Anxiety Attacks and work related stress. (long)

[LJC1861]

So, I have been working as an administrator for 5 group homes serving teenagers and adults with autism. The resedents are precious and the staff I work with dedicated and hardworking The upper administration.....well, let's not go there. There are some severe problems with this agency and nobody seems to be willing to examine then and as a result staff at all levels are leaving. A result of this is holes in the schedules. When we are on call ( one week in every 5 weeks) we are expected to beg staff to fill in shifts, beg a nursing service that we use to send us a few employees, and then if all else fails work the shifts ourselves, all the while handling the hundreds of other emergencies that arise. My first few on call rotations were not so bad, but the last few have been nightmares. I began having trouble breathing and focusing when things got bad. This week I was working all overnight shifts....which I don't do well anyway in 2 homes that I don't know as well as the 2 that I am directly responsible for.

Wednesday night I cooked a lovely dinner only to have one of the more difficult residents sneak into the kitchen and steal some of it. In the trash it went and I started all over again. Later on that morning another resident got into the pantry and ate an entire container of butter cookies. Then, if things couldn't get worse....it snowed and school was closed. So I had to get on the phone with 25 different staff to get them to come in and work a VERY long day. THEN......I had what can best be described as an anxiety attack. I couldn't breathe, I was crying at the mere drop of a hat, I couldn't focus, I was shaking and my hands and feet were ice cold. I called my partner who made me a Dr. appointment for later that morning.

Sure as shooting......anxiety problems with some depression thrown in for fun. I really think that it is mostly job related. Hopefully I won't need to be on the medicine for longer than a few months, but I sure hope it will help me now.

I have also decided, after much prayer and consideration to leave this job and pursue something else in my field. There are jobs out there, I just have to look. Just putting it into words....." I am leaving this job in 30 days" helps make me feel SO much better. I did have a hard time breathing when I walked in to work this morning. I am going to give them my letter on Monday. Wish me luck.....

Thanks for letting me share,

Linda

 

[Microcell]

I am so sorry, and know exactly how you feel!!!

I worked in a group home for MRDD adults (some of whom had Autism) and when I was 8 months pregnant there was a woman living there who "targeted" the manager, who was me. She liked to shove me, and before I was a huge belly walking around I could redirect her myself. My office was in the basement and usually my staff was excellent at redirecting her. Talk about anxiety though. She almost got me going down the stairs more than I like. One time one of the people I served got her away from me! Quick thinking on Peggys part! That made it worth staying for a while. To know I bonded with Peg enough that she cared about me was worth so much. Especially in that field where the rewards are so far between.

I did have to leave, more for the safety of my child, but I completely sympathize with on call thing. I was on for a week out of four, and I still get the sinking feeling when I hear a pager go off to this day eight years later!