First Day Jitters: How to Handle Anxiety on the Job

i have my first day of my first ever job tomorrow and i’m so beyond nervous. i’m 19, and the job is at a cat boarding facility (like a doggy daycare but for cats). before / during my interview last week-ish i was physically shaking and whilst inside was dissociating so much due to my anxiety being so high i literally felt like i was dreaming / nothing was real, it’s weird. does anyone else feel that way sometimes? anyway, they ran down what the job would entail and i remember absolutely none of it. app stuff and logging information and working with meds and stuff, i think. my anxiety was so bad my vision was getting blurry and i did not register anythingg. how am i supposed to do my job when i’m so anxious i can’t see straight? or think or move pretty much? and i’m working with sick animals? also, the uniform is a t-shirt and my arms are filled shoulder to hand with scars. i guess that’s easily fixable with a long sleeve tee underneath but what do i say about why i am wearing that? please, does anyone have any advice?

Your answer

spookyspoonie

1y ago

You can say something as simple as "im self conscious of my arms" and anyone with follow up questions you can deflect by saying it's something you are working on being comfortable with. I think that people are compassionate enough to work with sick animals will also be compassionate enough to be respectful of your clothing choices. Also- the person who already commented is correct. Legally they have to provide reasonable accommodations to a disabled employee. If you ask for it, things like providing you with written information/instructions, or giving you a minute to do some deep breathing before moving on to your next task shouldn't be a problem. All you need to do is tell your boss that you have severe mental illness, and you need a quick refresher or written version of the information provided. You can also tell the boss that you don't want everyone to know, and to please not tell all the other employees about your medical history. That way, you and the boss have an understanding- you get your accomodations- and anybody else who may be nosey or wanting to gossip about it won't know anything.

mandyyyy

1y ago

Hey, not sure where you're based but most employers have to be respectful of disabilities which includes mental health issues. If you disclose that you are struggling with bad anxiety and disassociation, they must respect that and accommodate that as far as possible. From what you've said, maybe things like writing down instructions so you're not relying on your memory? And maybe giving you space if you need some time out to yourself etc. It's something you should be able to discuss with them. Regarding your scars, that's the same. They are not allowed to fire you or anything, but I imagine it's more of a comfort thing for you. Maybe to ease your worries, you could speak to your boss and ask if it's okay to wear a long sleeved shirt underneath the t-shirt, and if they do ask, you can say you're just not comfortable wearing short sleeves. They shouldn't ask for details. Hope it goes really well for you! I'm jealous tbh - sounds like a really fun job! 💕

The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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