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Work stress

J

I've been working at a preschool since last year, doing part time, so just two days a week. Now I have been doing one day a week because my stress has got so bad and I'm struggling with coping with so many things all at once.

My dad has type 2 Diabetes and he's not had a check up for a few years because of covid he was lost on the list - seems a really bad excuse to me IMO - but I am trying to cope with the results. He's got diabetic retinopathy - and his sugar levels need to come down - he's on new medication.

I enjoy working. I love children and I am still very childlike and love playing toys and games so it's really well suited for me. My boss knows I'm autistic and she's being really supportive which I am grateful for.

I just wish there wasn't so much stress going on right now. I wish even more I didn't overthink and get so anxious.

I'm new here by the way this is my first post.

  • Hi J,

    Nice to meet you. 

    I'm sorry to hear about your dad and him having diabetic retinopathy. My dad has diabetes too and it has been pretty stressful on and off for us for a number of years. I hope the treatment for his retinopathy helps to improve things for him. 

    It is so cool that you enjoy your work and that your boss is supportive. I have recently left a job because of work stress and now am talking myself around that the new job I have got is going to be better. I work part time too.

    I hope that your stress levels come down and that you feel better soon.

  • in reply to Chloe Mod

    Hello Chloe Mod. 

    Thank you so much for your kind response. I'm sorry for my late reply to you. I am very grateful for the link, thank you, I'll be sure to look at that. More support would definitely help me out, I am at least on a waiting to list for a therapist trained in autism but anything in the time being would be great.

  • in reply to Iain

    Hello, thank you so much for replying and I'm sorry for my slow response. I am grateful for your help with this.

    So far I have tried exercising, colouring and listening to music. I've found I do feel better and less stressed when exercising - and music is also a big help to me too! Especially when I am out walking, I listen to it with my headphones on. Helps block out the other sounds I can hear - like the traffic, people chatting...

    I will look up mindfulness and I'll give mapping a try as well - thank you for the suggestions! Writing things out to clear my head and ease stress and anxiety is something my mental health team suggested I do a couple of years ago and I think I did do it and it did help, though I can't really remember, but it's definitely something I will give a try.

    I'm hoping my dad will be all right and things will settle down again soon. It's just been a bit of a shock and I think that itself is the biggest things that's affecting me right now. But today I do feel a bit better, very much so after reading your kind message.

    Thank you, it means a lot that you took the time to respond to me.

    X

  • Hello @J

    I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing stress and anxiety at the moment, but I'm pleased that your boss has been supportive. You may like to visit our pages on anxiety, which includes ways in which you can seek support if you feel that you need it:

    https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/anxiety

    Al the best,

    ChloeMod

  • Hello J and welcome to the site.

    What have you tried to manage the stress so far? I would recomment mindfulness (look it up) and finding ways to help you recharge, whether indulging in your special interests, meditation, or whatever helps.

    Where you have a stressful issue to deal with I use a technique called mind mapping (also worth looking up) where I write down the issue in the middle of a bank sheet of paper and write all the stuff that connects to it around the issue, writing everything in little bubbles and building up a big picture of it.

    Once it is all there staring you in the face you can start to think of what is the most urgent and important thing to deal with and start writing actions in a different colour, linking these to the issues so you can see the bigger battle plan on how to deal with it.

    The process of capturing it all on paper takes away the need to hold it all in your head and you just need to look at it and work out what is next on the priority list to do and just deal with those smaller chunks one at a time until suddenly you have conquered it.

    I used this the first time I looked for a job in another country (I lived in England and found a job in Germany) and was able to capture everything from the job hunt, visas, language issues, finding somewhere to live, moving house, dealing with taxes etc and renting out my flat back in the uk.

    It took a while as you can imagine but the stress levels were kept in check an it all worked out very well in the end.

    Where you may need help in dealing with the NHS for your father etc then feel free to ask on here for advice - keep personal details out of it to be safe and you will find a lot of people willing to help. There may be a few cranks here too but ignore them and focus on what is important.