I have so much anxiety I feel I’ll be stuck in my dead-end job forever – it’s utterly depressing

DEAR DEIDRE: THERE is nothing I would love more than to change my dead-end job – and I was really hoping that ­turning 50 would have been the change I needed.

I thought it would usher in a new me, someone confident and capable.

Instead my birthday has come and gone and I feel more stuck in my boring warehouse role than ever.

For ten years I’ve been checking in deliveries, unloading them and sending them on to the shop floor.

But I find it mind-numbingly boring and want to change, and yet the idea absolutely terrifies me.

I’ve always suffered with anxiety and confidence issues and it affects my work hugely.

Recently, I have been searching job websites for other roles but nothing has jumped out.

At the same time work has cut my hours because the minimum wage has gone up, which has raised my anxiety further.

I don’t know how I will manage financially.

I keep thinking I will probably be here until I retire, which is utterly depressing.

DEIDRE SAYS: Your anxiety is paralysing you and making you catastrophise (where you constantly fixate on the worst possible outcome).

This in turn makes it very hard to be proactive and put positive steps in place.

It will help hugely if you can start to understand your anxiety, to recognise when it’s talking you down and learn to free yourself from the negativity.

It’s entirely possible to start a new career at your age – you have lots of experience and transferable skills, so just start believing it.

On a practical level, it would be really positive to meet with your line manager and talk to them about your ambitions.

Would they support you with any extra training? Are there any other openings within the company?

I’m sending you my support pack Living With Anxiety, which has plenty more advice and information to help.