Sensory issues?
To be upfront, I don't know if these are sensory issues or just some weird habits I've developed while thinking/working/studying.
I've been at my current job for almost 6 years. In that time I have pretty much kept to the same routine and to be completely honest was always surprised nobody around me said anything about me being too "loud" (I work in an office w/cubicles). My office is for the most part extremely quiet, especially around me. Recently however I heard one coworker talking about one of my habits and now I'm paranoid that everyone's talking about me and maybe it could cause me to lose my job. I know that's a bit of an overreach, but I can't help it, I go to the worst case.
So here's where I am,
(1) I keep earbuds in at all times b/c even the small chatter that goes on in my office is EXTREMELY distracting. Every move people make and that's all I can focus on.
(2) I can't stop touching things. I run the paper in my notepad through my fingers a million and one times a day (this is what I heard someone talking about). I do the same with pens. Many times I even rub the paper on my face. I can't say why I just feel better/more able to concentrate when I do.
(3) I'm highly fidgety. I truly change my position once every 2 minutes. I just can't sit still for the life of me.
(4) I sometimes go to our meeting room when not in use just so I can actually concentrate. But I sometimes talk the work project I'm on out to myself b/c I work better when I hear it outloud. I worry that people sitting near the room though can hear me and just think I'm the weirdo talking to themselves (although really I am).
I've told my therapist this but he seems to think it's impossible anyone hears the paper (um no, just think of the sound of someone constantly shuffling papers, I admit that's what it sounds like). He's brushed it off like it's nothing. I've been trying to see it his way b/c I know that I am overly anxious about people in general.
I honestly don't know what to do to stop this. I don't feel like I can. And I'm not high enough to get an office where I could close the door and nobody would hear me.
You're in a cubicle; I don't think anybody could hear shuffling papers. If you were not in a cubicle, it would be possible to hear shuffling papers.
The earplugs are a good idea.
I would hold off on doing all the things you describe in front of other people.
I don't think you'll lose your job; you haven't even had a verbal reprimand for anything, right? Most jobs operate on the "progressive discipline" model. First there's the "verbal reprimand," then you are "written up." Many people are "written up" and stay at their jobs.
What I do, when I feel a certain "weird" way: I retreat to the bathroom. It would be great if it's a bathroom only for one person--but if it's not, you could retreat to a stall. You could do your sensory-type stuff there...then leave the bathroom like nothing has happened.
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