Stupid panic attack at work.

Post Reply New Topic

I work at a thrift store usually tagging clothes in the back just for a bit of backstory. Anyways, today it was an absolute madhouse in the store area, there was something going on with a bunch of special needs volunteers working in the store also just tons of people shopping a few screaming children and just really pure chaos. But for some reason they had me go out to put stuff away and for some reason the manager and a supervisor were doing the tagging.

And yeah I could not handle it...at first I was just mildly irritated because it was kind of chaotic out there, but I figure 'hey just a couple hours of my shift left I can do this' but didn't really notice the anxiety creeping up on me. Until I had to run(well I think I was able to maintain just a fastish walk) into the bathroom due to the panic attack so I could calm down a little and that was the first place I thought to go to get away. But yeah it was horrible just felt like everything was closing in just all the people, the noise and confusion I was able to keep it together okish till the end of my shift when I got out of there as fast as I could.

So yeah I don't think I can be out front when its all crazy like that out there, just not sure how to communicate that to the manager. I mean I feel like I was useless at the time, so I did at one point ask if she wanted me to keep hanging stuff and she said she did and I didn't want to seem like I was making excuses not to do my job and so I couldn't articulate that I was like seriously panicking and actually meant I don't think I should be out there for idk mental health reasons.

So I just continued on as best I could which I think I spent more time dropping the things I grabbed due to shaky hands and then having to pick them back up than actually putting them away...I don't even know if I put everything away correctly probably not since I could barely hold it together mentally let alone keep track of what I was doing.

Anyways I am not looking forward to going back tomorrow, but I can't just not show up as much as I would like to.

You actually handled it pretty well, in my opinion. You diverted yourself from the craziness by volunteering to hang stuff. That was pretty smart, actually.

I usually don't think it's best to tell bosses that you have "mental health" issues. People don't have good associations with the term "mental illness." People are usually scared, rather than compassionate.

Anyway...autism is not a mental illness,

Well no, I wanted to just keep tagging...they wanted me to go hang stuff out in the store, I just didn't argue with it.

Also, its an arc thrift store, so its also a non-profit which helps disabled, lots of the co-workers have disabilities and probably mental health issues so it wouldn't be the same as mentioning it at a regular job. If anything they'd probably be a little more accommodating but still just don't know how to really bring it up.

also I realize autism isn't a mental illness, but it certainly cannot be healthy to be in a perpetual state of terror for two hours of a work shift, while simultaneously trying to do your work task you've been given.

Last edited by Sweetleaf on 23 Oct 2019, 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

It's good that you didn't argue with them. That's a sign that you are healthier than you think you are.

You might have had a panic attack----but you didn't cause any damage to yourself or anybody else.

And that's the most important thing.

American disability act covers reasonable accommodation


Sometimes it is to your advantage to disclose diagnosis to get reasonable accommodation


Sometimes it is to your disadvantage to disclose, ("discrimination")


Even if someone "discriminates " against you ,. You have to win a lawsuit. Lawsuits take two years. Lawyer's cost 600 bucks an hour. Outcome not guaranteed



First you have to get a diagnosis


There is something wrong with everything

I had this problem once at a volunteer job I used to go to. I enjoyed sorting through the donations and putting tags on the clothes with the others that volunteered there, but when we were short of volunteers I was told to go downstairs on the till, while the manager had to stay upstairs and do the paperwork. They knew I didn't like being on the till, but in this situation I didn't like to argue. When I was down there, lots of customers were coming in, some with screeching toddlers and others were demanding me like trying to haggle me, and I started having a panic attack that I had to mask to keep my cool around all these strangers. That was when I decided that I was never going to get a paid job in retail because I was just no good at interacting with the customers. I was fine interacting with other volunteers, but with customers I just clammed up. Similar to selective mutism but I wasn't mute, I was just more socially anxious.

Sorry to hear it, sweetleaf. Yes, you did well, put your head down and got on with it, so to speak, for as long as you could manage. Made a swift escape, when you could take no more. Considering where you work, that they're more likely to be understanding, might be worth mentioning it, if you're with the same co-worker regularly. You could take comfort in knowing the likelihood of this happening again, is not necessarily high(but then, Christmas is coming ... perhaps, it will grow busier ...). Just keep looking after yourself and removing yourself as you did, rather than risk experiencing full on panic, I say. Don't know of anything else that you could have done, to keep yourself "secure".