreciate your input Sara and value this discussion!! Thanks so much for your comment.

Sara Jacobovici

7 years ago #22

Dear Lisa Gallagher I echo some points you made that are crucial towards establishing the framework for this discussion: "...as far as I am concerned, we are clouding the issue taking sides the lack of people integrating, rather than isolating and reducing, seems to be the root of the current craziness that provides medicines that do more harm than the originating condition. Treatments that are known to only mask symptoms, not address the actual dysfunction... I am a philosopher, not a scientist, so my job is to ask questions" Integrating and asking questions, essential to successfully treating individuals. By the way, philosophy started it all including science and psychology.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #21

Thanks for the shares everyone!!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #20

#35
Thanks Leckey Harrison, appreciate!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #19

#36
great analogy with Vegan vs. Paleo Deb Helfrich

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #18

#33
Hi Rebel Brown was trying to belittle your experience at all. I think he was just sharing more of what he does from his perspective, just as you are doing. Personally, I still want to hear what you both do. It's helpful to me and I'm sure many to understand more about different therapy options that are out there. I would still love to chat with you one on one when you can find time. Thanks and I really do appreciate reading about different modalities of treatments that are available. Much respect to you Rebel!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #17

#29
Hi again , are you located in Il? I just briefed over your website. I'm an information gatherer- it helps me to make a decision that I feel will best suit me. I would love to hear more about what you do as well. I have read that there has been almost a 100% success rate with Veterans using EMDR? I live in a small town, my options are limited. I do need a professional to help me, I can't do this on my own. My therapist is one of few that did get certified in EMDR

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #16

#24
Rebel Brown, when you have time I would love to talk to you about your last comment. I don't want set backs, that's for sure! I value this discussion. Sometimes my auditory processing is better than my visual... just let me know. I will PM you. Again, NO RUSH.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #15

#23
Hi @shawn Quinlivan, thanks so much for you offer. I will check out your link. Currently, I am working with a Therapist who is certified in EMDR, but we are just getting started so I don't have anything to report on that yet. We had a few set backs with scheduling too. I will keep you in mind if I have questions!!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #14

#19
Thank you Julie Hickman, together we can all help each other. I'm learning from others too- which is great! :))

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #13

#18
No rush and good luck with your webinar Rebel Brown!

Mohammed Abdul Jawad

7 years ago #12

Life is all sum total of diverse experiences, and Lisa Gallagher you have felt the anxiety, painful moments and ready boldness. Life, by its many facets, makes us stronger and persevering, and in the end we realize how prized is our life and how dearly we recall every moment and phase we tolerated well.

mohammed khalaf

7 years ago #11

The office is the modern jungle .... and it's survival of the fittest! But, since you have a conscience, as it has been said, "tough times never last, but tough people do

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #10

#16
Hi Rebel Brown, I'm glad you found a way to overcome it! I would love to read about the technique, so please do send the link after you write your post. I'm trying to learn a lot- because there is so much info out there and I don't think every treatment is a one size fits all. Appreciate!! :))

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #9

#9
Thanks Margaret Aranda, MD, PhD, such a nice comment and yes- we can all continue to keep this topic alive. I miss the fun times working in a Hospital, we really worked well as a team and had to diffuse a lot of the stress with laughter; which was a good thing. I don't miss seeing others suffer daily though.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #8

#8
Thanks for taking the time to read this John White, MBA!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #7

#7
Hi Ali Anani, SAD is not fun either. I will definitely come by later and read your post! The more we all keep this topic going- because there are many facets of depression and anxiety, then maybe, just maybe, we can begin to see others affect change. Thanks!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #6

#6
Your right, I've read the same stats- firefighters/EMT's have a higher rate of suicide. It was very sad when that happened. He too, always had a smile on his face. For appearances sake, he appeared to have the perfect life. As they say, appearances can be deceiving and that's so true. I didn't realize NFPA seem to be stuck on line of duty deaths. I'm glad to hear there are non profits addressing it more seriously now Leckey Harrison. TRE- I need to get over to your website and check it out. What you are saying makes so much sense. Can you leave it the URL here to for others? I really appreciate your valued input!

John White, MBA

7 years ago #5

Thanks for continuing the conversation, Lisa!

Ali Anani

7 years ago #4

This is a great post and is very timely Lisa Gallagher mentioned SAD in her comment on my buzz of today. I responded, and I expressed my hope you would comment on Sara's comment. https://www.bebee.com/producer/@ali-anani/two-illuminating-stories Anxiety is your field and your buzz adds a lot to my knowledge about it. Sharing

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #3

#2
Hi Leckey Harrison, you're right, my counselor said this goes way back. He termed it as Anxiety with PTSD. I had more than a few friends who were EMT's and one stands out in particular. He once told me he felt more sorry for animals that were killed. I could not understand why he would day such a thing. The comment seemed so cruel. I think that was his way of dealing with trauma (he was a paramedic) and went on to be a Physician's assistant in Oregon. Anyhow, I think it was easier for him to feel bad for animals because it took the pain away from seeing all the traumatic things he did see with humans. Sadly, this person committed suicide at the age of 51, I was the last person he contacted- just 15 mins. before he killed himself. He didn't even contact his wife or family. I was so angry with him for about a year until I finally realized how ill he was and what pain he must have been in to kill himself. I can relate in a manner to thinking it might have been your child. Everytime we got a call that a child was coming in, I would panic thinking it was one of my kids. Amazing what the brain does to our psyche and physical bodies.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #2

#1
Thanks Deb Helfrich, I promised others I would not give up on this topic, so I thought it was a great time to repopulate the blog post. Appreciate your support!

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #1

Thanks for sharing Sarah Elkins!

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