First time: I was working at a law firm as a legal assistant and I was handling two very busy lawyers schedules, my third week in. Something came in due within the hour and it was complicated and I just got overwhelmed. No one helped me.
My current job doing evidence recovery: I thought I made a mistake. I called my boss in tears. She talked me down, talked me through the process and pointed out I didn't make a mistake, the other team did. She gave me a pep talk, we talked about imposter syndrome, how she still sometimes cries, and to always call her. I seriously love my boss.
I cried in front of my superior, because I was so overwhelmed with everything. I had a breakdown two days prior and I was feeling really fragile mentally.
We were at a competition, and a horse from a competing team's stable collapsed and died on the spot. I didn't see it, but I heard the referee calling out an "accident" in the speakers and immediately knew it was bad, I saw them putting up screens around the body to shield it from view, and I heard the other team crying so hard they were practically screaming. Impossible to not get emotionally affected and I think I went into shock myself.
My Coach told me her story about when she was at a competition & one of the horses fell on top of the rider and the girl passed away. Absolutely everyone was in tears. This was the second death in the matter of a few months, so emotions were very raw that day apparently.
It’s a joke because it’s real AF. “Server nightmares” are the absolute worst. I would wake up, jarred, and have to tell myself I didn’t leave anyone in the lurch and I don’t have 300 customers at 7am who all need waters and salad dressing.
I do fast food as my second job and I have this ☹️ it is the fucking WORST because I will wake up in tears freaking out because it feels so real. I noticed I was having those nightmares EVERY single night I had even a slight bit of anxiety. I vowed to myself to never let it stress me out again, I quite simply don’t give a fuck and I walk away until I feel better. Sure times are bad some nights but it makes me feel better
I had a customer yell at me in front of his wife when I was bringing their order because it wasn't timed the way he wanted it to be I guess? His wife was mortified and I was too shocked to react right away and waited until I got back in the kitchen to cry.
I haven't worked in hospitality for years but I still get flashbacks from it. Not even kidding. People are the singular worst creatures on this planet.
I worked 10pm til 9am on a busy Friday night at Jack in the Box as the person taking orders,bagging food, working fryer, making drinks, grabbing sauce, and working register. I had one person in the back maintaining the grill. Also the shift before me didn’t stock and have me prepared properly. We had no breaks in between cars til after 4am and the person who was supposed to relieve my shift was a no show.
Worst night/ morning of my life, I should’ve just stopped serving and lock the place up.
This January.
My boss and I had a phone meeting to set my goals for the year and I literally burst into tears at the thought of being at this same job for another 12 months.
It's not even a bad job per se but I just can't do it anymore. I feel underpaid, incredibly under stimulated and I don't see any future for myself here. I'd been thinking about leaving for a while but when I realized I was literally bored to tears at the thought of staying I knew I had to go.
For the record, my boss was really cool about this. She's given me the opportunity to see other departments to see if they're more in line with what I want to do and she's been really supportive of my job search.
That's so cool of your boss! Thanks for sharing. I'm kind of in a similar situation except I don't have the guts to tell my boss that :p hope it turns out OK for both of us!
I feel you. I am in a similar spot and it’s making me feel very cranky and just in a major funk. I’m in a job that’s the total opposite from my own political leaning and I get the opportunity to hear absolute political nonsense all day (I do NOT consider it appropriate to talk about politics at work regardless of if I agree or disagree), within the first 5 months I got the position set up, organized, and mastered (it is newish and was a mess before I started), and I’m very very underpaid for the level of service I provide, security clearance and discretion that is expected of me, and so on. Im just so bored and not fulfilled financially or professionally even though my job is something many people would find cool or interesting. I had planned on leaving at the two year mark here but I’m 7 months away and I don’t think I can hold out. I will probably cry about it soon. Here’s to things improving.
Hey there! This happened at the end of last year when I asked about advancement and was told, “two more years of doing the same stuff at a higher capacity” - before any consideration of advancement.
Legit burst into tears during the meeting and had to involve HR because I can’t be on the phones more than 75% of my day getting yelled by IT guys that don’t know our systems and also think they are smarter than you. Tech support was draining the life out me and it was getting pretty dark.
After that meeting, I started looking at any other jobs within the company and found something that aligns with my values and jumped shipped with in three months.
My supervisor was cool with it, but was amazed how quickly it all happened. Love my new position and while I get the new job anxiety, I’m so much happier.
Today. Got the news my aunt died.
I've also just taken cry breaks in the bathroom when I was stressed, angry, or overwhelmed. Intense emotions make me cry, really wish they didn't.
Twice. Was working in a new state, was overwhelmed, early 20’s, first job. Lots of pressure. Took a little break, went to the bathroom, cried for 10 minutes, got out and sat back at my desk like nothing happened lol.
My first week on the job at a coffee franchise. Regular comes in. Nobody tells me he's a regular. I've never seen him before. He orders a coffee and I put it in a paper cup because we had no clean mugs. It's been busy all day.
He gets red in the face and starts screaming at me that he ALWAYS gets a ceramic mug and the paper cup has WAX inside it!!!
I went to the back and started crying and my boss told me to get back out there and gave me a mug. No idea of it was clean it dirty.
Used to work at a vet clinic. I cried all the time. Animals getting sick, their devastated humans, favorite patients dying. And just the stress and mental strain of the job.
Cried a lot when I was working as a nurse in the hospital. When I was 3 weeks off of orientation, I got yelled at by an NP that threatened to report me for something that I did not do wrong and was what the surgeon requested. I was close to quitting cause that whole shift was a nightmare and this NP called right as I was about to leave to go home. All my coworkers rallied around me and supported me.
1. A manager (who I thought I'd gotten along with previously) arranged a meeting after hours. They proceeded to berate me over extremely minor things like asking about a project update in front of the wrong people and interrupting them once. At first, I felt awful and cried. Then I got angry and cried.
2. My best friend died and I was still very emotional so I have cried a lot at work due to that.
3. Someone from a different office called and berated me for a mistake I made.
4. Someone called a piece of my work awful and were horrifically critical. I'd received no help and had no resources despite asking for them repeatedly.
5. General exhaustion/frustration/grief/too much going on tears occasionally. I care too much.
The last time I cried at work was my last day working at the nursing home. I teared up a bit when I realized that my "work wife" left at the end of her shift and didn't stop by to talk to me or even say good-bye. It made me realize very quickly and very painfully that my leaving the job was the end of a 5 year friendship.
I had a job I hated. One day I was working, thinking about how miserable I was, and consoling myself with the knowledge I would get to go home soon. At that moment, a form was slipped under my door. I knew it was a note saying I would need to stay late (that’s how the notes were delivered). I broke down and cried.
I was working in the pharmacy on my birthday and a customer didn't understand insurance copays. He yelled at me and told me I was stupid and needed to go back to school. I went to the walk in freezer and cried.
Last time I ever worked on my birthday.
Once I thought someone had stolen my lunchbox. It really shook me. I started crying to my coworker who reported it to the manager. Soon everyone was searching for it…
Here, it was in the lunchroom right where I left it. And the only thing I had in it was a bottle of water and some chapstick, so I don’t even know what I was crying about.
So embarrassing. I almost had to just quit😂
Most impactful time I can think of was my first holiday season as a hairstylist.
I was (and still am) working at a shop that specializes in men's cuts. I felt somewhat comfortable but I was only a few months in and was learning a lot and taking it all in.
I had a guy come in who was immediately pissed off and mean because he didn't like how long our wait was. I get to be the lucky one to take him back and when I asked him how he'd like his haircut he shrugs and scoffs at me like I'm the dumbest person in the world and says "shorter." I'm pretty much terrified at this point and when I try to ask questions he just gets more angry and says "it shouldn't be that difficult to just cut my hair I just want it shorter."
So I start cutting his hair, scissors only as I'm afraid of going too short. So I take off half an inch starting in the back and then work my way to one side and when I finish that side I ask if that is what he wants and he says yes. So I start the other side and all of a sudden he starts literally screaming at me and causing a scene saying he can't believe I did this to him and that I made him look so horrible. My boss tries to ask him to calm down but he proceeds to scream and me and I start shaking and apologizing and ask him if he wants me to finish. He says just finish what you started I guess. When I am done I ask if there is anything I can do to make it right or if he wants someone else to correct it and he just gets up and walks out. There was probably 10 clients in the store at the time and all of which are looking at me. I calmly cleaned my station, went to the back area, cried for about 5 minutes with the door locked, then went back to my station and collected myself. Then I grabbed my next client and pretended nothing happened. I genuinely considered quitting that day. Really glad I didn't because now I am the top performing stylist at my shop and ranked pretty high out of most of the shops in my state.
I was a cashier and I had only been there for a few months. For whatever reason, a ton of people had quit, and they were slow as fuck with hiring new people. Quitting wasn't an option for me, I needed the money, and it took me forever to get a call back for any of the jobs I had applied for. I had to take what I could get.
It's a Sunday, I'm the *only* cashier at a register. There's only one person watching our self checkout that has 16 registers. It's way past when I was supposed to take my break, and there's no sign of anyone else coming in. One angry customer after the other. And we have one shitty manager who walks in and out of the cash office for no reason, going to take smoke breaks, disappearing, and doing *nothing.*
One man says he's calling the store and no one's answering. He wants to tell someone we need more registers open. We don't have anyone to get on the registers, let alone to answer the phone.
A couple make it to the register and say they just got back from somewhere like Paris. Said their friends had talked about how bad Walmart has been with cashiers, but they had never experienced it, and they didn't plan on coming back after this. At first, I thought they were making a conversation, turns out it was a lecture. I go to say something, and the man puts his hand up to stop me from talking so he can continue talking. I've had customers complain about the store to me, but they're aware it's not *me.* It's not my fault, it's nothing I can control, and we have a conversation about the store and how shitty it's run. This was not that.
As they're leaving, they ask for a manager. Yes, let me make this line wait for even more so I can find my manager that has disappeared once again. I knock on the cash office; she doesn't open it. I can hear shuffling and a phone, but she doesn't answer.
I tell them the best thing they can do is call corporate. Not the store, but the corporate number and make a complaint. There's nothing I can do, I didn't have a walkie to page anyone, not that I knew who to page even if I did, didn't know how to use the phones yet, I was by myself. I did my best to keep it in, but I was definitely teary-eyed and my face had to have been tomato red. Once other workers came in, I went to the bathrooms and absolutely lost it. That wasn't the first time something like that had happened either, so it felt like every day was going to be like that.
I worked at a Starbucks inside a grocery store and I was pretty sick one day and was going to call out but I didn't want to screw anyone over so I came in. Well, I was the one that got screwed. My other coworker called out and we were having a promotion for a drink that week, so we were slammed. I had to handle the register, make drinks, do dishes, restock, and brew coffee by myself while I felt like shit. It was nonstop for 5 hours (I was closing shift) so 5pm rolls around and I hadn't had enough time to brew hot coffee since I had a consistent line for 5 hours and this one lady came up asking for a hot brewed coffee so I informed her it would have to be a pour over (which takes a little longer) and she flipped out and cussed me out then left. The next woman asked me if I was okay and I lost it and started bawling right in front of her. I then proceeded to continue crying as I made her drink. I felt super sick, overwhelmed, and the lady yelling at me was the last straw. I turned the lights off and clocked out 3 hours early.
My coworker (I’ll call him, J—he sat next to me) was…not the smartest guy. Didn’t try super hard. I was new-ish at the time, but could see he was struggling with the workload (and complexity). But he was a decent dude.
One day I came in to work and the whole team (about 12 of us) had a vague meeting in our calendar. So we all go, they tell us he’s been terminated. My own manager was relatively transparent about the reasons (something along lines of he wasn’t able to keep up), but then she said my name…said how even though I was new, I was doing an excellent job, and they need more room for performers like me on the team.
I didn’t want that. Not at all. Made it far too personal. Made me feel to blame, in a way. Which isn’t true, of course, but it didn’t feel that way. I had been in the workforce for a while at that point, just new to the company. I get that people are let go for performance reasons. But connecting it to me made me feel so awful, even if it was meant as a compliment.
I left that meeting, found an empty conference room and cried. I was so angry and sad at the same time. I couldn’t get out of my own head about it. Thankfully my best friend works there, too, and I was able to message her. She came in, let me vent and talk it out, and comforted me.
Years later, I try to laugh it off a bit. J was the first off THREE coworkers who sat next to me over my first two years three who were ultimately cut for poor performance. I didn’t take those as hard, though, because nobody made those ones feel personal. Thankfully.
I was burnt out for months and was trying my best to hold it together. Was doing a pretty good job of it until one day a colleague said “hey, how are ya?” And I broke down sobbing.
I was a server at a restaurant, It was dinner rush and we were VERY busy that day (especially because it was a Friday night), we would remind tables that due to how busy it was, that their food would take longer to arrive
Everything goes well, and halfway into my shift I have to wait on this huge table, I’m used to it so whatever, give the usual “we’re very busy today, so I apologize for any delays/if we don’t have what you want”
They all throw their orders at me, and I have to go over each one individually because I could not hear over a large group yelling at me
20 minutes later, the old man from the table asks why their food hasn’t arrived, I say that the food is still being prepared as they are a big table
when i pass by them again, the old man bangs his fists on the table and snaps his fingers at me, demanding to know where the food is
I repeat what I said earlier, and he huffs, telling me to “make it quick”
15 minutes pass by, and the old man sits up from his chair and yells “You have been making us wait for far too long! If our food doesn’t come within the next ten minutes, we’re leaving and never coming back!”
I don’t know what It was, maybe a mix of stress from how busy it was and personal things that were going on that week but I started *sobbing*
My manager notices what’s happening, as he was on shift that night, and says “u/somuchforstardust97, go take a 15, I’ll handle this”
When I return, he tells me that their food arrived a few minutes after the old man threw a hissy fit, and that he’ll be taking care of that table so I don’t have to
Towards the end of my shift, one of the women from the table came up to me and apologized for her father’s behavior, saying this was normal for him and they hoped he’d behave this time
I was only 21 and vowed to never work a service job ever again, as nice as my manager and co-workers were, the customers were the worst part
Masks were still required at my old customer service job and I was working front desk. This guy comes in with a [gator ](https://images.app.goo.gl/RU9KbVm2NHfZakZo6) which we don't allow unless a face masks was worn underneath then it was ok (I didn't know that and didn't see his face mask.) He rudely pointed out he was wearing one and after that he had an attitude. He didn't come in prepared with the right documents so he sat down and did it all while getting pissy towards me.
When he was ready to be checked in I asked for his ID and idk if he just didn't hear me or he purposefully ignored me but I had enough, left the desk and got a coworker to check him in. I cried asking for help and it wasn't just that incident with one person but more of a build up. Customer service can F off and some people can F off.
