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Alone in Office Environment

I work in an office environment that was created for us in the basement of a lovely hotel.  The space is nice and when I started I had a nice office with a window.  I often work down here by myself, but by having a window, allowing natural sunlight to come in and fresh air, it helped a lot.  I could hear the church bells ring across the streets, the birds, and just the outside world.  The owner of this hotel just blocked all of the window wells that had our windows in them, covered them, and created a patio over them in front of the hotel.  So when I walk into my office there is now a big black window with absolutely no natural light.  I can  understand the hotel wanting an outside patio, and don't blame him.  My problem is that the thought of coming down to this office and being here causes me great anxiety.  I am already taking 10mg of lexapro every night, which really made a difference in my life.  I woke up this morning and had a panic attack just thinking about coming to work today, and had to take a xanax.  I am working down here, in the basement level, with no people.  Two other employees come in and out and at the most they might be here 12 hours a week.  I am here almost 40 hours a week.  I am working mostly alone, which seems like solitary confinement, with no natural light.  Am I overreacting?  Or is are these working conditions really not suitable for a full time employee?
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366811 tn?1217422672
Hell, NO, you're not "over-reacting."

You are reacting -just organically reacting- to a dungeon environment. If you were making all this up as some ploy to sue the hotel for personal injury, THAT might be over-reacting.

And so, Donna, priority number Uno is understanding that your reaction is totally legitimate. How can it NOT be? It is what you experience, period, end of sentence.

Get that in your head.

Got it? OK.

Now, it is also TRUE that you might have a greater sensitivity to this sense of entrapment (read: "abandonement") then the average Joe (or Joline). Well, so what? The average J doesn't exist as a real, walking around person. So now, you have some choices to make. I'll make up one, you do the others:

You COULD get psychiatric treatment and take the meds in some effort to make yourself more comfortable in this nasty environment. Given enough time and therapy, that will probably work. But choosing this alternative needs to be based on a broader view of what's going on with you in general. Is this situation yet one more thing to deal with, anxiety-wise? If so, then maybe it is a message in a bottle; the time for therapy has come, youi've had "enough." But if it is essentially an isolated occurrence, then maybe you need to find another job and just avoid this encounter, or get one of those broad spectrum lights that conmter-act the SAD mentioned above by Tink (who, by the way, is a pretty hip person).

You write in the other assessments and alternatives.

But whatever you do, do NOT proceed on the basis that you are "over" anything. You are. Donna, who you are. Just like the rest of us. And you are just fine with us -exactly as you are.

OK?
Helpful - 0
462570 tn?1273632977
I don't think so...do some research on SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder...working in confined spaces with no light except flourescents can make you depressed and anxious.  I know that for me personally...NO WAY!  I would have to look for another job or ask to be moved to another office.  Money isn't worth my health.
Hope all goes well....
Helpful - 0
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