anyone else with severe anxiety dealt with living with possible redundancy?

Is there anyone else out there who is, or has been, in my position? That is, living under the cloud of possible redundancy? Right now, I read that it seems to be some managers, BUT it could conceivably be anyone. I'm not a manager, to clarify. I am diagnosed with depression [medically], and also complex PTSD [therapeutic diagnosis, along with depression], rather than anxiety and panic per se. But I have been anxious since I went through my own birth trauma as a newborn, and it got built on in additional layers. I grew up in an environment of threat and insecurity. This is STRESSFUL. I have had some very severe panic attacks in the past, and right now my heart is racing. My therapist taught me a breathing exercise, so I'll try that properly later. Just wanted to connect with others who understand and are or who have been there. Please.

sorrel, I'm not familiar with this phrase, could you explain it for me?

You call it a 'Lay Off' I believe. Job no longer existing due to budget cuts. There are going to be people who will lose their jobs due to this at my workplace in the very near future. I might be one.

Thank you so much for explaining, sorrel, now I underdstand.
I have heard about the expected job reductions over there and it would be absolutely nerve-wracking. While I am not in that position, I live with the fear whenever I changes jobs or positions.

When will you know for sure what the future holds?

My husband and I have a good friend going through what you are. He is older and cannot find a job for any length of time (just got let go and was working out of town so had all the additional expenses of moving, additional housing, furniture, etc.) and his life savings are running out. He wakes most mornings with a panic attack, has had to go back on his meds to help himself out, will only look at/deal with his finances about once a month. It does not sound at all comfortable, I cannot imagine it.

Thanks. It's all very uncertain. But I will know some more the week after next. Some more, anyway, not everything. It's all very uncertain. On top, I'm worried about my health. Blood pressure and that.

So sorry that you're having to deal with such an incredibly stressful situation right now - it's like being in limbo - waiting for the other shoe to drop.... Working on corporate staff for some major US companies, I've known a lot of people over the past 30 years who have been blind-sided by down-sizing.

When you have grown up in "an environment of threat and insecurity" as you did (and I and many others here), your anxiety is naturally going to be magnified and more intense. The only thing that has ever really worked for me in such situations is being proactive - having contingency plans thought through, mapped out, and ready to implement. This gives me a sense of control over my life and my own security, rather than having to depend on another individual or entity to provide me with that sense of safety and security.

I know it's difficult to do, but perhaps if you sat down and just made some notes about what options are possibly available to you in the worst-case scenario, you wouldn't feel quite so victimized by the precariousness of the present situation. For instance, go online and get contact information for employment/head-hunter agencies, temporary personnel agencies, people in your social and business networks, work-at-home opportunities (watch out!), and even social service and charitable organizations (food banks, utilities, etc.) that could provide assistance should the worst-case scenario become fact.

Also, get your budget laid out for the coming months, identify expenses that you can cut immediately if necessary, check your savings and investment balances, and keep all of this information together in a folder or notebook so you can "see" the full picture of your financial status at a glance and don't have to go digging for everything at once. Even just having exposing yourself to all of this information while getting everything organized might help to desensitize you a bit to the situation, help you feel more in control, and reduce your anxiety.

Our world economy is changing so rapidly that everyone is going to have to change their perspective on how to structure their lives to provide for their own security in both the short and long-terms instead of relying upon others (employers, governments, etc.) to provide a safety-net.

As the saying goes, "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst." Wishing you the best outcome! lynn09

Thank you for understanding, and for the ideas. I'm feeling so low and depressed today.

sorrel, yes I have been in this situation. And my fears became a reality. But I am still here. It is very difficult but if it comes to pass, just know that you will survive. As lynn suggested, prepare yourself for the worst case scenario. The uncertainty of wondering and not knowing is probably the worst part of it. So keep doing the breathing exercise and other things to help with your stress.