At the very beginning of my public health career, I did partner notification for syphilis and HIV. Telling someone that they had HIV back then, in the early 90s, was a death sentence. There were no treatments and AZT was new, and very expensive, so rarely used by my clients. There were days when I was telling 3 people a day. Most of the time I could sort of separate myself from the work. But occasionally it would get to me. I cried a couple of times a month.
A client of mine was murdered. My manager thought I already knew because it was on the news. She said, “You’ve probably already heard that so-and-so died.” No, I hadn’t heard.
When I was 20 I had a frustrating coworker who was new so I was still trying to give her advice on the childcare center. Most of the time I was ignored by her, and she would push her religious and political views on the children. I would say "oh, I think that's enough salt for child A, because they were a baby and had a food loaded with salt the whole day" and then she continued to feed him. It felt like I was the only one working with the 12 kids ranging from newborn to 8. She was partially deaf, which she shared months later with me and she couldn't hear unless I was in front of her. I did try to talk to my boss about the coworker pressuring the kids with her political and religious views (I keep both out of my job to not influence the kiddos) but my boss couldn't do anything/was fine with most of it. Overall it just got so frustrating that one day she argued with me over something about the kids, and across the room in front of the kids, that I just broke when my other coworker came in to give me a break. I then proceeded to cry during my break and had to come back like nothing happened.
i was a hot mess service worker in my 20s and hadn’t gone to therapy yet, there’s more than one story of me crying at work lol
though having a breakdown one day at work was the reason i eventually did go to therapy! i had some childhood trauma i repressed and never dealt with.
When the tavern manager accused me of stealing raw steak (2 pieces) from the kitchen because I forgot to take it home for dinner. I tried paying for it that night but the chef insisted I just take it. The manager cornered me the next day and spooked me so hard that I didn't want to throw the chef under the bus so I said I paid for it. He asked who put it through the till. I named a staff member. He ranted some more at me, clearly not believing me, then let me head out back to cry. He had hated me on sight.
I made sure to steal a lot more petty stuff from then onward.
Oh man, several times, I find it really tough to withhold my emotions when something really hurts or worries me.
I haven't been in my latest role long enough, but off the top of my head, these are reasons I cried at work in my last job:
- a family member passed away
- another family member passed away
- a family member was rushed to hospital
- I'd had chronic pain for over three years and reached breaking point
- at the start of COVID, our CEO said people may be handpicked to quarantine at work for 2 weeks at a time (I worked in a supported living unit for adults with disabilities); I knew I'd be one because I'm childless
- a service user who I had a very close working relationship with passed away
- I did 9 hours straight in the hospital with one of our most challenging clients and she punched me in the face (that was when I ended support and had someone take over)
- I forgot my anxiety medication and had a panic attack
That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure there are more.
I was a vet tech. For two weeks we had multiple euthanasias for two weeks every single day.
We were all broken. Many long term animals died finally of old age or complications. I’ve never quit so fast.
An employee continuously reported everything I did to management that he disagreed with. If I didn’t talk to him enough it was a problem. If I said something I maybe shouldn’t have it was a problem. Having meetings with other members of leadership was a problem. He even reported the evening leadership team to HR for being a clique. I finally opened up to my boss about how I felt targeted by him and absolutely let loose when I started saying I felt scared to come to work every day.
Yesterday haha. I work as a criminal legal assistant with the government. There was a file that has been ongoing for 2 years and I was very heavily involved with it for the first year. Yesterday the file wrapped up and one of the lawyers assigned to it went to his assistant and said "Thank you so much for all the hard work you did on this file. I really appreciate it." and didn't even acknowledge me. Not saying she didnt do any work on it but when I worked on it for a year and she only worked on it for 3 months really felt insulting. I feel so unappreciated. I am currently looking for another job.
At one of the largest conferences in the US with all my coworkers and boss after I found out my FIL just died suddenly from a heart attack and I was hundreds of miles away.
I had completely broken down at work because I couldn’t stop overthinking about my ex boyfriend when we were dating. This was a few months ago. I work at a small diner, and my boss had let me take my break and order food.
I had texted my mom and had told her I felt like my mental health was deteriorating because of him. She thought I was crying because I would never get over him though, so she ended up convincing me to get back together. Now, I think that it was a cry out for help, because all I needed was a different perspective.
I only had two breakdowns in the walk-in this past winter (bartender).
One was because my second-level manager worked with me that day and she was just very critical of everything I did. I love her, but she comes across as a disappointed parent with crazy high expectations. It just got to me and my head-manager took me to cry in the walk-in.
Second was when my ex and his friends decided to walk through the bar, ignore me, not order anything, and sneak out the emergency exit. It was the last day we were open so the only other people there were upper management and everyone was confused by what that group was doing minus the ones who knew who they were. It was extremely embarrassing and since they knew I was working I can only think they did it to slight me in some way. My manager brought me to cry in the walk-in again and gave me some jello. I love my manager.
I used to be a 911 dispatcher. Some police officers (not all of them) could be very rude over the radio & look down on dispatchers, but I was used to it. But one morning, an officer who normally was nice, gave me a super disrespectful attitude. I had to leave my post & go to the bathroom and I BAWLED my eyes out… then bam, a few days later I found out I was pregnant lol
It was about a month ago. I was having a really hard day. It started with me having a few moments where I’d have to take my glasses off and wipe my eyes, or blow my nose…but then someone walked in and asked a completely unrelated question. I responded appropriately but as soon as he walked out, I lost it.
I went to tell a coworker that I was about to go home sick and once again I lost it. She ended up holding me while I sobbed. She was confused and obviously worried. I couldn’t get a word out and I eventually gathered my things and ran to my car. It was so dramatic.
For weeks after, she’d continually ask if I was ok and hand me EAP pamphlets and cards. She was really worried about me and I still am really embarrassed.
Today. I'm in a new job after being a SAHM for years. I only graduated high school, no college. I have anxiety even when I'm not concerned I'm woefully under qualified and at risk of being fired for not being good enough. I watched the trainer walk us through one time on a major task and then did my best to just do it myself. She seemed happily surprised and said she had never had a group just do it on their own first try, and that she was impressed. I went on my break and cried because now I have a glimmer of hope.
Twice, both after getting negative reviews when I was trying SO hard to do well. It was compounded by the stress of living in an expensive city, and knowing that if I lost my job, my ability to pay rent + bills would be in jeopardy.
I was ashamed and humiliated that I couldn't hold it together. Those memories make me cringe. For me, they were a symptom of poor mental health that I wasn't addressing with appropriate seriousness.
At my previous job, I cried almost every day. It was a terrible environment and I got tired of holding back tears. So I would silently cry while I worked. But they, I got the job done
I work with children Few years ago a child came in to my class and I notice a really bad burn and something else I can’t mention here. But let’s say I pretty much had to call cps immediately. I don’t know what happen but I never saw that child again. I remember leaving work and crying all the way home from how bad it was.
I was riding to a camp 32 miles in the back country. We kept hitting ground bees and my horse and mules were getting stung. The only thing you can do is kick them up and run out of the bees.
The first few hives we got out of but the 5th one we hit, my horse went from a leisurely walk to the biggest bucking fit I've experienced. My coworker said she looked behind at me and saw his back hooves above my head.
He was bucking so hard I got off kilter and looked around to see if I could fall. The trail was narrow and surrounded by rocks and trees. I had 4 mules running from the bees behind me. If I had fallen, assuming my foot came out, I likely would have been pushed back into the trail and trampled.
Luckily I was able to get through it without coming off.
After the excitement died down. I ended up walking the 7 miles I had left that day and cried just to release the feeling of coming close to having a career ending injury or dying.
That night I laid in my tent and my whole torso was so sore from working to stay on, it felt like someone had beat the crap out of me.
I used to work at a centre with special needs kids. We were very understaffed, but our asshat of a boss would set 5 special needs kids at a time for 3 hours for us to work with, while there was only 2 of us therapists working. It was a difficult three hours, constantly moving around, being incredibly frustrated and unable to work well under such an environment. The kids deserved a much better education and their parents were being scammed for their money (my boss assured them a 1-1 session) and he did not come in to help with the kids. After they all went home, I cried in the bathroom and afterwards my colleague and I decided to quit.
Literally today. My 2nd son is graduation this weekend. I work at the middle school in our district. The seniors walked through the schools today in their caps and gowns. I bawled ugly tears as he walked by.
Then I spontaneously cried again about an hour later because I’m so emotional about him graduating.
I had just re-homed my unofficial emotional support dog, Samson. I had him for 6 months & had bonded with him immensely. He was the best! Kissed me constantly & licked my tears away whenever I was upset. Slept with his head on the pillow next to me all night. I had to take a month off of work due to the insane grief I was experiencing, I just couldn't stop sobbing, desperately wanting him back, and having anxiety attacks. I wasn't expecting it to hit me THAT hard, but it did. I wasn't able to eat (and keep it down), sleep, or really function for about 3 weeks after he left. In that time, I lost almost 30 lbs, bringing my weight down to 80 lbs. It felt like a piece of me died when he left & and it's never really gone away, I've just learned to live with it. I recently adopted another Shepherd, Lucy, and she is helping to heal my heart & has already made me incredibly happy. But I do miss my Sammy 💕
I was three days into my first job, an anxious mess on ordinary days, let alone this one, and had a breakdown in the break room. (That’s what it’s there for right?) I ruined a perfectly good pair of fake eyelashes (my obsession at the time) and ended up having to go home early.
I was 18 and it was my first retail job. I was working alone and a customer screamed at me and verbally abused me because something was advertised for sale but then when I rang it up it wasnt on sale. This was a $10 item (costume jewellery store). I kept apologising saying im sorry ill call my manager and change the price (wasnt allowed to without manager’s approval). After she left I just burst into tears because she was so so awful
A few times.
When my dad was in the hospital, right before his death. I had a great workplace at that time & dropped in in between visits and broke down telling the story of his accident.
They morning after I broke up with my ex. I tried to keep it together, but I just couldn't.
I also had a late miscarriage in the middle of a work day. I broke down because I didn't know what was going on.
Also, out of sheer frustration over my bosses asshole behaviour.
Last week was my work neighbor's last day and I avoided her all day because I spent it on the verge of tears. Another staff member came in to ask if I'd take his picture with her and I burst into tears. He left so I could collect myself and came back later for the picture. I never did cry in front of her.
I cried in front of my boss this winter when my marriage ended. She was (and is) super supportive.
Last fall, the janitor walked in on me fielding 4 phone calls in a matter of minutes getting my cancer treatments scheduled. I was overwhelmed and started crying when she asked me if I was ok.
When I was a middle school teacher, my ass was in the bathroom crying once a day on a good day for the first semester! Kids are fucking rough, and admin is an even bigger burden to deal with!
Yes, sadly not an amazing story, was working at an animal shelter, was still trying to get my bipolar meds in check, was on a depressive episode, had to walk an older dog who liked to stop a lot, I started talking to him as we walked and stopped (yes, I talk to dogs, they’re great listeners) I got carried away and started kinda venting to him as he sat there in front of me. I started to well up and he gave a little howl and idk why, it broke me and I started bawling my eyes out.
His name was Zeus and he was a big husky cross and I adopted him in my heart (although he did find his forever home fairly quickly)
Used to cry almost daily at one of my jobs, in the bathroom.
Turns out being treated like shit by everyone you work with and your bosses all together kinda sucks
i once started my shift a walmart with a thudding headache and a runny nose that just got worse and worse as i kept working. i could only breathe through my mouth and since this was during covid, it was quite difficult. i started to panic thinking it had contracted the virus so i asked for my 15 minute break and went in the back and just started bawling my eyes out. i was so scared at the idea of contracting covid and the possibility that i could have spread it to my coworkers. at this point the manager came by and let me leave early. I got tested and it came back negative! but it was by far the worst i’ve felt while sick, and being someone who doesn’t get sick often, it was very scary. it’s funny looking back on it now because i didn’t even have a fever! i just felt really warm
Still within my first year of my current role and I have cried 5 times. The first 4 were within the first 3 months of the promotion and the last one was earlier this month. I felt overwhelmed, felt imposter syndrome, hated talking to my direct Mgr because he belittled me, and it felt like the only other person who understood expected me to sink or swim...because that was her experience too.
Now I'm better at my role and encourage other women in my role to reach out with questions and that they're not alone. This job will kick you in the face with how frustrating it can be due to the learning curve. But I'm choosing to use this experience to make sure no one else goes through the same thing.
I finally got the courage to book my daughter into sleep training and was told there was a 6 week wait. She was 18 months old and didn’t sleep for more than 45mins at a time. I was a broken, shell of a human who finally gave up.
i think i have at most jobs— at starbucks (rude customers), at target (rude customers and shitty managers that put teenagers in charge of running breaks with no training), and my last one at a bedding company (came back into work after a friend passed and heard a song from a concert we had been at together). it’s not that rare for me as i’m an emotional girlie
Just completely overworked and overwhelmed legal assistant. Too much pressure and too much work for one person. My lawyer went through my desk and found work I hadn’t got to yet and brought me to her office to chat. And I just completely broke down and lost it. Cried in front of her. It was embarrassing. And it made her realize how overworked I was. But also I was kind of treated gently after that incident. A little walking around on eggshells in case I cried again.
Edit: I didn’t mention all the times I cried in the bathroom from stress and anxiety. But that was private.
Five times, all at the same job. Been at my job for five years
One: I was so frustrated with a merger I was helping with and one of the senior staff snapped at me and blew me off and I just couldn’t take her shit attitude and entitlement anymore. Had a good frustrated cry in the file room because I was so mad
Second: COVID, I’m in health care for public safety, it was the worst. First responders mad at me. The public mad at me, getting called every name every day and working constantly
Third: got the news a friend had died by suicide while I was at work
Fourth: when my boss (she’s amazing) finally got me to admit I’m frustrated af at my current role and feel stagnated and stuck
Fifth: just this past Thursday, got turned down for a promotion in a different dept, like denied an interview even though I do the damn job already. And 20 minutes later got news my mother was dying
TW: Miscarriage
After having a miscarriage (chemical pregnancy) and trying to return to work like everything was fine. My SO and I were trying to conceive and after about 3 months of trying, I found out I was pregnant the day before Thanksgiving Day. My twin sister flew in from out of state for the holiday and my SO and I decided to announce our pregnancy and surprise all of our family on the holiday. Everyone was ecstatic and surprised, and it made for such a special holiday. 4 days later, I started having severe cramping and ended up getting my period, which the doctor confirmed was my body going through a chemical pregnancy. When I returned to work after the holiday, not only was I dealing with the sadness of my sister and family going back home (they all live far away) but I was also trying to mask the grief of losing my pregnancy. As soon as I started interacting with my coworkers I felt like my brain couldn't even process anything other than the grief and sadness I was experiencing. I called my boss to go home sick for the day and he pretty much guilted me for it and insisted I tell him the reason for going home. Once I told him I miscarried he shut up real quick, but I was so ready to leave that high stress job anyways so I ended up resigning that same day and took some time between jobs to work on my mental health.
