Is this stress??

[Pedrosanchezo]

Talk to your boss, they/he/she will have the answers to the questions you are asking. Asking yourself the same questions over and over simply become to stressful for you to handle, hence the frustration and change in attitude.

Finding out where you stand is a must!

Best of luck.

 

[madpensioner]

Before I go crawling the doctors I want to find out if I`m wasting my time or not as I hate the place at the best of times.

About 4 months ago, my boss turned around to everybody and told us that "change" was coming but wouldn`t tell us when, or what was going to happen. Initially I was very worried by this (rumours don`t help), then it eased and I felt a bit more positive, but now it`s got bad and is effecting me. We already have 2 guys off sick because they are worried like me.

Basically, there is very little work in this part of the country and losing my job would be catastrophic to me because I love my house and where I live, and it could all be at risk. I`m hoping it won`t come to that but after 4 months of not knowing, it`s really wearing me down. I though a job with the NHS was a safe bet.

Anyway, I`m getting about 2 hours sleep a night if I`m lucky because my brain won`t switch off, my resting heart rate is up by quite a bit, I`ll go for a whole day without eating and then comfort eat on crap because thats the only way I can force food into myself. I am SERIOUSLY grumpy and short fused with everybody, even my closest family aren`t excluded from that. I don`t have any interest in my hobbies, even the bikes, I haven`t cycled in nearly a month. If things in the house don`t work properly they will get a clout or thrown across the room - I don`t care if they get broken. Generally I can`t settle, I`m edgy, irritable, and when I do make myself sit down I just smoulder, waiting for the next thing to annoy me. Even my house is like I tip because I can`t be bothered to tidy up, and I have always ran a very tidy ship - it`s always been one of my number one rules.

If anybody recognises any of this as stress I would be grateful if you could let me know please, or whether I just need to "grin and bear it" and shut up moaning.

Thanks for any advice guys

ive been made redundant twice - and the one thing that helped was exercise - it will not solve the problem - but it will help to relieve the stress in you body - and put you in a better
position mentally to analize your situation - when it first happend to me we lost the house ( i was married with three children ) - to cut a long story short - i changed my carrear to do something
i knew nothing about - finished up in a better position - and made plenty of money - Im still married and retired - the kids are all in employment.
I must stress the importance of exercise to relieve the body tension - may i wish you all the very best

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

To start with go see the GP. Getting things off your chest can help. Those are stress symptoms, and you need to do something before you crash. I've been there.
Try and exercise, but don't go crazy, you need some feelgood factor right now.
Thirdly, Get your CV updated and get job hunting. Your boss is an ignorant sod for not keeping you up to date. No announcement like that should go without a follow up, and any boss like that deserves to lose his best people. There's an NHS recruitment website, and the government NextStep site can help identify new career paths.
Fourth, you're in the NHS, get an audience with a union rep. If it's anything like YAS those people will have the power to find out stuff.

I was 18 years in the same job, and thought it was set in stone. I built every computer, wired the buildings, wrote the software, taught everybody. I had the knowledge that could not be bought.
The company was going to hell in a handcart, and suddenly I found myself with a new superior shadowing my job.
I found out there was to be an offer of redundancy with a big payout. My new superior decided I'd rather not have it without consulting me. I was made redundant with no pay under a CVA a few weeks later and escorted out with nothing except a form for the National Insurance Fund.
I have a history of depression and I knew I had to control or slide. The next day I job hunted, then got out on the bike, then went to my weekly Tai Chi class.

Change happens. It can hit you like a train. I'm not a strong person. But I have learned to have a backup plan, keep my eyes open, and realise above all that my job is not the be all and end all of me. I can survive. If a wuss like me can then you can too.

It's not a nice situation, but other doors do open. Get proactive. If you cannot control the situation, then take control of what you can.

Now good luck to you and let us know how things go
If you've ever read the Depression Strikes thread you'll see there's loads of people here that will lend an ear (and a keyboard).

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

This is stress but the question is how you deal with it.
If I were you, this is what I would do.
If you work in the NHS, wherever you work, whatever you do, there are some standard procedures to follow.
1. Your assumption may be wrong. Your manager must provide you with information. If he does not, he is not following the procedures.

It may be that the manager does not know what is happening, other than change is coming - change is inevitable, but in my experience people have a tendency to view change as a negative thing.

In my current job, I assured everyone who is "under" me (I don't like that phrase as I see us all working together but there is a hierarchy) that I would keep them informed of any changes I knew about; as they said that this was what they wanted because in the past they had been told very little. So I have kept them up to date with anything pertinent; they seem surprised at how little I am told, and some think I am keeping things from them - I have repeatedly told the Chief Exec that she should be communicating more information with her senior managers, yet it falls on deaf ears.

