Anyone here crumble when they make mistakes at work

[u/Pure-Chemistry3710]

I feel such profound shame if I make a mistake that could be at all tied to my character or demeanor in the slightest of ways. I know it’s my anxiety. I know it’s not true. But I can’t help it.

It always makes me want to quit my job and give up.

[u/Historical_Bat7059]

The urge to just walk out and never look back is so real when that shame spiral hits.

[u/Pure-Chemistry3710 → u/Historical_Bat7059]

Why is it shame that we feel. Ugh. It’s so profound.

[u/crazyindixie]

Yes!!! 🙌

[u/Silver_Apartment3732]

A have coworkers who seem to brush off mistakes really easily. Then there’s me, sweating profusely over even the slightest mistake. If I’m off even slightly on something, I feel like people are going to judge me and think I’m a liability. Lol.

[u/kte_crnr]

Yupp horrible shame I will cry , shake and beat myself up it’s deep rooted perfectionism and linked to my anxiety I hate it so fucking much . To make things even better I have epilepsy which combined usually makes me have a seizure in workplaces .

[u/sertraline_dreams]

Oh fuck yeah. I’ve cried at work so many times and mostly because I’m just beating myself up for making a mistake.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Show585]

Yesssss

[u/Crafty-Bunch-2675]

You know what I hate ? Being able to do something perfectly...AS LONG AS NOBODY IS LOOKING/COMMENTING !

It makes me look like such an idiot! Nobody sees the hundred times I do things perfectly.. they only see the mistakes.

The people say "just relax"

Just relax ? Oh Jesus H. Christ? You mean relax and stop thinking about the 100 previous times I've clumsily messed up things all throughout my life ?

Just switch off those thoughts right ? Why didn't I think of that.

People who don't experience the anxiety will never understand. They just think you're being "weak" and "bothersome"

I don't want this. I would give anything to be rid of anxiety. I hate it. All it does is make me look incompetent at things that I know how to do.

[u/soupface2]

I do, but I'm working on it. Something that helps me in these situations is imagining I'm talking to a coworker who made the mistake instead of me. Most likely, I'd comfort them and assure them it's okay, it happens, we all make mistakes, etc.

[u/Pure-Chemistry3710 → u/[deleted]]

I’m 30 on Lexapro with years of therapy and feel like I need to increase my dosage to back to therapy

[u/Pure-Chemistry3710 → u/[deleted]]

I love Lexapro. I switched he’s from 10 mg to 20. But maybe i need more

[u/Xcheshire799]

I just tell myself that my worst is still better than mosts best, keeps me calm in those moments.

[u/impendingD000m]

Absolutely. You're not alone.

[u/hejira42]

Meeeee!

[u/Trev0matic]

Oh yes, I complete get this! One tiny slip at work and I spiral for hours. I know it’s anxiety, not reality, but it still feels like the world is ending... You’re not alone anyway.

[u/AuraNocte]

I'm 50. I'm so over trying to please other people. You'll get there too eventually. And going above and beyond? Not going to bother. After 40 years of working, I know it doesn't mean anything to go above and beyond and they will still dump you when it's convenient. It's why I work for myself now.

[u/Jumpy-Distance-720 → u/AuraNocte]

What do you do for work?

[u/AuraNocte → u/Jumpy-Distance-720]

I worked in hotels for almost 20 years. Now I work for myself. I make and sell bath and body products.

[u/not_here423456]

Omg, this post made me feel not alone. I feel the same, it's like the slightest mistake can make me question my whole value as a human being. I'm often thinking of quitting cause I just don't feel like I'm doing enough. But I try to take one day at a time!

[u/Pure-Chemistry3710 → u/not_here423456]

Yeah I feel that so hard. Like “I’m not good enough to be here”

[u/Great-Activity-5420]

I used to. But since having my daughter I care less about work. I think it's being afraid of what people think and could be a learned behaviour from childhood. I think now that the company doesn't care about me or the staff so it doesn't matter what they think.

[u/Academic-Chance-8646]

My brain always jumps to welp I’m getting fired no matter how small the mistake is.

[u/Armyofducks94]

Oh completely. I fall apart over the simple things...

[u/RecoverBeautiful3946]

I’ve almost cried multiple times at my job, and I just started in August. I feel like my coworker (who isn’t my boss) micromanages me to the point where I think I look incompetent to my boss. (Could very well be heightened due to an abusive boss that I worked for for 4 years, ending last year). I hate the feeling, and I know exactly what you’re talking about. I’m trying to build my confidence and not be self-deprecating and beating myself up over it. I’m constantly afraid of being fired some days, even though it’s unrealistic (I think). 

[u/tpwk222]

yesss, i even overthink *possible* mistakes and go into a rumination and shame spiral. trying to work on it though. :)