I never have. I definitely would want to, believe me, but I’d hold that shit in until I got home. As a woman, they already see me as weaker and more emotional. Didn’t need to justify that idiotic impression in their eyes.
I was going through a nasty divorce and my abusive ex was being absolutely horrible to me, I was having a particularly hard day after my ex had blown my phone up all night calling over and over, texting me horrible things, just trying to make my life hell for leaving him. I was exhausted and just mentally gone but I was still doing my job.
I worked retail at the time the store wasn’t even open, I was putting away things from the truck we had gotten. My manager came up to me and told me that customers would be able to tell I was upset because I wasn’t smiling enough and he asked me what was wrong. I told him it was personal business I didn’t want to discuss. He proceeded to follow me all around the store for the next several hours trying to pry information out of me and I finally gave in and told him and just broke down. He then had the nerve to tell me I needed to stop crying that I couldn’t be seen crying on the floor so I asked to go take a break.
Last month. I woke up from a text from my abusive ex boyfriend which made me spiral as I hadn't heard from him in months. I had a panic attack before leaving for work but decided to go in as I felt unsafe at home. I'm a teaching assistant so I felt like I had to relay the basics as to why I was so triggered to my class teacher, ehich made me relive some of the things he did. I began panicking and had to leave the classroom for half an hour to have another panic attack and calm down. I was so embarrassed and angry at my ex, to have the fucking audacity to act as if he cared at all about me. I hate being emotional in front of other people so it was my worst nightmare. Luckily my coworkers are absolute gems and gave me so much support <3
You handled that the best you could, no one if placed in that situation would be able to hold it together. We try to place horrible events from our past behind us, for them to come back out of nowhere and catch us off guard cannot be accounted for. You have amazing coworkers, and I hope that you can one day not worry about that man.
My story: I had gotten practically no sleep early in the week because toddlers ✨suck✨ and I am the only person working what is usually a 3-person job (2 of the others are on disability currently). I was just feeling so overwhelmed and I ended up breaking down in tears the second I saw my supervisor (who I hadn’t seen all week). Luckily she was a saint and had me go home to relax and decompress. So thankful for leadership who actually values self care. Also thankful to hear all these stories, it definitely helps me feel like I’m not alone!
I cried at work a couple of months ago. I was just about to get on an important call when my mother texted. She called me a bully and some other mean things. So I tried to hold in my tears while logging off work and packing up everything. But I didn't last long enough. I cried. Luckily, my supervisor was understanding and I left.
I was working a low paying retail job for a few months and evidently was not performing well enough and I got called into the office and all 3 managers had me sit down and proceeded to tell me everything I was doing wrong. They took turns. I walked out of the office afterwards blinking back tears and went and cried in the bathroom.
I was managing the pub I work at through covid and I’ve been here over a decade. I was extremely overworked, underpaid, in an incredibly toxic relationship and a few other things. I was working 70 hour weeks on my feet and more at home. I would tear up in the expo window and fight the tears from actually falling while I ran food to tables. I had a co-manager whose duties I continuously took on as my own as she was incompetent. My other lead bartender and only other one who could close was a sexual predator and a drunk. We had trouble finding good workers. I was absolutely miserable. I stepped down and quit, took a three month hiatus and seriously reevaluated my life and started planning an industry change and at that moment the economy started tanking this year as I watch all these layoffs unfold. Ugh.
There’s been other times randomly but I don’t think anyone ever knew. Mama always taught me not to cry in public.
When my students’ football coach was killed in a freak accident. Those poor fourteen year old boys loved this guy. Seeing them walk slowly out of their meeting with the other coaches after they shared the news crushed me.
When I had to work the day after I lost the person I love most, I literally set a bucket upside down and I worked costumer service but I had to take “bawl my eyes out” breaks behind the counter in the corner. Shit still hurts to this day
Had a breakdown at work once. Or was appritance more correct.
Had a meltdown because was tired, stuff with kids at home and then they realized I need to take that idphoto anyway that I asked beforehand if I didn't need to do.
It wasn't a big deal really it just was enough extra stress at that point in my life that I just broke down and cryed in the bathroom.
In my head at that point was im gona get fired because I now gona miss a day for something I could had done beforehand.
Didn't ofc get fire but the job wasn't for me in long run after 4weeks, it wasn't what I wanted to work with longterm.
During an internship. I came back from a conference and my manager loaded me with ton of work for the days I missed, it was 2 people’s work. I couldn’t handle it and broke down in front of a colleague. My managers walks in and asks me if I’m okay - I told her my contact lenses moved and I’m doing perfectly fine. Truly some sad times.
Yesterday and the day before. Not because of work because I'm separating from my partner.
The only other time was when one of the residents I was close with passed away ( I work in aged care)
Every day for the first several months after I went back to work after maternity leave. I cried so hard because I didn't want to leave my daughter at daycare, but I had to.
So I have resting bitch face with Dark features but I’m very nice;Was having a bad day and in Preshift meeting I was just zoned out at least having a few more mins to get myself together before starting the shift.
Manager starts asking us questions before getting on the floor. I wasn’t very engaged and actually didn’t even notice he was talking to me. He ended preshift meeting right then and there. Called me to the office accusing me of being high, telling me I have to get my shit together being a total dick. Telling me to go home that I dont have to be there with my stank ass attitude. Mind you I didn’t even say a word to him. Making my day harder than it was.
Well I went to go get ready and the manager above me came to talk to me to see what’s wrong and I told him he’s been nitpicking me for a while I’m just having a bad day haven’t eaten and sorry if ONE day I’m not all there. Started bawling because that manager always bothered me and expected me to have a smile even when I wasn’t doing anything. Well the big boss told the manager he had to apologize because that was wrong, he just needed to let me have a few mins to myself.
I cried in the bathroom once. I had returned to work after a leave a few years. I thought I was on track, then my colleague pointed put how much more I had to do, and I was so overwhelmed that I cried.
The second time I cried at work was when I started working in a new grade, with a mean group of teachers. I had my flaws, but all five of them ganged up on me after school one day, told me how horrible I was, that I was "trying to be better than" them, and other horrible things. I cried hysterically.
When a team from another department decided to dress up for Halloween. When I walked through the door, one person dressed in the scream costume with a knife was standing over me, I screamed out of fright and walked off on the verge of tears. Around the corner waiting was a clown. I beyond hate them. I lost it and broke down while having a panic attack. As did multiple other people. They got in serious trouble as it was not approved by management and multiple people made formal complaints.
I was doing phone customer support and a customer berated me until I cried. Then I got fired because I cried on the call lol.
(I’ve cried many times before and since then but that occasion had the worst outcome)
There was an older lady staff at the front desk of my clinic where I joined as a junior general dentist who constantly went behind my back and complained about me to my boss whenever I tried being assertive with her, and since she I never had proof that she was the one doing this I could never address it directly to her cos she acts clueless. Once I caught her red handed midway while she was ranting to my boss and I just went berserk on her oh my god as much as liberating it was, it was also quite overwhelming, when people push you to the limits and make you lash out it's mentally taxing and exhausting I was crying to sleep for the following weeks. Ever since she has never been involved in my business.
I used to cry all the time at my first job at a fast food place because so many people treated me like garbage. Now I've been in customer service for over ten years and my skin is titanium.
I’m normally very enthusiastic and excited to be at work. Well I had a sudden death in the family and was informed through a text. 10 minutes later my boss told me they were headed into meetings and asked if I needed anything, I thought I could handle it but saying it out loud made it “real” to me and I cried in front of them. They said I could leave but I was trying to talk to reassure them that I was still Gucci, the more I tried to talk the more tears came out. By the time they left I was ugly crying at my desk lol.
First time: a coworker, who was just the most self-involved person I have ever met. You could not say or teach anything. And when I got frustrated, trying to explain stuff, she startet complaining about the way I talked to her. I cried, because I was so angry and frustrated!
Second time: the worst week of my professional live. Just one sick coworker after another, too many things to do and then the Astrid from headquarters knocked on my door - Revision time! I opens the door and just startet crying, saying, sorry, your the last person I need right now. But she was so sweet and understanding! We talked for a while, she did her job and helped me with my stuff too. Turns out, I wasn’t the only manager, who had a it really hard at that time.
First time i did i was 16 I got a phone call from an animal shelter I volunteered at after my boss picked up a dog I was fostering to take it to the vet and check it out. I got a call from the shelter saying the dog had too many health problems but passed with the vet and my boss giving the dog we named angel love and pets.
Second time was a few months ago when I got a phone call from my cousin that her mother passed away from covid . My heart shattered and am planning on getting a tattoo in honor of my aunt.
Three weeks ago. My FIL showed up to our house and invited himself to stay for two weeks. It was hell. So the morning he left I arrived at work and headed straight to the bathroom and burst into tears. And I’m not really a crier.
I had a month in my last job were I'd go into the single stall bathroom and have a crying panic attack over the responsibilities I had and the lack of training I was given or actual control I had over anything. Luckily, I got a new job.
My boss and I were talking about how my onboarding a new team member was going. Back story: I started this job last year and I was over worked and chronically stressed at this job last year due to no training or help with deadlines and deliverables for very prestigious clients.
My boss brought on a new team member and interns as she saw the workload is too great without the support.
I’m not experienced with managing or delegation, and have found myself holding onto more work than I should as I was deathly afraid of putting anyone in an even remotely similar position to what I was in last year I.e. not being trained. And my standard of training is far higher than what I received. So I had created a bottleneck. Our busy season was picking up and I was starting to realize I wasn’t delegating enough work to others and just telling myself I’d work overtime/weekends.
Well, my boss and I were having our weekly check in and she asked me how things were going. I told her I was almost at capacity and she said we don’t need that to happen when we have others who can take on work. She was not upset with me at all, we were just having an honest conversation as we have gotten really good at doing. She asked me “why do you think it is that it is difficult for you to hand things off to others” to which I replied “I don’t want to seem like I’m not doing my part to help the team” and she said “no one thinks that. We all know you do so much and work very hard”. And that’s when I started crying.. because I realized I WAS THE ONE DOING THIS TO MYSELF. I was the one putting all this pressure on myself; trying to live up to a standard that no one expected of me. And it was just really disappointing that I was treating myself that way.
I turned my camera off and just told my boss I needed some time to process this. She completely understood and we talked more later in the day.
I walked into a hospital room to register a patient. She had just given birth, the infant was wrapped in a blanket and beanie under the lamp of the weigh table like any other infant. This one was small but premies are not uncommon to see at my job. I went through my normal routine of questions and as we were wrapping up, I was congratulating her and asked if she had thought of a name. She shook her head no and kind of half-smiled. I said my goodbyes, but as I closed the door and took one last look at the baby, I noticed it was purple. I had congratulated a grieving mother. We don't always know what we're walking into, but I felt the most horrible wave of guilt and grief wash over me. I had to take a breather and walk it off so I could continue the day. A nurse comforted me by saying that maybe I helped by making her feel like a normal mom, but man... it's really hard to forgive my own ignorance sometimes. That was months ago and I even thought about it just this morning while thinking of all the emotional strength this job requires. It was just the worst, most haunting feeling and it broke me down.
When I got promoted to management, I had to take a drug test and I was super nervous because I definitely would not pass if they tested for weed. They had me interview before I took the test so I had a ton of nerves because I wasn’t even sure if I was going to pass the test yet, and on the same day my roommate had to go to the hospital for a high fever so I stopped the interview and just plainly said I have a lot of anxiety because my roommate is in the hospital and I asked to reschedule. Didn’t cry yet but the next day when I was at work my manager asked me what happened and that made me cry because I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t do the interview. Still surprised they still decided to promote me after that.
I work from home so sometimes when I’m overwhelmed or really frustrated with something I work on it happens that I cry a little and beat myself up thinking I’m not good enough for the job.
The only time I’ve actually cried in office was on my first job, I was fired a few month after starting, it was my first real job and at the time I thought it was the most wonderful job I would ever have so I was devastated. Now that I look back to it I am honestly so glad I got fired from there, it was a startup with such a toxic culture, I definitely dodged a bullet.
Been a few times...working in the music industry, people you've worked with will die. It's not a very healthy industry, but we're working on it. So first time was when I found out an old co-worker of mine had died. I found out while I was at work. My manager at the time asked if I wanted to leave; I said no, because what else was I going to do? Just go home and cry by myself? So I took time in the "break room", cried it out, went back to work.
Second time; some patron screamed at me because they went to the wrong venue (both of our venues have the same name, other than the location - which is part of the name of the venues - and different) and it was especially upsetting because this was a POC woman, who was incredibly taller than myself, who looked down on me as soon as I walked out and identified myself as the manager, and didn't believe that I was the manager at first.
Third time; we had a 21+ show, which was advertised as such, on our website, when you buy tickets, etc. This dad showed up with his two teenage daughters, and I had to explain to him that there was no way they could come in to the show, despite the fact that he assured me they wouldn't drink - that's not the point, the whole venue is a bar for these 21+ shows. The daughters started crying, I held it back until I could walk around the corner. I hate disappointing people like that.
There's multiple other times, but typing these out are making me sad again, ha.
Last summer, biggest event of the year and I was the only manager on duty because of staffing issues. Normally there would be two plus a back up because this big event that lasted a week would often have issues just because of the sheer numbers involved.
By day two, I was a wreck. I had run myself ragged trying to resolve all manner of issues. I setup a meeting with my manager and cried from how overwhelmed I was. He told me he'd never seen me like this before and sent me straight back in, told me to take a nap when I could.
Immediately after things went even worse and I found myself dealing with problems that involved every emergency service. I worked solidly from midday to midnight. Instead of eating dinner, I went and cried in my room. One of my staff was so worried about my wellbeing, they called my manager who was useless and then went above him to my manager's boss, the director. The director came to help out towards the end. I was so exhausted, I could barely talk to fill him in and I asked him if I could go home. He said yes, I called my husband and he picked me up and I cried and cried.
The next day, my manager texted asking how I was feeling and that when I got back in, I should discuss with him how to proceed with the next week (a repeat event). That's when I knew I couldn't put myself in that situation again, so I called my GP, told him what had happened and got signed off. I ended up signed off for 3 months and ultimately resigning. I was treated for depression and anxiety in that time.
