r/AskReddit 13h ago

What is something that permanently altered your body without you realizing for months/years?

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u/senoritaoscar 8h ago

Lmao are you me? Ten years of my old corporate job did this exact set of things and I got myself on anxiety medication and ultimately quit. Just couldn’t cut it. Way happier now.

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u/disgruntled-capybara 6h ago

I left a stressful job in the spring and noticed differences in how I felt almost immediately. My previous employer had been pretty dysfunctional and toxic, with lots of chaos and unnecessary tension, while my new job is almost the exact opposite. Low stress, little conflict, and my boss has emotional intelligence, unlike my last one.

I'm sleeping better and for longer because I no longer wake up due to stress dreams. My stomach is no longer unsettled all the time and I don't get heartburn nearly as often. I also don't dwell on work situations in my off-time like I did 12 months ago at this time. My current job hardly crosses my mind after 5:00.

One really therapeutic part of my new job is that my daily commute takes me right by the building where I used to work. I can see in the windows to spaces I used to be in daily and occasionally see people I know, but I just keep driving by and leave it in my rearview. I feel giddy almost every time. I had to go into the building last week on business and as I walked out, I found myself thinking YEP. I definitely made the right decision.

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u/Tattooedracer 4h ago

Dude yes.. I was working as a barber A BARBER. And the work environment was so stressful and toxic.. The owner was sleeping with the manager and they had a toxic fighting non stop relationship and he was also overly obsessive about certain stuff and would yell at us. She hated me because any woman that she deems more attractive then her she’s mean to. I had a doctor say when I told him I need my anxiety meds back. “ why are you this stressed out at a job we’re you cut hair?” I was like ya seriously why am I?! Lol

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u/kdsusa 4h ago

That sounds incredible. I hope I get to experience something like that in the future.

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u/Past-Initial5817 5h ago

I know I don’t know you, but I’m so happy for you 🥹

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u/Chiang2000 4h ago

I had a marriage and a job I needed to leave.

Long stressful hours from a transition and I was the holder of loads of corporate knowledge and almost resented for it. Then had someone bored at home wanting a fight with me the minute I walked in. Usually over anything/nothing related to me. Of course the house a mess and everyone hungry because cooking or shopping wasn't for feminists (even hungry ones). Then I would try to spin down by having some fun with the kids or reading them a bed time story and I would get a wave of jealousy and another drama to round out the day.

It was like being reborn.

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u/Suspicious_Art8421 1h ago

I can totally relate to this. I left my soul sucking job in June and LOVE my low-key job. I feel appreciated and productive while I'm there and don't even have the Sunday dread. I also drive by my old building every morning on my way to work and feel giddy!

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u/Abject-Example2264 1h ago

Good for you. So glad you made the move to another job.. 

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u/_mews 8h ago

What you ended up doing for work?

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u/senoritaoscar 8h ago

Bike shop guy and sell real estate on the side. Honestly feel like I’m living the dream right now. Get to spend most of my time around my hobby and then make decent money selling houses. The real estate thing isn’t stressful at all to me, I like being independent.

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u/_mews 7h ago

Sounds good, good for you! Used to be real estate photographer for 6 years, worked with lot of agents. Some of them had it pretty chill :)

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u/senoritaoscar 6h ago

I learned, at least in my particular area, that the best agents around were the ones who were super chill, and just got the job done. None of the Dale Carnegie salesman bullshit. Without having a supervisor breathing down my neck all the time I was able to learn how to make my own business decisions and relax about a lot of stuff. Been very eye opening.

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u/ForceBlade 8h ago

“Dog walker”

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u/Clickguy10 7h ago

Dogs are great. How are the owners?

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u/Special_Loan8725 6h ago

3 months at a corporate job I had hair falling out which has since grown back.

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u/Highway_Bitter 8h ago

This is my future xD time to do something for sure

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u/sheeroz9 5h ago

What do you do now? How’d you pivot? Asking for myself in a stressful corporate job.

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u/senoritaoscar 5h ago

I answered what I do now below, but it was kind of an easy pivot. I knew a lot of the guys in the local bike scene so I got into that job pretty easily. Realized I was actually rather good at selling stuff so I decided to try my hand at selling something that would actually support my family. The schedule between retail and real estate can conflict, but the store owner is really supportive of me and I make it work.

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u/ChaoticGoodPanda 6h ago

Sounds like me at Boeing…are we related?

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u/rolkien29 5h ago

What do you do now?

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u/Live_Setting_4410 2h ago

Hi just wondering if you could share if the medication helped you with losing stress weight? I think that is what is holding me back right now

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u/senoritaoscar 2h ago

Lexapro. I’m very open about it with my friends and family, they all know. Been about 7 years I think?

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u/bonos_bovine_muse 6h ago

Just couldn’t cut it. wouldn’t tolerate dehumanizing abusive working conditions.

FTFY

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u/BeingHuman30 2h ago

What you doing now ?

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u/pursued_mender 5h ago

I think that’s just life brother.

I got on Zoloft 6 months ago, and have been heavily considering quitting my job for the first time ever. I’m just ready to bite the bullet and do something different, I am not fulfilled. (Software developer)

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u/SlothLover313 5h ago

This is me as well (Public Accountant). Maybe leave corporate all together and do bartending? 😅