Hi I understand how you feel about the competitive atmosphere. Many people feel the same way you do, to work in a never ending cycle of competition and being afraid of doing anything else as the consequences may not be acceptable. The problem is more pronounced in introvert, shy, individuals. There are many other reasons for them, but to be able to survive in this world, a person needs assertiveness. One of the method to get it is to go under therapy, It's a Cognitive Behaviour therapy (CBT) with focus on assertiveness training. For physical, mood and anxiety symptoms if they are moderate to severe, medications can help a lot. A combination is the best.. I hope this could help you out...