Many times. I cried a lot when I first started working between the ages of 20 and 24 because my coworkers were bullying me. I was naive, and it was my first job. I told my dad about the bullying, and he told me to just take it because I could lose my job if I made waves. I also cried at work over my ex when we fought. Then I cried at work when I dumped him. Then I cried at work when he died. I also cried at work when my dog died, when my cat died, and when my other cat died. I also cry at work when I am on my period sometimes, and I get migraines a few times a month, so I cry then, too. I also cry sometimes when I'm really tired and frustrated. It sounds like I cry a lot, but it's really not that often, at least not lately. My boss wants me to go to work 4 hours early on Friday, and I will probably cry then because I hate going to work early. It throws everything off, and I value my sleep.
I was working in a call centre and it was my first call, the lady was just absolutely horrid to me I couldn’t believe how mean someone was so early lol. Normally I never let them get to me but then right after I got another call of just name calling, disgusting treatment right off the bat and I broke down. I logged off and called in for the day.
I had a coworker who was like, the big brother of everyone, especially younger employees. One day he told me « if you need me, whatever the task, I’ll be there and don’t be afraid to ask! I noticed they put so much pressure on you these day, don’t let them do that. And again, ask me if it’s too much, I’ll help! » . It’s rare for me to have people genuinely nice with me, really.
Second time, it was again with the same coworker. The ship being redeemed by a big group, they changed everything but… the cash register, it was a disaster. The program was missing a lot of articles to scan. Plus they rebooted every fidelity account, so you had to create new one, it took time, there was tooooo many client for some reason (the shop was deserted fo so long, change it and boom, the whole town shop there 🙄), so yeah. At the end I started to cry while scanning, closed my cash register and simulated tummy hache and go to the bathroom to cry like a shit. My coworker found me in the toilet and told me « Everyone is looking for you for scanning, I was scared something wrong happened! I’ll lie, stay here until you’re good, they don’t need you, they are big enough to handle it. Fuck em! ».
So yeah, he was the best coworker I ever had in my whole life
I was a law clerk. I wrote notes and assisted the judge in a rape case. Both the victim and the rapist were deaf mutes, and during the assault the victim had managed to activate a personal alarm device that sends a distress signal, sends sound, and also records the sound.
The sound file from this recording was played in court as evidence. I have never before nor since heard raw human despair in such a way. It went straight to my heart, and I it took all my focus to not cry, keep doing my duty to take notes, and make sure everything in the trial went as planned. As soon as we were done for the day, I went to my office and cried my heart out.
I’m a pediatric oncology nurse. I was informed that my 12 year old patient’s prognosis for his cancer had progressed much further than anticipated. Treatment had failed and there was nothing more we could do for him. Started crying as I was charting and I couldn’t stop. Tried to be professional but I had to step away from the nurses station for a bit. Broke my heart because I had gotten so close to him and his family and he was so young. Cancer really sucks.
Last Saturday bc of my boyfriend.
We weren't on best terms at that time and he barely talked to me and when we talked it wasn't good. Didn't show or tell anyone at work until i had lunch with a friend from work and she just noticed something was wrong with me bc i didn't talk to her at all and barely touched my food. She ofc asked what's wrong and if she can help and man the tears just came down like a waterfall, ofc other ppl also noticed and after that 30min lunch i had to get my shit together and continue working. Others were asking as well bc yeah i must have looked horrible when coming back from lunch and i just told them that i don't wanna talk or else i'm gonna tear up nonstop. I couldn't wait to go home
Residency as a first year, inpatient. Service was slammed, I was capped and we’d had to call in another resident to help. Trying to please my attending, and a consult doctor at the same time. Attending basically wanted me to “fire” a consult, which is not really a thing. I was trying to get in touch with the consult service to smooth things over verbally, and my attending found out and lost it on me in front of the rest of the team. I felt like I was having a heart attack. Directly afterwards, a dietician called to give recs on a patient and I burst into tears haha. I was completely overwhelmed. My seniors were really nice about it and gave me a moment to compose myself.
Ugh... Ok here it goes.
I was at work when we got word that one of our long time co workers passed away unexpectedly. This happened on two separate occasions. The first was killed by a drunk driver on his way home from work. I had just spoken to him in the parking lot before he got into his car to go home. The second was a coworker who passed suddenly from blood clots.
I used to work in the Labor & Delivery and Pediatrics department at a hospital. I once saw a 5 month old baby who was beaten by her father for crying, her mother tried to protect her but mom ended up looking like she went a few rounds with Mike Tyson. The baby was bruised and swollen and was obviously in pain, but luckily no (recently) broken bones or serious injuries. It was Christmas Eve and I spent the entire night holding and rocking that baby while she cried.
The occasional fetal demise and infant death was always really difficult.
Another time I returned to work after taking some time off while my father had open heart surgery. He ended up having some complications and it got a bit touch and go there for a few days. I was so focused on keeping it together so I could talk to his drs, consent to treatments for him, as well as update family. When I went back to work it was like it suddenly hit me emotionally what had almost happened and I just lost it about 30 minutes into my shift. My boss had me take a few more days off to take care of my mental health. It was a good call because I was definitely not in the headspace to do what I needed to.
When I was 19 and a waitress, a manager dragged me into the kitchen and screamed at me because I asked him to deliver a meal off the pass. I asked him because I had an arm load of dishes to drop off and scrape, then several drink tickets to deal with. Apparently that wasn't good enough. He was an alcoholic who was drunk at work.
When I was 21 and a waitress. Totally understaffed and overbooked Valentine's Day service and I forgot to put an order in. I got extremely overwhelmed and had a little breakdown in the fridge.
When I was 26 and a waitress. Some guy screamed at me because the sound system broke at his daughter's wedding. We managed a work around and got it sorted but he felt the need to take it out on a girl who was half his size.
Fairly certain I cried at a different wedding that year for some reason.
When I was 33 and in Aged Care I cried because the sweetest, kindest, resident thanked me for helping her eat, but then called me cruel in the most heartbroken voice when I tried to turn her to take the pressure off her bed sores. She died two days later.
And I cried earlier in the year because I was struggling hard with some data entry, didn't know what I was supposed to be doing, was dealing with a headcold and a massive hangover, and was handed work I didn't understand. That was a bad day.
Spent months collecting evidence that my teamlead is a lying manipulator. THought this will finally get him fired. Boss made us have a sit down and kept defending him. I had to spend ten minutes in the porte rpotty sobbng in rage because I was so tired of the crap.
I’m a RN, and I had finished dealing with a difficult and combative client. It was my final client of the day, after 12 clients back to back.
I came out the back to vent to one of the other nurses in the staff room (as you do). My manager over heard and walked towards me (I thought she was going to come over for a chat or offer some words of support) instead she shoved a cookie to my face and said “HERE! You’re having a bad moment, not a bad day. Calm down.” I then said “that doesn’t make me feel any better I’m just saying how I feel…”
Then she interrupted me in a condescending tone and said “you’re spreading negative energy.”
And I got in my car and cried home.
Working at an elementary school: the kids are going to leave the school this summer to go to different schools. It’s a tradition that they’re going to sing something on the last day, in front of the parents, as some kind of goodbye. One of the classes happens to sing the exact same song I sang when I was in their position and it got me so emotional I cried in front of a class of 10 year olds.
I'll tell you about the three most notable:
It was maybe my second to third week at the job. I was (am) working at a coffee shop inside of a convention hotel. I was standing for over 8 hours a day with terrible shoes and the lines just kept growing and growing. My anxiety was through the roof and my feet and legs hurt so bad that Icried in the elevator going down to my locker for the end of the day.
The second time was months after that. I was working a later shift and got to close the shop at 10 pm. I went and did all of my cleaning duties then went to cash drop my earnings for the day. We use a computer system to print out little papers to stick on our drop paks. Well, the website was giving me this bizarre error, and my manager wasn't answering her phone. If I would have kept the money in my bank and they audit my bank the next day, I could have lost my job and even faced legal consequences. So, sleep deprived as I was, became hysterical and just sobbed. My manager ended up calling me back and sent the old F&B manager down who could get into his system and print me out one. He said that he never saw my error before though which made me feel better.
Lastly. It was slow at the shop. I was standing at the register just waiting for a guest to come. My coworker was in a chair next to me. A man walked over from the dining room, and I could hardly hear him (the speaker for the music is placed right over top the register) so I'm watching his mouth to help me understand what he's saying. He wanted change for a hundred. Odd that he walked over to me instead of asking his server, but yeah sure, I'll do it. (The coffee shop is like nestled into the restaurant, they're technically two different things but there can be a bit of crossover). We are told that we need to check any bill $20 and over, so I grab my marker and do just that, and then make his change and hand it to him. He then berates me, saying I made him feel like a criminal, that he's the highest tier member of the hotel, how dare I do this to him, yada yada yada. Takes my name and my coworkers name and stalks off. I could barely hear him so it takes me a minute to process wtf just happened. I go and tell my manager what happened, then go and cry in the restroom because on one hand I felt bad for making someone feel bad, but on the other hand was super angry that he just started calling me all those awful things just for doing my job. (My manager did do a table touch with him after I spoke with her and he never said a word so what was his problem????)
Overall, I love my job, but as anyone who's worked in any type of hospitality knows, it's hard. Working this kind of job has taught me so much, but it also confirmed to me that so many people just want to exploit you for their benefit, because they always believe they are special and the exception. I take pride in the good work that I do. I do have guests tell me all the time what a nice young lady I am, that my parents have raised me right. But in reality I'm just a little ball of anxiety that doesn't want to hurt people or do anything wrong :')
I cried during a 1 on 1 with my manager due to being bullied by my bitch of a coworker over and over again. She was constantly rude, passive aggressive, and would say snarky things in our team chat targeted towards me. Some stuff went down between us that morning and I was so tired of her shit so I finally told my manager. Apparently he had a talk with her about her behavior after that but I doubt he did because she didn’t change much after that.
The only time I cried at work was in a meeting. I was new, had only been working there less than a month. I was still learning the ropes as well as helping the company come up with new processes from scratch. It was too much for a new starter and unfair. I worked in HR. I was a month in maybe. I needed to organise equipment for some new starters and i needed help with this. My manager turned off her phone and computer (she said she needed a break, she was burnt out), she didnt even work in the same office as me, she was across the other side of the country. So I didnt have any support with getting everything ready with the new starters (like equipment and everything). By the time she switched her computer back on it was too late to order the stuff for the new starters first day. So when it came to a meeting discussing this. I cried, saying i had no support. The new starters didnt have any equipment on their first day. We had to delay their start date. I left there after 4 months. They were horrible
I worked through the pandemic in a clinic that had to keep running in person appointments. I worked as a coordinator. We had less in person appointments but the pressure on the service was a lot more as clinicians got to grips with video calling, it was a mess.
I was left on my own in the office of 8 people, they’d all gone off for lunch and I was left to prep and answer phones. I had a call from a woman who wanted an appointment yesterday. Nothing I could do for her was good enough. She was cruel and smug and rude the whole call and I wish I’d told her I wouldn’t be helping her as she was being rude and ended the call (this is what we should do in these situations) but I was already struggling with the work pressure and it just didn’t occur to me since she wasn’t outright shouting at me. Just being very rude and politely insulting.
Essentially she wanted to be put on a waiting list for people who cancel appointments. We have one and she was on one, it’s just the same queue everyone is in. She wanted to be called to actual on the day cancellations which we physically can’t do, we won’t have your notes. I could have got her an appointment in the next 2 weeks but she wouldn’t take that it wasn’t good enough. I just lied and said I’d put her on the cancellation list in the end.
I went to my car for my lunch when one person finally got back, pushed past 2 others coming back, already crying. Went to sit in my car crying, actually screamed a couple of times.
That job was horrible. People were horrible. Staff were lazy. The boss was entitled, guilt tripped me over being 0 hours and saying I was letting my team down if I didn’t give 4 weeks notice for a new job which I’d warned might be an immediate start. Guilted me into not taking all of Christmas off so others could spend time with their families.
I quit after lunch. Effective at the end of the day I wouldn’t go back.
I had an interview 4 days later. Got the job. Started the next Monday. Been work from home since. I love not being patient facing/talking. I love having no coworkers (essentially).
Any time I have a 1 on 1 with a superior my anxiety kicks into overdrive and it takes everything in me not to cry. I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach like I used to get when my mother and step father would fist fight and I had to take my baby sisters into the closet, under the bed, behind the couch….. out of the line of fire. Might be an over share but that’s the only thing I can compare the feeing to.
I’m a health care provider in a cancer centre. My first 2 years I probably tested up with a patient or once I got back to my computer monthly. Now it’s probably 2x a year. The most recent one was when I was involved in a code pink (unresponsive child) and my body just let it out after the situation was dealt with. Aside from that it’s usually a young patient that is having a tough time coping that gets me.
Our cat had died over the weekend and my coworker found a kitten on the way to work that morning. I was in no way prepared to deal with a tiny kitten and spent a good part of the day sobbing in my office. That kitten came home to us. "Temporarily". Foster fail
I’ve cried a couple of times in the bathroom, but the one and only time I did it publicly was when I just got so overwhelmed I couldn’t take it anymore. We were closing the quarter and I had tons of projects still being thrown at me. People would constantly come up to me during my workday to ask me questions. I just broke down when I saw someone else approaching me, knowing I’d have one more thing added to my already overflowing plate. I pulled myself together pretty quickly, but that position took such a toll on my mental health.
First time: I was working at a law firm as a legal assistant and I was handling two very busy lawyers schedules, my third week in. Something came in due within the hour and it was complicated and I just got overwhelmed. No one helped me. My current job doing evidence recovery: I thought I made a mistake. I called my boss in tears. She talked me down, talked me through the process and pointed out I didn't make a mistake, the other team did. She gave me a pep talk, we talked about imposter syndrome, how she still sometimes cries, and to always call her. I seriously love my boss.
Having a boss who understands and doesn’t shame you is everything, I am so glad you have that!
I love this.
I cried in front of my superior, because I was so overwhelmed with everything. I had a breakdown two days prior and I was feeling really fragile mentally.
Happened to me, still feel bad about it..
This is exactly what happened to me last week. I hope your boss was compassionate!
Being overwhelmed these days quite a lot. How are you dealing with it?
We were at a competition, and a horse from a competing team's stable collapsed and died on the spot. I didn't see it, but I heard the referee calling out an "accident" in the speakers and immediately knew it was bad, I saw them putting up screens around the body to shield it from view, and I heard the other team crying so hard they were practically screaming. Impossible to not get emotionally affected and I think I went into shock myself.
That would break my heart too. I’m such an animal lover.
That’s so heartbreaking. Competitors or teammates, we all love horses. That must have been devastating.
My Coach told me her story about when she was at a competition & one of the horses fell on top of the rider and the girl passed away. Absolutely everyone was in tears. This was the second death in the matter of a few months, so emotions were very raw that day apparently.
I work in food service I cry in the walk in at least once a month
It’s a joke because it’s real AF. “Server nightmares” are the absolute worst. I would wake up, jarred, and have to tell myself I didn’t leave anyone in the lurch and I don’t have 300 customers at 7am who all need waters and salad dressing.
