Very strange thing at work

[Liberty]

I've had SP since I started working a new job and I work consistently with the same group of about 12 people and I think they've all pretty much concluded privately amongst themselves that I have an anxiety disorder or that I'm afraid of people. They're always saying strange things like, "It makes me nervous to have people behind me" to others when I'm in the room. Or, "Oh, did I make you nervous" just from moving behind someone. Overall it seems like I've introduced the strange interaction dynamic of social anxiety to our working situation and it's made things weird or unusual.

Anyway, so a couple days ago my co-worker is telling a story to another co-worker about her weekend outing to a bar and she says, "Yeah and then we had to move tables because my friend has anxiety and the waitress kept leaning over the booth and my friend was about to slit her throat".

I really can't help but think that if I hadn't shown up with my anxiety disorder that people would not be saying these things. This happen to anyone else?

 

[Helyna]

Maybe you can explain how you'd like them to deal with your anxiety?

 

[Liberty]

Maybe you can explain how you'd like them to deal with your anxiety?

Well, that's the thing, because of the nature of my job I cannot publicly acknowledge that I actually have anxiety. If I did I'd be fired instantly. I've just been doing therapy to try to get better as quickly as possible.

 

[Silvox Black]

Well, that's the thing, because of the nature of my job I cannot publicly acknowledge that I actually have anxiety. If I did I'd be fired instantly. I've just been doing therapy to try to get better as quickly as possible.

Well it hardly seems fair that employees must be completely apathetic to their own mental states or else be fired. That does not even sound productive to the work environment.

 

[Klaus]

I've had SP since I started working a new job and I work consistently with the same group of about 12 people and I think they've all pretty much concluded privately amongst themselves that I have an anxiety disorder or that I'm afraid of people. They're always saying strange things like, "It makes me nervous to have people behind me" to others when I'm in the room. Or, "Oh, did I make you nervous" just from moving behind someone. Overall it seems like I've introduced the strange interaction dynamic of social anxiety to our working situation and it's made things weird or unusual.

Anyway, so a couple days ago my co-worker is telling a story to another co-worker about her weekend outing to a bar and she says, "Yeah and then we had to move tables because my friend has anxiety and the waitress kept leaning over the booth and my friend was about to slit her throat".

I really can't help but think that if I hadn't shown up with my anxiety disorder that people would not be saying these things. This happen to anyone else?

Lol, that's a funny post.

Social phobia is really contagious, I think people start to get nervous when I enter a room. I like to think it's some kind of hidden power or magic that I have.

Keep spreading!

 

[PhillyFlyersGrl]

Umm I know exactly what you mean lol..which is why Im paranoid that people can feel or sense my thoughts/feelings. People can sometimes be empathetic, and if your around sensitive people they may pick up on it. I work by myself in a cubicle now, thank God. But before I worked in an office with a lady and I would swear we were draining eachothers energy all day, she would make comments about how tired she felt, we would both get cases of the yawns, it felt like we were sucking the energy right of eachother. It sounds silly but I think its possible. Im glad she still likes me and talks to me lol.
But in your case yeah it would make me wonder if either they are purposely trying to get you to open up about your anxiety or you work with some very empathetic people. Its a real shame that they would fire you for having anxiety, isnt there a law against that??

 

[Helyna]

Well, that's the thing, because of the nature of my job I cannot publicly acknowledge that I actually have anxiety. If I did I'd be fired instantly. I've just been doing therapy to try to get better as quickly as possible.

Oh, wow, that sucks. But if they all know it, why should you admitting it change anything? I guess it could be "don't ask, don't tell"

I think you could word it like, "I don't really like it when you talk about me like that. I'd rather if you'd just accept how I behave. It's hard for me when you talk about this openly." You won't be saying, "I have social anxiety".