@speccy1 don't think the worst, try to think positive thoughts but even if things do turn out to be "negative" try to keep yourself positive and look at it as a change and the next step in life. I know this might sound like a right load of old bollocks (I have tried re-wording it a few times but it still reads like a load of old bollocks to me!) but it really is all about how you respond.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

And don't think that by going to your GP that they'll have the slightest clue about what you are going through; most of them are clueless and simply refer to their "what pills can I prescribe manual"

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

GP's are great if you want pills to mask the symptoms.
Imho you need to take action to address the cause of the problems..
At this time you do not know what the changes coming are, they might be positive ones.. The only way to find out is to ask for details about the up and coming changes and once you have information you can take the next step, until such time you simply do not know.

Exercise as well is a positive thing, it gives you control, balance and relieves stress.

 

[marzjennings]

Sounds like stress and worrying about the unknown is eating you up. I've been in situations like yours 3 times, company management making noises about efficiency gains, reduced work coming in and industry moving cities. Three times I polished my CV, started looking for something else and somewhere else, quit and moved on. As mentioned change is inevitable, so make the change on your terms not on your company's schedule. Plus it's never a bad thing to update your CV and by accident let your boss know, keeps 'em their toes.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Your boss' attitude absolutely stinks! I'm feeling stressed just reading this thread, because I'm well aware that I'm not indispensable. Anyway, as the others said, take some action: talk to HR, union reps, etc., whatever it takes to clarify the situation and protect yourself. Good luck with it.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

OP. Not to sound like a competition but well done for finding a job that has escaped this stuff until now. We've been in this sort of Damocles limbo for nearly 3 years in a different bit of Public Sector, Already had redundancies, pay cuts, a potential relocation & merger of services 40 miles away and only needing 50% of the current total of the several sites and there's more in the offing. People are scared to go sick because it was one of the scoring criteria they used in sacking people last time. Yes get yourself to the Dr's and get help & support for your emotional state - Union support, HR input - a little knowledge can terrify but it'll also help you to know more, also get a workplace referral to your own Occupational Health department. They are often more willing and quicker than GP's to get you talking to people that can put things into the right perspective and get your mind right without drugs, although the short term destructive cycle breaker of drugs shouldn't be discounted just because you don't like the Dr's, used properly they could be a godsend. You also don't mention a wife or children to worry about in all this, just stuff - again not intended to belittle but if that is the case then it is a big worry less than many of your colleagues will have. Also, all of the people that went from us are working again and still around, I know this stuff feels like the end of the world (still does to me and my next, unavoidable & essential, knee op may well guarantee I lose my job) but there's a lot of people out there proving there is life after X.

Can't help you fella, but you're boss is a c_unt, I can tell you that.

his boss is typical of the public service style, mine are the same. Someone on high commissions a staff wellbeing survey where we complain we're mushrooms, or the boss gets a hammering in staff meetings for not communicating with people properly, so the edict goes out we're to be told what they know for sure to save them being accused of being secretive. There is a fine line that they never quite find.
On the other side I turned up to (private sector) work one day last recession to find the doors chained shut and a letter taped to the window telling us we were all out of a job. No idea it was coming and no chance of preparing.

 

[speccy1]

Thanks for all the lovely posts everybody, there are some nice words of encouragement there and some good advice

I will have a good think about things over the next few days and probably go and see the occ health guys to see what their spin on it is.

Exercise is a good point and I agree it works wonders, but after a pretty nasty fall on ice a month ago I`m still not over my injuries and unable to get out on the bike for the near future, I do enjoy walking but its always raining, so I`m a bit stuck. As for my living arrangements, I`m single and live on my own which is the way that I love to be but it`s not good when you`ve got problems. My family are within 30 mins of here so that`s fine but I don`t want to bother them with my problems.

I`ll see how it goes and post here if I make any progress.

Thanks again all

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Thanks for all the lovely posts everybody, there are some nice words of encouragement there and some good advice

I will have a good think about things over the next few days and probably go and see the occ health guys to see what their spin on it is.

Exercise is a good point and I agree it works wonders, but after a pretty nasty fall on ice a month ago I`m still not over my injuries and unable to get out on the bike for the near future, I do enjoy walking but its always raining, so I`m a bit stuck. As for my living arrangements, I`m single and live on my own which is the way that I love to be but it`s not good when you`ve got problems. My family are within 30 mins of here so that`s fine but I don`t want to bother them with my problems.

I`ll see how it goes and post here if I make any progress.

Thanks again all

By the sound of it, your family will be on tenterhooks waiting for you to open up to them. There's a lot if threads on depression on here all with a similar theme - the depressed person is the last to know they're depressed & thinks they're hiding their problems well enough from others, when in reality they may as well have a neon sign round their neck advertising their problems.
You've taken a big first step in recognising you're not right in yourself. Speak to your family, let those that love you pick you up and carry you for a bit, you'll be less of a burden of worry letting them in than by bottling it up.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Before I go crawling the doctors I want to find out if I`m wasting my time or not as I hate the place at the best of times.