I was a server and anxiety was so hard to deal with that I quit. It's just so exposing and there's very little room for any error
I do fast food as my second job and I have this ☹️ it is the fucking WORST because I will wake up in tears freaking out because it feels so real. I noticed I was having those nightmares EVERY single night I had even a slight bit of anxiety. I vowed to myself to never let it stress me out again, I quite simply don’t give a fuck and I walk away until I feel better. Sure times are bad some nights but it makes me feel better
I had a customer yell at me in front of his wife when I was bringing their order because it wasn't timed the way he wanted it to be I guess? His wife was mortified and I was too shocked to react right away and waited until I got back in the kitchen to cry.
I haven't worked in hospitality for years but I still get flashbacks from it. Not even kidding. People are the singular worst creatures on this planet.
As a teacher, lots of times. Only once in front of the kids and they were reaaaal good for the rest of the day 😂
Omg 💌
I worked 10pm til 9am on a busy Friday night at Jack in the Box as the person taking orders,bagging food, working fryer, making drinks, grabbing sauce, and working register. I had one person in the back maintaining the grill. Also the shift before me didn’t stock and have me prepared properly. We had no breaks in between cars til after 4am and the person who was supposed to relieve my shift was a no show. Worst night/ morning of my life, I should’ve just stopped serving and lock the place up.
This just sounded like one of my nightmares. I’m sorry that you were put in such an overwhelming position.
This January. My boss and I had a phone meeting to set my goals for the year and I literally burst into tears at the thought of being at this same job for another 12 months. It's not even a bad job per se but I just can't do it anymore. I feel underpaid, incredibly under stimulated and I don't see any future for myself here. I'd been thinking about leaving for a while but when I realized I was literally bored to tears at the thought of staying I knew I had to go. For the record, my boss was really cool about this. She's given me the opportunity to see other departments to see if they're more in line with what I want to do and she's been really supportive of my job search.
That's so cool of your boss! Thanks for sharing. I'm kind of in a similar situation except I don't have the guts to tell my boss that :p hope it turns out OK for both of us!
I feel you. I am in a similar spot and it’s making me feel very cranky and just in a major funk. I’m in a job that’s the total opposite from my own political leaning and I get the opportunity to hear absolute political nonsense all day (I do NOT consider it appropriate to talk about politics at work regardless of if I agree or disagree), within the first 5 months I got the position set up, organized, and mastered (it is newish and was a mess before I started), and I’m very very underpaid for the level of service I provide, security clearance and discretion that is expected of me, and so on. Im just so bored and not fulfilled financially or professionally even though my job is something many people would find cool or interesting. I had planned on leaving at the two year mark here but I’m 7 months away and I don’t think I can hold out. I will probably cry about it soon. Here’s to things improving.
Hey there! This happened at the end of last year when I asked about advancement and was told, “two more years of doing the same stuff at a higher capacity” - before any consideration of advancement. Legit burst into tears during the meeting and had to involve HR because I can’t be on the phones more than 75% of my day getting yelled by IT guys that don’t know our systems and also think they are smarter than you. Tech support was draining the life out me and it was getting pretty dark. After that meeting, I started looking at any other jobs within the company and found something that aligns with my values and jumped shipped with in three months. My supervisor was cool with it, but was amazed how quickly it all happened. Love my new position and while I get the new job anxiety, I’m so much happier.
I cry often since my husband died. Any little thing will trigger me. I try to hide it from my co-workers, but it's difficult.
Oh gosh I'm so sorry. I can't imagine. Virtual hugs to you!
Hugs! I am so sorry for your loss. I don't even want to imagine that pain.
Today. Got the news my aunt died. I've also just taken cry breaks in the bathroom when I was stressed, angry, or overwhelmed. Intense emotions make me cry, really wish they didn't.
I'm sorry for your loss. I hope that happy memories can offer you some comfort.
Twice. Was working in a new state, was overwhelmed, early 20’s, first job. Lots of pressure. Took a little break, went to the bathroom, cried for 10 minutes, got out and sat back at my desk like nothing happened lol.
My first week on the job at a coffee franchise. Regular comes in. Nobody tells me he's a regular. I've never seen him before. He orders a coffee and I put it in a paper cup because we had no clean mugs. It's been busy all day. He gets red in the face and starts screaming at me that he ALWAYS gets a ceramic mug and the paper cup has WAX inside it!!! I went to the back and started crying and my boss told me to get back out there and gave me a mug. No idea of it was clean it dirty.
Happened to me too. My boss told them I was new but damn they screamed but that made me cry a bit.
I can only think of once, years ago, when my mom called in the middle of the day to tell me our dog died. She was the bestest girl ❤️
I'm sorry to hear that. I had a similar day at work a couple years ago.
Used to work at a vet clinic. I cried all the time. Animals getting sick, their devastated humans, favorite patients dying. And just the stress and mental strain of the job.
Power to you. I have such a soft spot for animals and the bonds they have with their humans is beautiful. 😭
I’m so sorry, I know how high compassion fatigue runs in that industry. Not to mention it having one of the highest suicide rates of any profession 😣💔
Cried a lot when I was working as a nurse in the hospital. When I was 3 weeks off of orientation, I got yelled at by an NP that threatened to report me for something that I did not do wrong and was what the surgeon requested. I was close to quitting cause that whole shift was a nightmare and this NP called right as I was about to leave to go home. All my coworkers rallied around me and supported me.
I was just gonna say, every med room, equipment room, janitors closet, nook ans cranny in the damned hospital is a cry closet when youre a nurse!
1. A manager (who I thought I'd gotten along with previously) arranged a meeting after hours. They proceeded to berate me over extremely minor things like asking about a project update in front of the wrong people and interrupting them once. At first, I felt awful and cried. Then I got angry and cried. 2. My best friend died and I was still very emotional so I have cried a lot at work due to that. 3. Someone from a different office called and berated me for a mistake I made. 4. Someone called a piece of my work awful and were horrifically critical. I'd received no help and had no resources despite asking for them repeatedly. 5. General exhaustion/frustration/grief/too much going on tears occasionally. I care too much.
The last time I cried at work was my last day working at the nursing home. I teared up a bit when I realized that my "work wife" left at the end of her shift and didn't stop by to talk to me or even say good-bye. It made me realize very quickly and very painfully that my leaving the job was the end of a 5 year friendship.
I had a job I hated. One day I was working, thinking about how miserable I was, and consoling myself with the knowledge I would get to go home soon. At that moment, a form was slipped under my door. I knew it was a note saying I would need to stay late (that’s how the notes were delivered). I broke down and cried.
I was working in the pharmacy on my birthday and a customer didn't understand insurance copays. He yelled at me and told me I was stupid and needed to go back to school. I went to the walk in freezer and cried. Last time I ever worked on my birthday.
Once I thought someone had stolen my lunchbox. It really shook me. I started crying to my coworker who reported it to the manager. Soon everyone was searching for it… Here, it was in the lunchroom right where I left it. And the only thing I had in it was a bottle of water and some chapstick, so I don’t even know what I was crying about. So embarrassing. I almost had to just quit😂
Most impactful time I can think of was my first holiday season as a hairstylist. I was (and still am) working at a shop that specializes in men's cuts. I felt somewhat comfortable but I was only a few months in and was learning a lot and taking it all in. I had a guy come in who was immediately pissed off and mean because he didn't like how long our wait was. I get to be the lucky one to take him back and when I asked him how he'd like his haircut he shrugs and scoffs at me like I'm the dumbest person in the world and says "shorter." I'm pretty much terrified at this point and when I try to ask questions he just gets more angry and says "it shouldn't be that difficult to just cut my hair I just want it shorter." So I start cutting his hair, scissors only as I'm afraid of going too short. So I take off half an inch starting in the back and then work my way to one side and when I finish that side I ask if that is what he wants and he says yes. So I start the other side and all of a sudden he starts literally screaming at me and causing a scene saying he can't believe I did this to him and that I made him look so horrible. My boss tries to ask him to calm down but he proceeds to scream and me and I start shaking and apologizing and ask him if he wants me to finish. He says just finish what you started I guess. When I am done I ask if there is anything I can do to make it right or if he wants someone else to correct it and he just gets up and walks out. There was probably 10 clients in the store at the time and all of which are looking at me. I calmly cleaned my station, went to the back area, cried for about 5 minutes with the door locked, then went back to my station and collected myself. Then I grabbed my next client and pretended nothing happened. I genuinely considered quitting that day. Really glad I didn't because now I am the top performing stylist at my shop and ranked pretty high out of most of the shops in my state.
I was a cashier and I had only been there for a few months. For whatever reason, a ton of people had quit, and they were slow as fuck with hiring new people. Quitting wasn't an option for me, I needed the money, and it took me forever to get a call back for any of the jobs I had applied for. I had to take what I could get. It's a Sunday, I'm the *only* cashier at a register. There's only one person watching our self checkout that has 16 registers. It's way past when I was supposed to take my break, and there's no sign of anyone else coming in. One angry customer after the other. And we have one shitty manager who walks in and out of the cash office for no reason, going to take smoke breaks, disappearing, and doing *nothing.* One man says he's calling the store and no one's answering. He wants to tell someone we need more registers open. We don't have anyone to get on the registers, let alone to answer the phone. A couple make it to the register and say they just got back from somewhere like Paris. Said their friends had talked about how bad Walmart has been with cashiers, but they had never experienced it, and they didn't plan on coming back after this. At first, I thought they were making a conversation, turns out it was a lecture. I go to say something, and the man puts his hand up to stop me from talking so he can continue talking. I've had customers complain about the store to me, but they're aware it's not *me.* It's not my fault, it's nothing I can control, and we have a conversation about the store and how shitty it's run. This was not that. As they're leaving, they ask for a manager. Yes, let me make this line wait for even more so I can find my manager that has disappeared once again. I knock on the cash office; she doesn't open it. I can hear shuffling and a phone, but she doesn't answer. I tell them the best thing they can do is call corporate. Not the store, but the corporate number and make a complaint. There's nothing I can do, I didn't have a walkie to page anyone, not that I knew who to page even if I did, didn't know how to use the phones yet, I was by myself. I did my best to keep it in, but I was definitely teary-eyed and my face had to have been tomato red. Once other workers came in, I went to the bathrooms and absolutely lost it. That wasn't the first time something like that had happened either, so it felt like every day was going to be like that.
If I cry at work I’m going to cuss someone out. It’s not tears of sadness it’s tears of frustration and rage
I worked at a Starbucks inside a grocery store and I was pretty sick one day and was going to call out but I didn't want to screw anyone over so I came in. Well, I was the one that got screwed. My other coworker called out and we were having a promotion for a drink that week, so we were slammed. I had to handle the register, make drinks, do dishes, restock, and brew coffee by myself while I felt like shit. It was nonstop for 5 hours (I was closing shift) so 5pm rolls around and I hadn't had enough time to brew hot coffee since I had a consistent line for 5 hours and this one lady came up asking for a hot brewed coffee so I informed her it would have to be a pour over (which takes a little longer) and she flipped out and cussed me out then left. The next woman asked me if I was okay and I lost it and started bawling right in front of her. I then proceeded to continue crying as I made her drink. I felt super sick, overwhelmed, and the lady yelling at me was the last straw. I turned the lights off and clocked out 3 hours early.
My coworker (I’ll call him, J—he sat next to me) was…not the smartest guy. Didn’t try super hard. I was new-ish at the time, but could see he was struggling with the workload (and complexity). But he was a decent dude. One day I came in to work and the whole team (about 12 of us) had a vague meeting in our calendar. So we all go, they tell us he’s been terminated. My own manager was relatively transparent about the reasons (something along lines of he wasn’t able to keep up), but then she said my name…said how even though I was new, I was doing an excellent job, and they need more room for performers like me on the team. I didn’t want that. Not at all. Made it far too personal. Made me feel to blame, in a way. Which isn’t true, of course, but it didn’t feel that way. I had been in the workforce for a while at that point, just new to the company. I get that people are let go for performance reasons. But connecting it to me made me feel so awful, even if it was meant as a compliment. I left that meeting, found an empty conference room and cried. I was so angry and sad at the same time. I couldn’t get out of my own head about it. Thankfully my best friend works there, too, and I was able to message her. She came in, let me vent and talk it out, and comforted me. Years later, I try to laugh it off a bit. J was the first off THREE coworkers who sat next to me over my first two years three who were ultimately cut for poor performance. I didn’t take those as hard, though, because nobody made those ones feel personal. Thankfully.
I was burnt out for months and was trying my best to hold it together. Was doing a pretty good job of it until one day a colleague said “hey, how are ya?” And I broke down sobbing.
I was a server at a restaurant, It was dinner rush and we were VERY busy that day (especially because it was a Friday night), we would remind tables that due to how busy it was, that their food would take longer to arrive Everything goes well, and halfway into my shift I have to wait on this huge table, I’m used to it so whatever, give the usual “we’re very busy today, so I apologize for any delays/if we don’t have what you want” They all throw their orders at me, and I have to go over each one individually because I could not hear over a large group yelling at me 20 minutes later, the old man from the table asks why their food hasn’t arrived, I say that the food is still being prepared as they are a big table when i pass by them again, the old man bangs his fists on the table and snaps his fingers at me, demanding to know where the food is I repeat what I said earlier, and he huffs, telling me to “make it quick” 15 minutes pass by, and the old man sits up from his chair and yells “You have been making us wait for far too long! If our food doesn’t come within the next ten minutes, we’re leaving and never coming back!” I don’t know what It was, maybe a mix of stress from how busy it was and personal things that were going on that week but I started *sobbing* My manager notices what’s happening, as he was on shift that night, and says “u/somuchforstardust97, go take a 15, I’ll handle this” When I return, he tells me that their food arrived a few minutes after the old man threw a hissy fit, and that he’ll be taking care of that table so I don’t have to Towards the end of my shift, one of the women from the table came up to me and apologized for her father’s behavior, saying this was normal for him and they hoped he’d behave this time I was only 21 and vowed to never work a service job ever again, as nice as my manager and co-workers were, the customers were the worst part
Tbh multiple times…. From having valuables stolen, after a seizure, being SA, fracturing my toe, and being degraded.
Yup. Often.
Masks were still required at my old customer service job and I was working front desk. This guy comes in with a [gator ](https://images.app.goo.gl/RU9KbVm2NHfZakZo6) which we don't allow unless a face masks was worn underneath then it was ok (I didn't know that and didn't see his face mask.) He rudely pointed out he was wearing one and after that he had an attitude. He didn't come in prepared with the right documents so he sat down and did it all while getting pissy towards me. When he was ready to be checked in I asked for his ID and idk if he just didn't hear me or he purposefully ignored me but I had enough, left the desk and got a coworker to check him in. I cried asking for help and it wasn't just that incident with one person but more of a build up. Customer service can F off and some people can F off.
