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Antiwork

I can’t tell if they want to fire me or make me quit.

My work has made me start doing a new task 8 months into my job that instantly caused me to have an anxiety attack. I’m talking full on hyperventilating, shaking, throwing up, crying, heart racing etc etc type of attack, no hyperbole here. This is the first time I’ve ever had this happen relating to these tasks (phone calls) and it’s freaking me out because I’ve done the tasks before no problem. The only other time I had an attack like this was when I found a rat in my room and it was climbing the blind and I thought someone was breaking in with all the racket and glass scratching it did. Since then all I’ve been told is to “just try it” over and over, despite my 2IC seeing this reaction first hand. Instead of dealing with it, she just went home and continued her work day away…


My work has made me start doing a new task 8 months into my job that instantly caused me to have an anxiety attack. I’m talking full on hyperventilating, shaking, throwing up, crying, heart racing etc etc type of attack, no hyperbole here.

This is the first time I’ve ever had this happen relating to these tasks (phone calls) and it’s freaking me out because I’ve done the tasks before no problem. The only other time I had an attack like this was when I found a rat in my room and it was climbing the blind and I thought someone was breaking in with all the racket and glass scratching it did.

Since then all I’ve been told is to “just try it” over and over, despite my 2IC seeing this reaction first hand. Instead of dealing with it, she just went home and continued her work day away from me.

Now HR is saying it’s a “reasonable and fair requirement of the role” and their solution is to start a PIP, and have me continue the task tomorrow. I don’t want to trigger this again until I have time to speak to a therapist/psychologist/counsellor/some sort of professional. I’m seeing a doc today for a certificate but what should I do?

Resign now with no notice and give up my holiday leave? Go through with their plan and just throw up every day? My mental health is more important to me than this job at this point. I’m disgusted by how they’re handling this. I’m in Australia if that helps.

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