Job Anxiety? Constantly Convinced I Will Be Fired For Random Reasons

[VeryScary]

This is a recurrent thing for me - does anyone else constantly fear losing their job? Often over completely irrational things? This happens at every single job.

I just started a job and, well, basically, I am scared to death that they will find out that I reneged on a smaller company's offer after they came with a MUCH bigger offer.

Now I have started and I'm convinced they will find out - ie. they will hear thorugh the grapevine, or from my mentor - and fire me because of this. I know this sounds irrational - they're going to fire you for taking their offer over some other rinky dink place?

This is a pattern. I convinced myself that my last job would press charges against me because I took home a fork once. Another time, I was convinced it would happen because I left 30 minutes early. The list goes on and on.

I recognize I am catastrophizing because I am anxious about having a new job. I also had two hypochondria spikes. Any suggestions for handling? I am on zoloft, but I am having a lot of breakthrough OCD lately.

Guess I just need a little support. I haven't had such a relapse in a while

[Yagami]

It sounds like typical ocd symptoms. I understand that these thoughts are scary but you should try to see them as a part of a disorder. OCD always tries to make you doubt and get you anxious about things that you like or that you are sensitive about and in this case its your job. I cant tell you that you shouldn't worry cause I know that this is not an option with ocd. Just try to remember that these thoughts are just inside your head and a part of a disorder and they have nothing to do with reality.

[marc]

I agree with Yagami.

[sharon75]

This post made me laugh out loud, i am exactly the same!! 

Its so good to know its not just me,  i always think im gonna get the sack.  My boss knows i have social anxiety (im beginning to think i have ocd) and after discussion we have decided that if i am feeling this way then i have to tell her.

She is very good and even when telling her once that i felt as though i really wasnt doing my job properly and that i didnt want to do it anymore, she just said that she thinks im doing  well and that sometimes she feels the same about her job, and that im just over thinking things.

Her attitude towards me helps as she takes me nowhere near as seriously as i take myself.

I hope your anxiety lessens soon,  and maybe u could try taking on board what my boss said to me, i know its not much but it really helped me and now when i get overstressed i just say to myself "your overthinking"  it doesnt take the anxiety away but it helps me rationalise my thoughts xx

[firelyte]

Hi VeryScary. I can definitely relate to you. Ever since getting fired unexpectedly, it's become an irrational fear of mine that it will happen again, even though I don't have a reason to fear it currently. I think I agree with Yagami and Sharon. My boss knows that I have anxiety issues that can cripple my productivity at work when my anxiety/ocd flares up. My job has a built in monthly meeting with my boss to discuss my workload, and we've added to it that we discuss how i've been doing, and if there's anything I need to improve. Most of the time this helps lessen the fear of being fired unexpectedly, as at least once a month, I know exactly where she stands with regards to my performance.