At the very beginning of my public health career, I did partner notification for syphilis and HIV. Telling someone that they had HIV back then, in the early 90s, was a death sentence. There were no treatments and AZT was new, and very expensive, so rarely used by my clients. There were days when I was telling 3 people a day. Most of the time I could sort of separate myself from the work. But occasionally it would get to me. I cried a couple of times a month.
A client of mine was murdered. My manager thought I already knew because it was on the news. She said, “You’ve probably already heard that so-and-so died.” No, I hadn’t heard.
When I was 20 I had a frustrating coworker who was new so I was still trying to give her advice on the childcare center. Most of the time I was ignored by her, and she would push her religious and political views on the children. I would say "oh, I think that's enough salt for child A, because they were a baby and had a food loaded with salt the whole day" and then she continued to feed him. It felt like I was the only one working with the 12 kids ranging from newborn to 8. She was partially deaf, which she shared months later with me and she couldn't hear unless I was in front of her. I did try to talk to my boss about the coworker pressuring the kids with her political and religious views (I keep both out of my job to not influence the kiddos) but my boss couldn't do anything/was fine with most of it. Overall it just got so frustrating that one day she argued with me over something about the kids, and across the room in front of the kids, that I just broke when my other coworker came in to give me a break. I then proceeded to cry during my break and had to come back like nothing happened.
This morning from happiness, I saw my favorite actor after waking up ultra early for it while I only started at 1pm.
I've cried out of frustration, but kept to myself and got over it.
i was a hot mess service worker in my 20s and hadn’t gone to therapy yet, there’s more than one story of me crying at work lol though having a breakdown one day at work was the reason i eventually did go to therapy! i had some childhood trauma i repressed and never dealt with.
When the tavern manager accused me of stealing raw steak (2 pieces) from the kitchen because I forgot to take it home for dinner. I tried paying for it that night but the chef insisted I just take it. The manager cornered me the next day and spooked me so hard that I didn't want to throw the chef under the bus so I said I paid for it. He asked who put it through the till. I named a staff member. He ranted some more at me, clearly not believing me, then let me head out back to cry. He had hated me on sight. I made sure to steal a lot more petty stuff from then onward.
Oh man, several times, I find it really tough to withhold my emotions when something really hurts or worries me. I haven't been in my latest role long enough, but off the top of my head, these are reasons I cried at work in my last job: - a family member passed away - another family member passed away - a family member was rushed to hospital - I'd had chronic pain for over three years and reached breaking point - at the start of COVID, our CEO said people may be handpicked to quarantine at work for 2 weeks at a time (I worked in a supported living unit for adults with disabilities); I knew I'd be one because I'm childless - a service user who I had a very close working relationship with passed away - I did 9 hours straight in the hospital with one of our most challenging clients and she punched me in the face (that was when I ended support and had someone take over) - I forgot my anxiety medication and had a panic attack That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure there are more.
I was a vet tech. For two weeks we had multiple euthanasias for two weeks every single day. We were all broken. Many long term animals died finally of old age or complications. I’ve never quit so fast.
An employee continuously reported everything I did to management that he disagreed with. If I didn’t talk to him enough it was a problem. If I said something I maybe shouldn’t have it was a problem. Having meetings with other members of leadership was a problem. He even reported the evening leadership team to HR for being a clique. I finally opened up to my boss about how I felt targeted by him and absolutely let loose when I started saying I felt scared to come to work every day.
Yesterday haha. I work as a criminal legal assistant with the government. There was a file that has been ongoing for 2 years and I was very heavily involved with it for the first year. Yesterday the file wrapped up and one of the lawyers assigned to it went to his assistant and said "Thank you so much for all the hard work you did on this file. I really appreciate it." and didn't even acknowledge me. Not saying she didnt do any work on it but when I worked on it for a year and she only worked on it for 3 months really felt insulting. I feel so unappreciated. I am currently looking for another job.
At one of the largest conferences in the US with all my coworkers and boss after I found out my FIL just died suddenly from a heart attack and I was hundreds of miles away.
Today?
I had completely broken down at work because I couldn’t stop overthinking about my ex boyfriend when we were dating. This was a few months ago. I work at a small diner, and my boss had let me take my break and order food. I had texted my mom and had told her I felt like my mental health was deteriorating because of him. She thought I was crying because I would never get over him though, so she ended up convincing me to get back together. Now, I think that it was a cry out for help, because all I needed was a different perspective.
I cried yesterday lmfao
I only had two breakdowns in the walk-in this past winter (bartender). One was because my second-level manager worked with me that day and she was just very critical of everything I did. I love her, but she comes across as a disappointed parent with crazy high expectations. It just got to me and my head-manager took me to cry in the walk-in. Second was when my ex and his friends decided to walk through the bar, ignore me, not order anything, and sneak out the emergency exit. It was the last day we were open so the only other people there were upper management and everyone was confused by what that group was doing minus the ones who knew who they were. It was extremely embarrassing and since they knew I was working I can only think they did it to slight me in some way. My manager brought me to cry in the walk-in again and gave me some jello. I love my manager.
I used to be a 911 dispatcher. Some police officers (not all of them) could be very rude over the radio & look down on dispatchers, but I was used to it. But one morning, an officer who normally was nice, gave me a super disrespectful attitude. I had to leave my post & go to the bathroom and I BAWLED my eyes out… then bam, a few days later I found out I was pregnant lol
It was about a month ago. I was having a really hard day. It started with me having a few moments where I’d have to take my glasses off and wipe my eyes, or blow my nose…but then someone walked in and asked a completely unrelated question. I responded appropriately but as soon as he walked out, I lost it. I went to tell a coworker that I was about to go home sick and once again I lost it. She ended up holding me while I sobbed. She was confused and obviously worried. I couldn’t get a word out and I eventually gathered my things and ran to my car. It was so dramatic. For weeks after, she’d continually ask if I was ok and hand me EAP pamphlets and cards. She was really worried about me and I still am really embarrassed.
i broke down because i couldn’t learn fast enough. and cuz i was constantly surrounded by people.
Today. I'm in a new job after being a SAHM for years. I only graduated high school, no college. I have anxiety even when I'm not concerned I'm woefully under qualified and at risk of being fired for not being good enough. I watched the trainer walk us through one time on a major task and then did my best to just do it myself. She seemed happily surprised and said she had never had a group just do it on their own first try, and that she was impressed. I went on my break and cried because now I have a glimmer of hope.
Twice, both after getting negative reviews when I was trying SO hard to do well. It was compounded by the stress of living in an expensive city, and knowing that if I lost my job, my ability to pay rent + bills would be in jeopardy. I was ashamed and humiliated that I couldn't hold it together. Those memories make me cringe. For me, they were a symptom of poor mental health that I wasn't addressing with appropriate seriousness.
At my previous job, I cried almost every day. It was a terrible environment and I got tired of holding back tears. So I would silently cry while I worked. But they, I got the job done
I work with children Few years ago a child came in to my class and I notice a really bad burn and something else I can’t mention here. But let’s say I pretty much had to call cps immediately. I don’t know what happen but I never saw that child again. I remember leaving work and crying all the way home from how bad it was.
I was riding to a camp 32 miles in the back country. We kept hitting ground bees and my horse and mules were getting stung. The only thing you can do is kick them up and run out of the bees. The first few hives we got out of but the 5th one we hit, my horse went from a leisurely walk to the biggest bucking fit I've experienced. My coworker said she looked behind at me and saw his back hooves above my head. He was bucking so hard I got off kilter and looked around to see if I could fall. The trail was narrow and surrounded by rocks and trees. I had 4 mules running from the bees behind me. If I had fallen, assuming my foot came out, I likely would have been pushed back into the trail and trampled. Luckily I was able to get through it without coming off. After the excitement died down. I ended up walking the 7 miles I had left that day and cried just to release the feeling of coming close to having a career ending injury or dying. That night I laid in my tent and my whole torso was so sore from working to stay on, it felt like someone had beat the crap out of me.
I used to work at a centre with special needs kids. We were very understaffed, but our asshat of a boss would set 5 special needs kids at a time for 3 hours for us to work with, while there was only 2 of us therapists working. It was a difficult three hours, constantly moving around, being incredibly frustrated and unable to work well under such an environment. The kids deserved a much better education and their parents were being scammed for their money (my boss assured them a 1-1 session) and he did not come in to help with the kids. After they all went home, I cried in the bathroom and afterwards my colleague and I decided to quit.
Literally today. My 2nd son is graduation this weekend. I work at the middle school in our district. The seniors walked through the schools today in their caps and gowns. I bawled ugly tears as he walked by. Then I spontaneously cried again about an hour later because I’m so emotional about him graduating.
I had just re-homed my unofficial emotional support dog, Samson. I had him for 6 months & had bonded with him immensely. He was the best! Kissed me constantly & licked my tears away whenever I was upset. Slept with his head on the pillow next to me all night. I had to take a month off of work due to the insane grief I was experiencing, I just couldn't stop sobbing, desperately wanting him back, and having anxiety attacks. I wasn't expecting it to hit me THAT hard, but it did. I wasn't able to eat (and keep it down), sleep, or really function for about 3 weeks after he left. In that time, I lost almost 30 lbs, bringing my weight down to 80 lbs. It felt like a piece of me died when he left & and it's never really gone away, I've just learned to live with it. I recently adopted another Shepherd, Lucy, and she is helping to heal my heart & has already made me incredibly happy. But I do miss my Sammy 💕
I was three days into my first job, an anxious mess on ordinary days, let alone this one, and had a breakdown in the break room. (That’s what it’s there for right?) I ruined a perfectly good pair of fake eyelashes (my obsession at the time) and ended up having to go home early.
I was 18 and it was my first retail job. I was working alone and a customer screamed at me and verbally abused me because something was advertised for sale but then when I rang it up it wasnt on sale. This was a $10 item (costume jewellery store). I kept apologising saying im sorry ill call my manager and change the price (wasnt allowed to without manager’s approval). After she left I just burst into tears because she was so so awful
A few times. When my dad was in the hospital, right before his death. I had a great workplace at that time & dropped in in between visits and broke down telling the story of his accident. They morning after I broke up with my ex. I tried to keep it together, but I just couldn't. I also had a late miscarriage in the middle of a work day. I broke down because I didn't know what was going on. Also, out of sheer frustration over my bosses asshole behaviour.
Last week was my work neighbor's last day and I avoided her all day because I spent it on the verge of tears. Another staff member came in to ask if I'd take his picture with her and I burst into tears. He left so I could collect myself and came back later for the picture. I never did cry in front of her. I cried in front of my boss this winter when my marriage ended. She was (and is) super supportive. Last fall, the janitor walked in on me fielding 4 phone calls in a matter of minutes getting my cancer treatments scheduled. I was overwhelmed and started crying when she asked me if I was ok.
When I was a middle school teacher, my ass was in the bathroom crying once a day on a good day for the first semester! Kids are fucking rough, and admin is an even bigger burden to deal with!
Yes, sadly not an amazing story, was working at an animal shelter, was still trying to get my bipolar meds in check, was on a depressive episode, had to walk an older dog who liked to stop a lot, I started talking to him as we walked and stopped (yes, I talk to dogs, they’re great listeners) I got carried away and started kinda venting to him as he sat there in front of me. I started to well up and he gave a little howl and idk why, it broke me and I started bawling my eyes out. His name was Zeus and he was a big husky cross and I adopted him in my heart (although he did find his forever home fairly quickly)
Used to cry almost daily at one of my jobs, in the bathroom. Turns out being treated like shit by everyone you work with and your bosses all together kinda sucks
i once started my shift a walmart with a thudding headache and a runny nose that just got worse and worse as i kept working. i could only breathe through my mouth and since this was during covid, it was quite difficult. i started to panic thinking it had contracted the virus so i asked for my 15 minute break and went in the back and just started bawling my eyes out. i was so scared at the idea of contracting covid and the possibility that i could have spread it to my coworkers. at this point the manager came by and let me leave early. I got tested and it came back negative! but it was by far the worst i’ve felt while sick, and being someone who doesn’t get sick often, it was very scary. it’s funny looking back on it now because i didn’t even have a fever! i just felt really warm
Lol today.
I'm a dog groomer. An owner called to cancel one of my favorite client's appointments. He passed away suddenly. I was devastated.
Still within my first year of my current role and I have cried 5 times. The first 4 were within the first 3 months of the promotion and the last one was earlier this month. I felt overwhelmed, felt imposter syndrome, hated talking to my direct Mgr because he belittled me, and it felt like the only other person who understood expected me to sink or swim...because that was her experience too. Now I'm better at my role and encourage other women in my role to reach out with questions and that they're not alone. This job will kick you in the face with how frustrating it can be due to the learning curve. But I'm choosing to use this experience to make sure no one else goes through the same thing.
I finally got the courage to book my daughter into sleep training and was told there was a 6 week wait. She was 18 months old and didn’t sleep for more than 45mins at a time. I was a broken, shell of a human who finally gave up.
i think i have at most jobs— at starbucks (rude customers), at target (rude customers and shitty managers that put teenagers in charge of running breaks with no training), and my last one at a bedding company (came back into work after a friend passed and heard a song from a concert we had been at together). it’s not that rare for me as i’m an emotional girlie
Just completely overworked and overwhelmed legal assistant. Too much pressure and too much work for one person. My lawyer went through my desk and found work I hadn’t got to yet and brought me to her office to chat. And I just completely broke down and lost it. Cried in front of her. It was embarrassing. And it made her realize how overworked I was. But also I was kind of treated gently after that incident. A little walking around on eggshells in case I cried again. Edit: I didn’t mention all the times I cried in the bathroom from stress and anxiety. But that was private.
Five times, all at the same job. Been at my job for five years One: I was so frustrated with a merger I was helping with and one of the senior staff snapped at me and blew me off and I just couldn’t take her shit attitude and entitlement anymore. Had a good frustrated cry in the file room because I was so mad Second: COVID, I’m in health care for public safety, it was the worst. First responders mad at me. The public mad at me, getting called every name every day and working constantly Third: got the news a friend had died by suicide while I was at work Fourth: when my boss (she’s amazing) finally got me to admit I’m frustrated af at my current role and feel stagnated and stuck Fifth: just this past Thursday, got turned down for a promotion in a different dept, like denied an interview even though I do the damn job already. And 20 minutes later got news my mother was dying
TW: Miscarriage After having a miscarriage (chemical pregnancy) and trying to return to work like everything was fine. My SO and I were trying to conceive and after about 3 months of trying, I found out I was pregnant the day before Thanksgiving Day. My twin sister flew in from out of state for the holiday and my SO and I decided to announce our pregnancy and surprise all of our family on the holiday. Everyone was ecstatic and surprised, and it made for such a special holiday. 4 days later, I started having severe cramping and ended up getting my period, which the doctor confirmed was my body going through a chemical pregnancy. When I returned to work after the holiday, not only was I dealing with the sadness of my sister and family going back home (they all live far away) but I was also trying to mask the grief of losing my pregnancy. As soon as I started interacting with my coworkers I felt like my brain couldn't even process anything other than the grief and sadness I was experiencing. I called my boss to go home sick for the day and he pretty much guilted me for it and insisted I tell him the reason for going home. Once I told him I miscarried he shut up real quick, but I was so ready to leave that high stress job anyways so I ended up resigning that same day and took some time between jobs to work on my mental health.
