This is really tough. I am also a sensitive empath. Listen to your inner wisdom, your gut instinct about the problems you can't solve. You are picking up energy if you are an empath which causes high anxiety. We pick up good energy and bad energy but there is hope and things we can do to be self protective. Your mind and body are actually on high alert, also called hyper vigilance. To be self protective, we have to figure out things we can do to help ourselves rather than allowing the winds of negativity to destroy our emotional wellness. Some people wear a rubber band on their wrist and pop it several times when they are sliding into anxiety or ruminating.

I often get up and go for a fast walk around my house or work place to stop my intake of negative energy or my anxious rumination. Depends on your work place. Turn off your own cell phone at work to minimize interruptions if you can. Set boundaries within yourself of what you will or will not accept regarding energy sucking behaviors in other people. If you recognize someone is an energy vampire, stay away from them or speak in minimal boring responses to them. If this is your boss, start looking for a calmer job.

What I've learned to do is mentally put on golden light around myself and tell myself this is my protection cloak. I mentally see myself as covered head to feed. I swirl a golden light around me in my imagination. For example, a few months ago there was only one checker at the grocery store and I had a ton of food and grocery items and didn't want to do self check. I had already put my stuff on the conveyer belt (a week's worth of groceries) when I started noticing the checker. He obviously has some serious issues as he was telling an older couple all about his sex life, and then talking about how God hates him. I knew this was going to be bad for me, I was going to pick up his negative vibrations and like you, ruminate on him.

So I mentally put on my imaginary clock of color and light, surrounded myself with this clock of protection. It got to my turn to be checked out and he noticed I was not allowing the transfer of energy. He acted better, no sex talk, no God talk to me.

And yes I still went home to ruminate for hours on this weird dude and had to shake off his negative energy. But it taught me that I must take care of myself first and foremost and not allow negative energy people to suck my joy out of my mind. This is what I say to you also. You either need to find another job or go in every day with a golden light cloak of protection surrounding you. Actively work on your disengagement skills, stop your mind from fretting, acknowledge what is truthful about your job. Stop listening to or engaging with those who are complaining, remember this is self protection. I have read several good books about empaths needing to be self protective. Authors Judith Orloff and also Christiane Northrup, MD have two valuable books on this topic.

My massage therapist also wears certain crystals which she says wards of the negative energy. I can't tell you more than that or what crystals she uses, I am not knowledgable in this area.

Thank you for the kind advice.

gentle empathy, restful. i'm grateful you feel safe venting about it here and hope you will keep right on venting. sometimes it helps. at the very least, it helps to get the stresses into words.

i've been feeling similar stresses and i'm blaming mine on spring fever. everybody seems to be trying to do too much, all at the same time. can we take things one at a time, please? maybe even squeeze in some minutes to appreciate the especially fine bird song which comes around at the start of breeding season?

Thanks Arfie, I agree everyone is trying to do to much at the same time. Meanwhile, the things that really matter get pushed aside, and we find ourselves in a perpetual hamster’s wheel.

I'm sorry work has been so stressful. Know that you are doing a great job and that you can only do your best in these kinds of situations.

Try to find something you enjoy doing, something that you would look forward to doing at the end of the work day. Whether that be exercising, a TV show, a book, a cup of coffee while sitting outside, taking a walk, meditating, having a yummy dinner.... whatever it is that you enjoy doing. Sometimes having something to look forward to doing after work, helps destress a little, with these kinds of stressful days.

I'm sorry work has been so stressful. Know that you are doing a great job and that you can only do your best in these kinds of situations.

Try to find something you enjoy doing, something that you would look forward to doing at the end of the work day. Whether that be exercising, a TV show, a book, a cup of coffee while sitting outside, taking a walk, meditating, having a yummy dinner.... whatever it is that you enjoy doing. Sometimes having something to look forward to doing after work, helps destress a little, with these kinds of stressful days.

Thanks GirlinCalif for the suggestions. I do think having something’s to look forward to after work would help.

Sending you extra support Restful
Gentlest of hugs <3

I'm sorry this is happening to you. I also catastrophize quite a bit. My therapist has me log it everytime in a journal and then reframe it (writing this out as well).

For example, I am anxious that I have to take my pet rabbit in for sedation, xrays, and a dental. She is very old, what if she dies, what if she comes home and won't eat anymore and then I have to syringe feed her for 2 weeks and she just dies anyway. What if they see a huge growth or tumor on the xray.

Reframe: My bunny is old, she will die someday. But I have given her an amazing life and she's very happy and loves me very much. Also this appointment isn't today so I should not worry about things that I don't have to deal with yet.

It makes me feel better.

I also google "guided imagery videos" and listen to them on YouTube.

I feel like my mental health is just complete crap and I am always catastrophizing so I completely sympathize with you and hope you find peace and serenity today. <3