About 4 months ago, my boss turned around to everybody and told us that "change" was coming but wouldn`t tell us when, or what was going to happen. Initially I was very worried by this (rumours don`t help), then it eased and I felt a bit more positive, but now it`s got bad and is effecting me. We already have 2 guys off sick because they are worried like me.

Basically, there is very little work in this part of the country and losing my job would be catastrophic to me because I love my house and where I live, and it could all be at risk. I`m hoping it won`t come to that but after 4 months of not knowing, it`s really wearing me down. I though a job with the NHS was a safe bet.

Anyway, I`m getting about 2 hours sleep a night if I`m lucky because my brain won`t switch off, my resting heart rate is up by quite a bit, I`ll go for a whole day without eating and then comfort eat on crap because thats the only way I can force food into myself. I am SERIOUSLY grumpy and short fused with everybody, even my closest family aren`t excluded from that. I don`t have any interest in my hobbies, even the bikes, I haven`t cycled in nearly a month. If things in the house don`t work properly they will get a clout or thrown across the room - I don`t care if they get broken. Generally I can`t settle, I`m edgy, irritable, and when I do make myself sit down I just smoulder, waiting for the next thing to annoy me. Even my house is like I tip because I can`t be bothered to tidy up, and I have always ran a very tidy ship - it`s always been one of my number one rules.

If anybody recognises any of this as stress I would be grateful if you could let me know please, or whether I just need to "grin and bear it" and shut up moaning.

Thanks for any advice guys

The symptoms you describe it sounds like your going through a bout of moderate depression triggered by psychosocial factors. As such you've become trapped in a viscous circle of your emotions, thoughts and behaviour going round and round in a downward spiral which is now affecting you physiologically.

If you work for the NHS then speak with your Occy health department, also speak to your GP. There a few ways to deal with this quite simply, usually through talking therapies or talking therapies and medication. Don't be fobbed off with medication only, CBT is a well proven and robust therapy aimed at mood disorders.

The meds are used just to help you elevate your serotonin levels and may help you to get some motivation back, don't worry 1 in 4 people suffer from this type of mental illness, you just need help to get your resilience back.

Hope that helps and get well soon.

 

[sheddy]

If you're not sleeping, try some herbal sleeping tablets.

 

[speccy1]

The symptoms you describe it sounds like your going through a bout of moderate depression triggered by psychosocial factors. As such you've become trapped in a viscous circle of your emotions, thoughts and behaviour going round and round in a downward spiral which is now affecting you physiologically.

If you work for the NHS then speak with your Occy health department, also speak to your GP. There a few ways to deal with this quite simply, usually through talking therapies or talking therapies and medication. Don't be fobbed off with medication only, CBT is a well proven and robust therapy aimed at mood disorders.

The meds are used just to help you elevate your serotonin levels and may help you to get some motivation back, don't worry 1 in 4 people suffer from this type of mental illness, you just need help to get your resilience back.

Hope that helps and get well soon.

Many thanks for your post. I`m not sure if this is depression, as life was fantastic until my **** of a boss dropped this bombshell. I`ve just been worried ever since, and the worry is affecting my life now. I`m usually very chilled out and laid back, content with my lot etc etc, and I`m sure if I was told I had a job I could rely on then I would get back there very quickly. Don`t know, perhaps this has turned into depression??

 

[Ganymede]

Many thanks for your post. I`m not sure if this is depression, as life was fantastic until my **** of a boss dropped this bombshell. I`ve just been worried ever since, and the worry is affecting my life now. I`m usually very chilled out and laid back, content with my lot etc etc, and I`m sure if I was told I had a job I could rely on then I would get back there very quickly. Don`t know, perhaps this has turned into depression??

Sounds like stress to me - I've suffered a milder version but my bro-in-law had it bad in similar circumstances and got signed off work with stress and very high blood pressure.

Your boss is very wrong to drop a hint in that fashion - he may have thought he was doing people a favour by giving a little unofficial warning but has no idea what this can do to people. Certainty is easier to deal with.

I can't extrapolate from my bil's experience as his life is no doubt very different from yours, but you need to tackle this (as you've obviously realised) and you need to share with people you trust and the people involved (ie your family). I second herbal sleeping pills, but the main thing is to learn to control your negative thoughts, as suggested above.

If you cannot do much physical exercise, you might try seeking another outlet - interestingly David Beckham's just reported as saying Lego does it for him! - but I find learning an instrument or knitting is good - something which takes your attention and has a physical skill attached. I do know it might not be easy to take up something new when you're in a difficult state.

I hope you find the help you need, and perhaps you should have a word with your boss. Ask him what he really meant, and if he says "redundancies", get job-hunting.