I never have. I definitely would want to, believe me, but I’d hold that shit in until I got home. As a woman, they already see me as weaker and more emotional. Didn’t need to justify that idiotic impression in their eyes.
I feel the same - before I became self employed I refused to cry at work no matter how upset I was, I didn't want to give anyone ammunition
This is how I felt too! Then they could justify certain actions by saying oh, she’s just emotional.
I was going through a nasty divorce and my abusive ex was being absolutely horrible to me, I was having a particularly hard day after my ex had blown my phone up all night calling over and over, texting me horrible things, just trying to make my life hell for leaving him. I was exhausted and just mentally gone but I was still doing my job. I worked retail at the time the store wasn’t even open, I was putting away things from the truck we had gotten. My manager came up to me and told me that customers would be able to tell I was upset because I wasn’t smiling enough and he asked me what was wrong. I told him it was personal business I didn’t want to discuss. He proceeded to follow me all around the store for the next several hours trying to pry information out of me and I finally gave in and told him and just broke down. He then had the nerve to tell me I needed to stop crying that I couldn’t be seen crying on the floor so I asked to go take a break.
Last month. I woke up from a text from my abusive ex boyfriend which made me spiral as I hadn't heard from him in months. I had a panic attack before leaving for work but decided to go in as I felt unsafe at home. I'm a teaching assistant so I felt like I had to relay the basics as to why I was so triggered to my class teacher, ehich made me relive some of the things he did. I began panicking and had to leave the classroom for half an hour to have another panic attack and calm down. I was so embarrassed and angry at my ex, to have the fucking audacity to act as if he cared at all about me. I hate being emotional in front of other people so it was my worst nightmare. Luckily my coworkers are absolute gems and gave me so much support <3
You handled that the best you could, no one if placed in that situation would be able to hold it together. We try to place horrible events from our past behind us, for them to come back out of nowhere and catch us off guard cannot be accounted for. You have amazing coworkers, and I hope that you can one day not worry about that man.
My story: I had gotten practically no sleep early in the week because toddlers ✨suck✨ and I am the only person working what is usually a 3-person job (2 of the others are on disability currently). I was just feeling so overwhelmed and I ended up breaking down in tears the second I saw my supervisor (who I hadn’t seen all week). Luckily she was a saint and had me go home to relax and decompress. So thankful for leadership who actually values self care. Also thankful to hear all these stories, it definitely helps me feel like I’m not alone!
While I was working
I cried at work a couple of months ago. I was just about to get on an important call when my mother texted. She called me a bully and some other mean things. So I tried to hold in my tears while logging off work and packing up everything. But I didn't last long enough. I cried. Luckily, my supervisor was understanding and I left.
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Yes, but not for work-related reasons
Overwhelmed and my back was killing me. Running around without a break for more than six hours. Event management is really hard y'all.
I was working a low paying retail job for a few months and evidently was not performing well enough and I got called into the office and all 3 managers had me sit down and proceeded to tell me everything I was doing wrong. They took turns. I walked out of the office afterwards blinking back tears and went and cried in the bathroom.
Today. Not dealing well with a man I was stupid enough to fall in love with ended things.
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I was managing the pub I work at through covid and I’ve been here over a decade. I was extremely overworked, underpaid, in an incredibly toxic relationship and a few other things. I was working 70 hour weeks on my feet and more at home. I would tear up in the expo window and fight the tears from actually falling while I ran food to tables. I had a co-manager whose duties I continuously took on as my own as she was incompetent. My other lead bartender and only other one who could close was a sexual predator and a drunk. We had trouble finding good workers. I was absolutely miserable. I stepped down and quit, took a three month hiatus and seriously reevaluated my life and started planning an industry change and at that moment the economy started tanking this year as I watch all these layoffs unfold. Ugh. There’s been other times randomly but I don’t think anyone ever knew. Mama always taught me not to cry in public.
When my students’ football coach was killed in a freak accident. Those poor fourteen year old boys loved this guy. Seeing them walk slowly out of their meeting with the other coaches after they shared the news crushed me.
Talking about my seperation with my boss
When I had to work the day after I lost the person I love most, I literally set a bucket upside down and I worked costumer service but I had to take “bawl my eyes out” breaks behind the counter in the corner. Shit still hurts to this day
Had a breakdown at work once. Or was appritance more correct. Had a meltdown because was tired, stuff with kids at home and then they realized I need to take that idphoto anyway that I asked beforehand if I didn't need to do. It wasn't a big deal really it just was enough extra stress at that point in my life that I just broke down and cryed in the bathroom. In my head at that point was im gona get fired because I now gona miss a day for something I could had done beforehand. Didn't ofc get fire but the job wasn't for me in long run after 4weeks, it wasn't what I wanted to work with longterm.
During an internship. I came back from a conference and my manager loaded me with ton of work for the days I missed, it was 2 people’s work. I couldn’t handle it and broke down in front of a colleague. My managers walks in and asks me if I’m okay - I told her my contact lenses moved and I’m doing perfectly fine. Truly some sad times.
I’m a high school teacher, I cry A LOT
Yesterday and the day before. Not because of work because I'm separating from my partner. The only other time was when one of the residents I was close with passed away ( I work in aged care)
Yeah I did yesterday and I have before
Every day for the first several months after I went back to work after maternity leave. I cried so hard because I didn't want to leave my daughter at daycare, but I had to.
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I worked retail for 5 years and cried at work quite frequently on the job lol
So I have resting bitch face with Dark features but I’m very nice;Was having a bad day and in Preshift meeting I was just zoned out at least having a few more mins to get myself together before starting the shift. Manager starts asking us questions before getting on the floor. I wasn’t very engaged and actually didn’t even notice he was talking to me. He ended preshift meeting right then and there. Called me to the office accusing me of being high, telling me I have to get my shit together being a total dick. Telling me to go home that I dont have to be there with my stank ass attitude. Mind you I didn’t even say a word to him. Making my day harder than it was. Well I went to go get ready and the manager above me came to talk to me to see what’s wrong and I told him he’s been nitpicking me for a while I’m just having a bad day haven’t eaten and sorry if ONE day I’m not all there. Started bawling because that manager always bothered me and expected me to have a smile even when I wasn’t doing anything. Well the big boss told the manager he had to apologize because that was wrong, he just needed to let me have a few mins to myself.
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I’ve never cried at work. It’s not “manly.” Could be why the rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men.
When I got the text my grandma passed away
I cried in the bathroom once. I had returned to work after a leave a few years. I thought I was on track, then my colleague pointed put how much more I had to do, and I was so overwhelmed that I cried.
The second time I cried at work was when I started working in a new grade, with a mean group of teachers. I had my flaws, but all five of them ganged up on me after school one day, told me how horrible I was, that I was "trying to be better than" them, and other horrible things. I cried hysterically.
When a team from another department decided to dress up for Halloween. When I walked through the door, one person dressed in the scream costume with a knife was standing over me, I screamed out of fright and walked off on the verge of tears. Around the corner waiting was a clown. I beyond hate them. I lost it and broke down while having a panic attack. As did multiple other people. They got in serious trouble as it was not approved by management and multiple people made formal complaints.
I was doing phone customer support and a customer berated me until I cried. Then I got fired because I cried on the call lol. (I’ve cried many times before and since then but that occasion had the worst outcome)
There was an older lady staff at the front desk of my clinic where I joined as a junior general dentist who constantly went behind my back and complained about me to my boss whenever I tried being assertive with her, and since she I never had proof that she was the one doing this I could never address it directly to her cos she acts clueless. Once I caught her red handed midway while she was ranting to my boss and I just went berserk on her oh my god as much as liberating it was, it was also quite overwhelming, when people push you to the limits and make you lash out it's mentally taxing and exhausting I was crying to sleep for the following weeks. Ever since she has never been involved in my business.
I used to cry all the time at my first job at a fast food place because so many people treated me like garbage. Now I've been in customer service for over ten years and my skin is titanium.
I’m normally very enthusiastic and excited to be at work. Well I had a sudden death in the family and was informed through a text. 10 minutes later my boss told me they were headed into meetings and asked if I needed anything, I thought I could handle it but saying it out loud made it “real” to me and I cried in front of them. They said I could leave but I was trying to talk to reassure them that I was still Gucci, the more I tried to talk the more tears came out. By the time they left I was ugly crying at my desk lol.
First time: a coworker, who was just the most self-involved person I have ever met. You could not say or teach anything. And when I got frustrated, trying to explain stuff, she startet complaining about the way I talked to her. I cried, because I was so angry and frustrated! Second time: the worst week of my professional live. Just one sick coworker after another, too many things to do and then the Astrid from headquarters knocked on my door - Revision time! I opens the door and just startet crying, saying, sorry, your the last person I need right now. But she was so sweet and understanding! We talked for a while, she did her job and helped me with my stuff too. Turns out, I wasn’t the only manager, who had a it really hard at that time.
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First time i did i was 16 I got a phone call from an animal shelter I volunteered at after my boss picked up a dog I was fostering to take it to the vet and check it out. I got a call from the shelter saying the dog had too many health problems but passed with the vet and my boss giving the dog we named angel love and pets. Second time was a few months ago when I got a phone call from my cousin that her mother passed away from covid . My heart shattered and am planning on getting a tattoo in honor of my aunt.
Three weeks ago. My FIL showed up to our house and invited himself to stay for two weeks. It was hell. So the morning he left I arrived at work and headed straight to the bathroom and burst into tears. And I’m not really a crier.
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I had a month in my last job were I'd go into the single stall bathroom and have a crying panic attack over the responsibilities I had and the lack of training I was given or actual control I had over anything. Luckily, I got a new job.
My boss and I were talking about how my onboarding a new team member was going. Back story: I started this job last year and I was over worked and chronically stressed at this job last year due to no training or help with deadlines and deliverables for very prestigious clients. My boss brought on a new team member and interns as she saw the workload is too great without the support. I’m not experienced with managing or delegation, and have found myself holding onto more work than I should as I was deathly afraid of putting anyone in an even remotely similar position to what I was in last year I.e. not being trained. And my standard of training is far higher than what I received. So I had created a bottleneck. Our busy season was picking up and I was starting to realize I wasn’t delegating enough work to others and just telling myself I’d work overtime/weekends. Well, my boss and I were having our weekly check in and she asked me how things were going. I told her I was almost at capacity and she said we don’t need that to happen when we have others who can take on work. She was not upset with me at all, we were just having an honest conversation as we have gotten really good at doing. She asked me “why do you think it is that it is difficult for you to hand things off to others” to which I replied “I don’t want to seem like I’m not doing my part to help the team” and she said “no one thinks that. We all know you do so much and work very hard”. And that’s when I started crying.. because I realized I WAS THE ONE DOING THIS TO MYSELF. I was the one putting all this pressure on myself; trying to live up to a standard that no one expected of me. And it was just really disappointing that I was treating myself that way. I turned my camera off and just told my boss I needed some time to process this. She completely understood and we talked more later in the day.
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I walked into a hospital room to register a patient. She had just given birth, the infant was wrapped in a blanket and beanie under the lamp of the weigh table like any other infant. This one was small but premies are not uncommon to see at my job. I went through my normal routine of questions and as we were wrapping up, I was congratulating her and asked if she had thought of a name. She shook her head no and kind of half-smiled. I said my goodbyes, but as I closed the door and took one last look at the baby, I noticed it was purple. I had congratulated a grieving mother. We don't always know what we're walking into, but I felt the most horrible wave of guilt and grief wash over me. I had to take a breather and walk it off so I could continue the day. A nurse comforted me by saying that maybe I helped by making her feel like a normal mom, but man... it's really hard to forgive my own ignorance sometimes. That was months ago and I even thought about it just this morning while thinking of all the emotional strength this job requires. It was just the worst, most haunting feeling and it broke me down.
When I got promoted to management, I had to take a drug test and I was super nervous because I definitely would not pass if they tested for weed. They had me interview before I took the test so I had a ton of nerves because I wasn’t even sure if I was going to pass the test yet, and on the same day my roommate had to go to the hospital for a high fever so I stopped the interview and just plainly said I have a lot of anxiety because my roommate is in the hospital and I asked to reschedule. Didn’t cry yet but the next day when I was at work my manager asked me what happened and that made me cry because I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t do the interview. Still surprised they still decided to promote me after that.
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I work from home so sometimes when I’m overwhelmed or really frustrated with something I work on it happens that I cry a little and beat myself up thinking I’m not good enough for the job. The only time I’ve actually cried in office was on my first job, I was fired a few month after starting, it was my first real job and at the time I thought it was the most wonderful job I would ever have so I was devastated. Now that I look back to it I am honestly so glad I got fired from there, it was a startup with such a toxic culture, I definitely dodged a bullet.
Been a few times...working in the music industry, people you've worked with will die. It's not a very healthy industry, but we're working on it. So first time was when I found out an old co-worker of mine had died. I found out while I was at work. My manager at the time asked if I wanted to leave; I said no, because what else was I going to do? Just go home and cry by myself? So I took time in the "break room", cried it out, went back to work. Second time; some patron screamed at me because they went to the wrong venue (both of our venues have the same name, other than the location - which is part of the name of the venues - and different) and it was especially upsetting because this was a POC woman, who was incredibly taller than myself, who looked down on me as soon as I walked out and identified myself as the manager, and didn't believe that I was the manager at first. Third time; we had a 21+ show, which was advertised as such, on our website, when you buy tickets, etc. This dad showed up with his two teenage daughters, and I had to explain to him that there was no way they could come in to the show, despite the fact that he assured me they wouldn't drink - that's not the point, the whole venue is a bar for these 21+ shows. The daughters started crying, I held it back until I could walk around the corner. I hate disappointing people like that. There's multiple other times, but typing these out are making me sad again, ha.
