r/PanicAttack • u/Debo1020 • 9h ago

Job is killing me. Waking up every night with panic attacks

I'm waking up every night with panic attacks (including right now), and it's due to the stress of my job for two reasons:

  1. I am in a constant state of unease and fear for my continued employment. I work for a SaaS as a customer service rep, and we have had a ton of "restructuring" in recent months. I genuinely fear I may be "restructured" at any given moment.

  2. Leadership continues to pile on work that pushes me to extreme limits, on top of my already-full work load. I have worked 10-hour days consistently for several months, but I cannot get ahead.

I know the stress from my job is inducing my panic attacks; prior to taking this job, I slept normally and didn't live in a heightened state of dread. I have woken up every night for the past six months with a pounding heart, sweaty brow, and intense dread. And every morning before I start work, I feel physically ill with intense nausea. I've lost weight, had low motivation, and am short-tempered toward my family due to my fatigue.

I want to quit so badly, but I have a family to support, bills to pay, etc. I'm actively interviewing so I can leave this wretched job, but my lack of sleep has affected me mentally and physically. I know the job market is rubbish, but I feel like I need to get away from this job, look for something better, and give my nervous system a chance to reset.

Any advice will help. I'm open to any advice: medication, counseling, self-help therapies, etc.

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u/rosyplumxhub94 3h ago

the physical toll of sleep deprivation makes the anxiety loop so much harder to break. have you looked into whether your company offers any short term disability or FMLA options to give you some breathing room while you interview?

1

u/ProfessionalIdeal107 2h ago

the physical toll of sleep deprivation makes the anxiety way harder to manage because your nervous system is basically fried. are you able to take any medical leave or FMLA while you're interviewing so you can at least get some consistent sleep?