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Promotion anxiety?

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Promotion anxiety?

Postby hexamel » Thu May 05, 2016 4:37 pm

Does anyone else have any experience with this?

I've turned down a promotion in the past out of fear and am about to do the same with the current offer I've been given.

A lot of my reasoning for turning it down this time around makes sense given the current circumstances [the promotion is only temporary, they would transfer me to another location I am unfamiliar with and is farther from where I am currently, there's only a dollar wage increase, the start date clashes with plans I've had for well over a year and my supervisor is aware of these plans etc.]. The problem with turning this promotion down is that it literally messes up my chances of taking over a managerial position at my current location which my boss was assured I would be offered.

So today I have to give my answer and I'm absolutely terrified.

My co-workers unanimously agree that I shouldn't accept the offer given how crappy it actually is and should continue with my plans. My boyfriend thinks I should take it as it would look good on paper and the experience would be an asset. My parents tell me to do whatever I think is best for me and my friends say the same.

I don't want my anxiety to impede on my success, but at the same time this offer just doesn't strike me as worth the hassle. I've already shown how emotionally unstable I am at work [thankfully I have a very supportive and forgiving boss who understands my circumstances and most of my co-workers are understanding as well], so to be thrown into a new environment where I have to re-establish myself and present this polished image when I'm actually insane just exacerbates my anxiety.

If you guys have any advice or ideas I'd really appreciate it.
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Re: Promotion anxiety?

Postby Jasmer » Thu May 05, 2016 6:09 pm

Get a prescription for Xanax or something and then make a decision after taking it!

I had massive anxiety when I got a kind of sort of promotion-but-not-really at work a while back. It turned out to be way more responsibility than I wanted, because mistakes could get my employer in huge huge trouble. After that the anxiety didn't really go away, and every stupid mistake I made at work had me on the verge of panic by the time I got home. Xanax helps. I don't normally push meds, I don't even like to take tylenol for my migraines, but it was just so bad. Usually my anxiety is expressed as irritability, this time it was the classic pressure in the chest, restlessness, uneasiness, nervousness, it was a miserable experience and it's treatable.
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Re: Promotion anxiety?

Postby Cyberfang » Thu May 05, 2016 6:38 pm

Lol, the title made me think this was going to be a shitpost about kids glorifying and promoting mental disorders (typically ones that learn towards the neurotic scale) I'm disappointed. :(
there's no such thing as true good or true evil, its all relative to the observer.
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Re: Promotion anxiety?

Postby creative_nothing » Thu May 05, 2016 8:29 pm

hexamel wrote:My co-workers unanimously agree that I shouldn't accept the offer given how crappy it actually is and should continue with my plans. My boyfriend thinks I should take it as it would look good on paper and the experience would be an asset. My parents tell me to do whatever I think is best for me and my friends say the same.


Your boyfriend is there to encourage you. But don't confuse courage with foolness. For all you say, I bet your instinct( and what your cowokers says) is right.

Money is not everything, afterall. :wink:
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Re: Promotion anxiety?

Postby 10Q » Sat May 07, 2016 2:05 pm

I couldn't believe it when I saw your post. I was in an extremely similar situation last week. I wish I had a definitive answer, and I think you have probably already made your decision. I would very much like to hear what you decided. I hope you are good with your decision and that it is working out for you.

My own situation was that I had applied for a job that was at a higher level than mine at a company where my friend worked. I used to have a job at this level, but my mental health issues caused me to lose that job years ago and I've been trying to work my way back up ever since. I was offered the job, and then got such a sense of panic that after 48 hours I couldn't take it and ended up turning down the job. One key issue was that the amount of paid time off (sick/vacation) was minimal compared to my current job. And the money was pretty much the same. My current job bores me, but the people are nice and I have a LOT of time off and sick time, which helps me manage when I'm having a bad day. I was terrified that I would have a complete breakdown with being "on" all the time (it was a supervisory position) and not having enough flexibility to take time off. As soon as I turned the job down, the anxiety went away. But I really regret not taking the job. Same situation as you - it wasn't perfect, and had a lot of drawbacks, but it would have allowed me to get to a place I want to get to. (I did try to negotiate more time off, but they wouldn't budge on this.)

I'm now trying to figure out what to do next. My current job situation depresses me...I'm bored and I'm working way below my potential.

I hope you are doing well. Thanks for your post. It was so helpful to know I"m not the only one who has gone through this. It's really hard.
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Re: Promotion anxiety?

Postby hexamel » Sun May 08, 2016 1:52 pm

Jasmer wrote:Get a prescription for Xanax or something and then make a decision after taking it!

I had massive anxiety when I got a kind of sort of promotion-but-not-really at work a while back. It turned out to be way more responsibility than I wanted, because mistakes could get my employer in huge huge trouble. After that the anxiety didn't really go away, and every stupid mistake I made at work had me on the verge of panic by the time I got home. Xanax helps. I don't normally push meds, I don't even like to take tylenol for my migraines, but it was just so bad. Usually my anxiety is expressed as irritability, this time it was the classic pressure in the chest, restlessness, uneasiness, nervousness, it was a miserable experience and it's treatable.


That must have been horrible to experience, I couldn't imagine being responsible for something that could potentially effect the people I work for that much. Did you end up taking a step down from the position?

-TRIGGER-

And as much as I would like to, taking prescription meds isn't an option. Back in the day when I was having an excessive number of panic attacks I was prescribed lorazepam, but this caused ....problems for lack of a better word. I admit that I abused it because at the time I was undiagnosed and going absolutely nutter-butters. Took almost an entire bottle one time and lost a few days, still have no recollection of what might have happened during that time.

Cyberfang wrote:Lol, the title made me think this was going to be a shitpost about kids glorifying and promoting mental disorders (typically ones that learn towards the neurotic scale) I'm disappointed. :(


LOL :lol:
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