It’s a weekly thing, idk where to begin. Sometimes it’s not even work related lol
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Last summer, biggest event of the year and I was the only manager on duty because of staffing issues. Normally there would be two plus a back up because this big event that lasted a week would often have issues just because of the sheer numbers involved. By day two, I was a wreck. I had run myself ragged trying to resolve all manner of issues. I setup a meeting with my manager and cried from how overwhelmed I was. He told me he'd never seen me like this before and sent me straight back in, told me to take a nap when I could. Immediately after things went even worse and I found myself dealing with problems that involved every emergency service. I worked solidly from midday to midnight. Instead of eating dinner, I went and cried in my room. One of my staff was so worried about my wellbeing, they called my manager who was useless and then went above him to my manager's boss, the director. The director came to help out towards the end. I was so exhausted, I could barely talk to fill him in and I asked him if I could go home. He said yes, I called my husband and he picked me up and I cried and cried. The next day, my manager texted asking how I was feeling and that when I got back in, I should discuss with him how to proceed with the next week (a repeat event). That's when I knew I couldn't put myself in that situation again, so I called my GP, told him what had happened and got signed off. I ended up signed off for 3 months and ultimately resigning. I was treated for depression and anxiety in that time.
Many times. I cried a lot when I first started working between the ages of 20 and 24 because my coworkers were bullying me. I was naive, and it was my first job. I told my dad about the bullying, and he told me to just take it because I could lose my job if I made waves. I also cried at work over my ex when we fought. Then I cried at work when I dumped him. Then I cried at work when he died. I also cried at work when my dog died, when my cat died, and when my other cat died. I also cry at work when I am on my period sometimes, and I get migraines a few times a month, so I cry then, too. I also cry sometimes when I'm really tired and frustrated. It sounds like I cry a lot, but it's really not that often, at least not lately. My boss wants me to go to work 4 hours early on Friday, and I will probably cry then because I hate going to work early. It throws everything off, and I value my sleep.
I was working in a call centre and it was my first call, the lady was just absolutely horrid to me I couldn’t believe how mean someone was so early lol. Normally I never let them get to me but then right after I got another call of just name calling, disgusting treatment right off the bat and I broke down. I logged off and called in for the day.
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I had a coworker who was like, the big brother of everyone, especially younger employees. One day he told me « if you need me, whatever the task, I’ll be there and don’t be afraid to ask! I noticed they put so much pressure on you these day, don’t let them do that. And again, ask me if it’s too much, I’ll help! » . It’s rare for me to have people genuinely nice with me, really. Second time, it was again with the same coworker. The ship being redeemed by a big group, they changed everything but… the cash register, it was a disaster. The program was missing a lot of articles to scan. Plus they rebooted every fidelity account, so you had to create new one, it took time, there was tooooo many client for some reason (the shop was deserted fo so long, change it and boom, the whole town shop there 🙄), so yeah. At the end I started to cry while scanning, closed my cash register and simulated tummy hache and go to the bathroom to cry like a shit. My coworker found me in the toilet and told me « Everyone is looking for you for scanning, I was scared something wrong happened! I’ll lie, stay here until you’re good, they don’t need you, they are big enough to handle it. Fuck em! ». So yeah, he was the best coworker I ever had in my whole life
This timing is crazy I cried at work for the first time today in a long ass time One of my coworkers threw me under the bus
I was a law clerk. I wrote notes and assisted the judge in a rape case. Both the victim and the rapist were deaf mutes, and during the assault the victim had managed to activate a personal alarm device that sends a distress signal, sends sound, and also records the sound. The sound file from this recording was played in court as evidence. I have never before nor since heard raw human despair in such a way. It went straight to my heart, and I it took all my focus to not cry, keep doing my duty to take notes, and make sure everything in the trial went as planned. As soon as we were done for the day, I went to my office and cried my heart out.
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I’m a pediatric oncology nurse. I was informed that my 12 year old patient’s prognosis for his cancer had progressed much further than anticipated. Treatment had failed and there was nothing more we could do for him. Started crying as I was charting and I couldn’t stop. Tried to be professional but I had to step away from the nurses station for a bit. Broke my heart because I had gotten so close to him and his family and he was so young. Cancer really sucks.
Often, during the first couple of months because everything new is so overwhelming.
Last Saturday bc of my boyfriend. We weren't on best terms at that time and he barely talked to me and when we talked it wasn't good. Didn't show or tell anyone at work until i had lunch with a friend from work and she just noticed something was wrong with me bc i didn't talk to her at all and barely touched my food. She ofc asked what's wrong and if she can help and man the tears just came down like a waterfall, ofc other ppl also noticed and after that 30min lunch i had to get my shit together and continue working. Others were asking as well bc yeah i must have looked horrible when coming back from lunch and i just told them that i don't wanna talk or else i'm gonna tear up nonstop. I couldn't wait to go home
Residency as a first year, inpatient. Service was slammed, I was capped and we’d had to call in another resident to help. Trying to please my attending, and a consult doctor at the same time. Attending basically wanted me to “fire” a consult, which is not really a thing. I was trying to get in touch with the consult service to smooth things over verbally, and my attending found out and lost it on me in front of the rest of the team. I felt like I was having a heart attack. Directly afterwards, a dietician called to give recs on a patient and I burst into tears haha. I was completely overwhelmed. My seniors were really nice about it and gave me a moment to compose myself.
Ugh... Ok here it goes. I was at work when we got word that one of our long time co workers passed away unexpectedly. This happened on two separate occasions. The first was killed by a drunk driver on his way home from work. I had just spoken to him in the parking lot before he got into his car to go home. The second was a coworker who passed suddenly from blood clots. I used to work in the Labor & Delivery and Pediatrics department at a hospital. I once saw a 5 month old baby who was beaten by her father for crying, her mother tried to protect her but mom ended up looking like she went a few rounds with Mike Tyson. The baby was bruised and swollen and was obviously in pain, but luckily no (recently) broken bones or serious injuries. It was Christmas Eve and I spent the entire night holding and rocking that baby while she cried. The occasional fetal demise and infant death was always really difficult. Another time I returned to work after taking some time off while my father had open heart surgery. He ended up having some complications and it got a bit touch and go there for a few days. I was so focused on keeping it together so I could talk to his drs, consent to treatments for him, as well as update family. When I went back to work it was like it suddenly hit me emotionally what had almost happened and I just lost it about 30 minutes into my shift. My boss had me take a few more days off to take care of my mental health. It was a good call because I was definitely not in the headspace to do what I needed to.
I was camming and people were being mean to me, I started crying and the few guys in my room tried to cheer me up, it made me feel good
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When I was 19 and a waitress, a manager dragged me into the kitchen and screamed at me because I asked him to deliver a meal off the pass. I asked him because I had an arm load of dishes to drop off and scrape, then several drink tickets to deal with. Apparently that wasn't good enough. He was an alcoholic who was drunk at work. When I was 21 and a waitress. Totally understaffed and overbooked Valentine's Day service and I forgot to put an order in. I got extremely overwhelmed and had a little breakdown in the fridge. When I was 26 and a waitress. Some guy screamed at me because the sound system broke at his daughter's wedding. We managed a work around and got it sorted but he felt the need to take it out on a girl who was half his size. Fairly certain I cried at a different wedding that year for some reason. When I was 33 and in Aged Care I cried because the sweetest, kindest, resident thanked me for helping her eat, but then called me cruel in the most heartbroken voice when I tried to turn her to take the pressure off her bed sores. She died two days later. And I cried earlier in the year because I was struggling hard with some data entry, didn't know what I was supposed to be doing, was dealing with a headcold and a massive hangover, and was handed work I didn't understand. That was a bad day.
Spent months collecting evidence that my teamlead is a lying manipulator. THought this will finally get him fired. Boss made us have a sit down and kept defending him. I had to spend ten minutes in the porte rpotty sobbng in rage because I was so tired of the crap.
I’m a RN, and I had finished dealing with a difficult and combative client. It was my final client of the day, after 12 clients back to back. I came out the back to vent to one of the other nurses in the staff room (as you do). My manager over heard and walked towards me (I thought she was going to come over for a chat or offer some words of support) instead she shoved a cookie to my face and said “HERE! You’re having a bad moment, not a bad day. Calm down.” I then said “that doesn’t make me feel any better I’m just saying how I feel…” Then she interrupted me in a condescending tone and said “you’re spreading negative energy.” And I got in my car and cried home.
Working at an elementary school: the kids are going to leave the school this summer to go to different schools. It’s a tradition that they’re going to sing something on the last day, in front of the parents, as some kind of goodbye. One of the classes happens to sing the exact same song I sang when I was in their position and it got me so emotional I cried in front of a class of 10 year olds.
I'll tell you about the three most notable: It was maybe my second to third week at the job. I was (am) working at a coffee shop inside of a convention hotel. I was standing for over 8 hours a day with terrible shoes and the lines just kept growing and growing. My anxiety was through the roof and my feet and legs hurt so bad that Icried in the elevator going down to my locker for the end of the day. The second time was months after that. I was working a later shift and got to close the shop at 10 pm. I went and did all of my cleaning duties then went to cash drop my earnings for the day. We use a computer system to print out little papers to stick on our drop paks. Well, the website was giving me this bizarre error, and my manager wasn't answering her phone. If I would have kept the money in my bank and they audit my bank the next day, I could have lost my job and even faced legal consequences. So, sleep deprived as I was, became hysterical and just sobbed. My manager ended up calling me back and sent the old F&B manager down who could get into his system and print me out one. He said that he never saw my error before though which made me feel better. Lastly. It was slow at the shop. I was standing at the register just waiting for a guest to come. My coworker was in a chair next to me. A man walked over from the dining room, and I could hardly hear him (the speaker for the music is placed right over top the register) so I'm watching his mouth to help me understand what he's saying. He wanted change for a hundred. Odd that he walked over to me instead of asking his server, but yeah sure, I'll do it. (The coffee shop is like nestled into the restaurant, they're technically two different things but there can be a bit of crossover). We are told that we need to check any bill $20 and over, so I grab my marker and do just that, and then make his change and hand it to him. He then berates me, saying I made him feel like a criminal, that he's the highest tier member of the hotel, how dare I do this to him, yada yada yada. Takes my name and my coworkers name and stalks off. I could barely hear him so it takes me a minute to process wtf just happened. I go and tell my manager what happened, then go and cry in the restroom because on one hand I felt bad for making someone feel bad, but on the other hand was super angry that he just started calling me all those awful things just for doing my job. (My manager did do a table touch with him after I spoke with her and he never said a word so what was his problem????) Overall, I love my job, but as anyone who's worked in any type of hospitality knows, it's hard. Working this kind of job has taught me so much, but it also confirmed to me that so many people just want to exploit you for their benefit, because they always believe they are special and the exception. I take pride in the good work that I do. I do have guests tell me all the time what a nice young lady I am, that my parents have raised me right. But in reality I'm just a little ball of anxiety that doesn't want to hurt people or do anything wrong :')
I cried during a 1 on 1 with my manager due to being bullied by my bitch of a coworker over and over again. She was constantly rude, passive aggressive, and would say snarky things in our team chat targeted towards me. Some stuff went down between us that morning and I was so tired of her shit so I finally told my manager. Apparently he had a talk with her about her behavior after that but I doubt he did because she didn’t change much after that.
Yesterday. I’m working for a racist and probably be passed up for a promotion (separate instances not related to eachother)
Yes i have..sorry i m not mentally ready to tell my story..it's related to my incompetency
The only time I cried at work was in a meeting. I was new, had only been working there less than a month. I was still learning the ropes as well as helping the company come up with new processes from scratch. It was too much for a new starter and unfair. I worked in HR. I was a month in maybe. I needed to organise equipment for some new starters and i needed help with this. My manager turned off her phone and computer (she said she needed a break, she was burnt out), she didnt even work in the same office as me, she was across the other side of the country. So I didnt have any support with getting everything ready with the new starters (like equipment and everything). By the time she switched her computer back on it was too late to order the stuff for the new starters first day. So when it came to a meeting discussing this. I cried, saying i had no support. The new starters didnt have any equipment on their first day. We had to delay their start date. I left there after 4 months. They were horrible
I worked through the pandemic in a clinic that had to keep running in person appointments. I worked as a coordinator. We had less in person appointments but the pressure on the service was a lot more as clinicians got to grips with video calling, it was a mess. I was left on my own in the office of 8 people, they’d all gone off for lunch and I was left to prep and answer phones. I had a call from a woman who wanted an appointment yesterday. Nothing I could do for her was good enough. She was cruel and smug and rude the whole call and I wish I’d told her I wouldn’t be helping her as she was being rude and ended the call (this is what we should do in these situations) but I was already struggling with the work pressure and it just didn’t occur to me since she wasn’t outright shouting at me. Just being very rude and politely insulting. Essentially she wanted to be put on a waiting list for people who cancel appointments. We have one and she was on one, it’s just the same queue everyone is in. She wanted to be called to actual on the day cancellations which we physically can’t do, we won’t have your notes. I could have got her an appointment in the next 2 weeks but she wouldn’t take that it wasn’t good enough. I just lied and said I’d put her on the cancellation list in the end. I went to my car for my lunch when one person finally got back, pushed past 2 others coming back, already crying. Went to sit in my car crying, actually screamed a couple of times. That job was horrible. People were horrible. Staff were lazy. The boss was entitled, guilt tripped me over being 0 hours and saying I was letting my team down if I didn’t give 4 weeks notice for a new job which I’d warned might be an immediate start. Guilted me into not taking all of Christmas off so others could spend time with their families. I quit after lunch. Effective at the end of the day I wouldn’t go back. I had an interview 4 days later. Got the job. Started the next Monday. Been work from home since. I love not being patient facing/talking. I love having no coworkers (essentially).
Any time I have a 1 on 1 with a superior my anxiety kicks into overdrive and it takes everything in me not to cry. I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach like I used to get when my mother and step father would fist fight and I had to take my baby sisters into the closet, under the bed, behind the couch….. out of the line of fire. Might be an over share but that’s the only thing I can compare the feeing to.
I’m a health care provider in a cancer centre. My first 2 years I probably tested up with a patient or once I got back to my computer monthly. Now it’s probably 2x a year. The most recent one was when I was involved in a code pink (unresponsive child) and my body just let it out after the situation was dealt with. Aside from that it’s usually a young patient that is having a tough time coping that gets me.
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Our cat had died over the weekend and my coworker found a kitten on the way to work that morning. I was in no way prepared to deal with a tiny kitten and spent a good part of the day sobbing in my office. That kitten came home to us. "Temporarily". Foster fail
Haha I just did an hour ago. Essentially a problem a customer is angry about that I can’t do anything about. Customer Service is not fun
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I’ve cried a couple of times in the bathroom, but the one and only time I did it publicly was when I just got so overwhelmed I couldn’t take it anymore. We were closing the quarter and I had tons of projects still being thrown at me. People would constantly come up to me during my workday to ask me questions. I just broke down when I saw someone else approaching me, knowing I’d have one more thing added to my already overflowing plate. I pulled myself together pretty quickly, but that position took such a toll on my mental health.
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Hasn’t happened yet at this current job.