My anxiety has been at an all time high at work - I guess you can call it performance anxiety. I do work from home which I enjoy, but whenever I have a call or zoom meeting, I go into panic mode. I may appear calm and collected on the outside, but my heart is racing, my body goes cold and my mind blanks. It’s incredibly embarrassing when I’m expected to interact with clients and can hardly form a sentence without stuttering or talking too fast. 

I understand that practicing these things is supposed to help over time, but these calls don’t happen enough right now. Whenever I see a meeting scheduled in advance on the calendar, it becomes almost paralyzing to try to work and remain focused until said meeting. Sometimes I feel like the only solutions are to drink a beer or take anxiety meds before a call. It’s so embarrassing to admit because I know I’m better than this and should have more confidence. My work is good and I should be proud to show it off.