At what point were you able to return to work?

[InsertCoinsHere]

I’m feeling rather low and disappointed, I feel I’m progressing slowly (sometimes I’m even unsure I’m progressing at all) but I aim to be optimistic.

It’s disheartening to see those around me do things so simply while for me it takes a tremendous amount of strain and even then I can only handle a short period before I becoming overwhelmed..

I want my independence, I’m fed up and frustrated of being unable to achieve my goal which is to be working full time as a marketer for a mental health charity... Luckily I managed to push through and complete a marketing degree before everything fell apart, I have a potential marketing voluntary role that I may be able to start soon... the only thing holding me back is well my symptoms... I can barely be around others as I find it overwhelming however I’m making steps towards improving this (therapy, weekly mental health groups, exercising).. it just all feels so slow or I’m spinning my wheels going nowhere, I feel each day is endless processing/managing symptoms, there is simply no room left to make steps forward in my life situations.

It’s all very disheartening.. I just want to have my own place, an income, a casual social life and my partner. The inability to hold down a job is the hindrance..

/Rant over.

If any of the great people here could share your own struggles and tips that helped or even your own journey to return to work I would greatly appreciate. I just think I’m feeling hopeless right now. Thanks.

 

[Hopeforlife]

I have had a lot of time off work in the last two years. Part of that maternity leave. When I returned afterwards I found full days overwhelming. I would go in on the morning for 2 hours or so and built myself back up like this. I am finally back to full days but my symptoms have flared up a little again but I’m using all the things I have learned here and at therapy to help me through. Meds are helping stabilise too.

There will be space in your life when you are ready to move forward. Remember you are working very hard on YOU. It takes a lot of time and effort to go through what you are. Be kind to yourself. Your health is important. You have a great goal, small steps is all that’s needed. Good luck

 

[blackemerald1]

I just want to have my own place, an income, a casual social life and my partner.

^^So this is really good @InsertCoinsHere - you know what you want and they are all very achievable goals. Nothing unrealistic in what you want. You have broken it down into separate parts and that is the way to work on each of these goals. I can see why commencing work sort of underpins other goals so it's sensible to look closely at that part.

I have a potential marketing voluntary role that I may be able to start soon... the only thing holding me back is well my symptoms...

^^Management of symptoms is what it is all about. If you are in therapy now it might be time to bring up strategies for managing symptoms in a work place. Managing stress, tiredness, anxiety, triggers, medications and etc., Could you begin preparing for re-entry into the workforce just as intensely as finishing off the degree? Perhaps more so because a lot rides on confidence and understanding your limitations.

there is simply no room left to make steps forward in my life situations.

^^I don't believe this. You finished a Marketing degree with ptsd. You can do a huge amount to move forward. You have already shown your capacity to do so. You are simply amazing and you should really be giving yourself a very big pat on the back! :hug:

Can you approach the Charity where you may be working soon and have some discussions about your condition and how you could ease into the work? Do you have a case manager or someone who is qualified to help you re-enter work? PTSD is a disability - so it's important that you acknowledge that and work on your abilities to counter problems that may arise. Do you have an advocate? Even someone from the college or University where you finished off the Marketing degree may be able to help you.

 

[Friday]

I haven’t had a real job in 5 years :wtf:

There have been several times I could have ...if I’d already had the job, and didn’t have to go through the whole getting one, thing. >.< Stable enough to maintain, but not stable enough to add a bunch of stress without decompensating in a major way. Treading water? I could do. Swimming? Not so much.

And a few times where I was with it enough do deal with the acquisition & transtion stage, but life stuff has -infuriatingly- gotten in the way. (A stalker, serious illness, New Trauma, job offers galore... out. of. State. :banghead: which would mean leaving my kid with an abusive father full time... but none locally, etc.) either before I could action it, or before I could get results.

 

[Ronin]

Slow progress is good, that means steady and getting there.

(Besides, people usually have those work worries... plus there is a disability or a few to juggle). <... Which is something that I remind(ed) myself of so much. A ton of normalizing of my worries regarding work is uber helpful.

But I am still nowhere near a stable job, more a here and there one to freelancing. In part because those day routines just do not work with me or are downright triggery / getting up in the same time as when major trauma fogs me out.

And cough, by treating the whole work hunting / staying / whatever as gambling in a bad company. I stop fretting and anxiety spikes and anxiety pukes and overthinking people and similar fun when I am focused just on the costs and what is in front of me. Along being able to count money / do my banking and accounting and figuring if I need that job, or it is just a distraction I do for myself. So basically a mega reframe, to things I feel confident in, while gutting me. Or things I know will gut me later, but we are not worrying about that later, but now. In for the experience, not for the money.

Still angry with myself it is not in the states I wanted to work at, though. Or even the same fields. So just another backburner, while I work on setting myself straight and learning whatever I can for the fields I actually care about.
’

 

[InsertCoinsHere]

Thanks guys for the replies. I do appreciate the honesty and support.

There are things I can do to begin approaching getting back into work. I believe I may be setting the benchmark high.. no wonder I feel ill be unable to do a marketing job.

I’m going to look for work in the new year, a part time marketing assistant role is what I’m going to seek.

I feel a major part of my apprehension of rejoining the work force is my uncertainty of people.. I feel people will turn on me given the opportunity/get overly angry and aggressive.. This is a major part of my PTSD that I’m slowly changing.. I hope with building boundaries, integrating my own anger and building trust in others will enable me to regain confidence and a slight sense of stability. Slow small steps is the way forward.. time I accept my PTSD is a disability and give it the recognition it deserves and how it inflliencss my life instead of feeling ‘Im the problem, I’m useless’.

Thanks all