Employment And Ptsd: Getting Back To Work And Picking A Career/job

[littlestars]

Hello, I'm new here. This is my first post. I am a 28 year old female in the US. I don't want to risk triggering anyone or myself, so I will try my best to be vague about my trauma in this post.

Traumatic experiences have always been part of my life since I can remember. I accepted that this is what life, or at least my life, was about and how it was expected to be lived up until a couple of years ago. The emotional aftermath of these many events interfered with aspects of myself (things like personality and self-esteem), school/college, and employment. However, in this post I would like to specifically speak about employment. I am looking for suggestions for what to do about my future and what steps to take. I would like to start planning it because as months go by, I feel more hopeful about my recovery. Having said that, I do accept that I may always have ptsd to some degree, but I am hopeful in that I will be able to manage and cope with it better. I do feel a little reluctant, anxious, and fearful about taking this next step, even though it's basically brainstorming and possibly planning... so I figured I would ask others who suffer in a similar or same manner that I do of what to do next and what type of career or job to consider. And perhaps if you or anyone you know is going or has gone through this? What did you/they do?

My two goals in life right now are to achieve personal strength when it comes to dealing with my ptsd symptoms and to return to work in order to become financially independent.
I have been on disability for quite some time now. Years before I went on disability, I went to college. I didn't earn a degree, so I suppose this puts me into the "some college" category. I tried to go to cosmetology school, but that didn't work out either because I ended up in the hospital for the third time in my life. I've worked mostly retail jobs (stocking, greeter, sales associate), in a bakery (cookie decorator and baker), the produce dept of a grocery store (cutting up fruit), my college library (student aide), and at a vet hospital/kennel (animal caretaker). Both schooling opportunities and spurts of employment were overshadowed by ptsd, social anxiety/phobia, and new traumatic events I was going through at the time. My current therapist suggested that I take on "practice jobs" to get my feet wet, but I have a history of not holding down a job and I don't want to lose my benefits. Plus, I am not sure if I am at the stage where I am ready to do that yet because I only feel comfortable talking about and considering it right now.

Anyway, I feel like this post is all over the place with tangents. Maybe not. I was wondering if any of you do work and how your ptsd is accommodated? Or if you work a job/career that is easy to do with you conditions? I am open to any suggestions. Below I listed some things that I learned about myself from working while experiencing symptoms:

I like to work independently and/or alone.
If I am around people, I only like to be around 10 or less.
I would like to not come in contact with the general public, if I do, it has to be a small group or one-on-one.
I am a creative person, so anything creative would be nice.
I don't like or want to work at night.
Ideally, I would like financial security for my future and/or at least be financially independent.
I am willing to go back to school.
I like to work with my hands.
I don't mind getting messy.
I wouldn't mind working from home.

I was wondering if you had any suggestions that meet some or all of those from my list? I don't know... I feel like I might be going about this the wrong way. I just feel lost and don't know where I would make a good fit in the workplace at this point. It's also overwhelming for me to think about this career stuff, but I really don't want to be disabled forever. I remain hopeful that I won't be, but I guess I still feel torn about it... I often think, "Will I always be this way? Am I really ready for this?". I just want to feel better more often and not feel like ptsd dominates my life...

 

[silkleaves]

Personally, I fell into what I do and I feel really fortunate to have. As a teen I had an interest in programming, something I did for fun, and then later, I became interested in web design... It's a never ending learning process, which I love, because for the most part, I want to *not think about anything!* and the best way I've found to do that is to continually keep learning something new in web design and programming..and there is a lot to learn.

I think that being self employed with that has been both a blessing and a curse...a blessing because I work alone, when I want, don't have to leave my apartment if I dont want to. But a curse because, sometimes getting that motivation to work is all but impossible. But the alternative, of getting a 9-5 and working in an office with people is downright not ever going to happen. How much I make depends on how much I work, so I've learned to be very frugal, and I live way below my means and save the extra (it helps that I don't go out and so don't have anything to really spend money on), that way if I have a bad month or two, I will be okay.

I also work part time for my ex, who knows that I am the sort who will shut down at the drop of a hat...I work about 3-4 hours a day, around 3 days a week, and I work by myself. He always asks me if I can work too, and 9 times out of 10 I say I can, but having that option to say, no I am in no condition to work, and he won't hold it against me, really takes a load off, the pressure off of worry that I will let him down.

Anyway, just from my personal experience, I'd say to find something you love to do, and see if you can find a way to build a business out of it to work for yourself. Or if you need some amount of structure, try to get a part time job, or do both. I can't help you with the desire to be financially secure though. I'm always at the brink of being completely broke...but I'm not trying to, nor do I care about being rich or having a lot of material things. I just want to be able to be comfortable..have enough to pay my rent, pay for the basic necessities, and Netflix. If I have that I'm good. lol

 

[Chosen]

Graphic design is what I thought when I read that list.

Cabinetry making could also be done from home.

Shoe repair. Writing, editing, blogging.

If you don't mind getting up early, bakery might work?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I, too, am on disability and hope to get back into the workforce. I have no idea what this entails in terms of my benefits, but I have another year to figure that out before I will even try, as I won't even attempt to work until my student loan discharge is final and I have the legal document in my hand saying so.

For the past couple of years I have been taking a class or two a semester at a local community college. No, I don't need another degree, but it helps to make me more social, it gives me a schedule, and lets me work on my coping skills out in the "real world" so to speak. Tuition in my state is free at community colleges, so you may want to check out this option. I am probably going to finish studying graphic design and get a certificate in that. (Well, that is the plan as of right now, subject to change of course!)

I KNOW what I'd love to do for life, but the problem is that it would be a self-endeavor and I don't know if I could do it and be able to pay for my medical bills. Its something I'd love to do, but yeah, the whole insurance thing, right? I don't know how I'd ever be able to handle a full time job, working a set schedule 5 days a week. I don't think I am anywhere near being able to do that, and I question if I ever would be able to work such a schedule.

Its all so confusing, and there is so much to figure out, and then you deal with the crappy economy on top of it all.... Of course I stress about that, as the least likely to be hired are the ones who have been out of the workforce for awhile, and I haven't worked since 2008. Add on my disability accommodations and yeah, I'm sort of out of luck, right?

 

[KwanYingirl]

Every state has a Vocational Rehabilitation program. You have to disabled to apply for services. I went this route and found a perfect fit.

First they establish your eligibility and some states fund their programs well, others not so much. Once you qualify you will be interviewed about your work history and your barriers to work. They give you a vocational aptitude test that will help you rate many things relating to work.For instance this where you say how many people you prefer to work with, do you like to work in an office or outside, etc it's very comprehensive. They graph your preferences and come up with careers that meet your needs. Then check them out. Do any of the jobs interest you.

Once you have that inventory done, you will create a plan with a Voc Rehab counselor to get you on the way to that goal.

Some states budget more money to this service but you can expect a lot of support so that you can reach your goals.

Your plan will include any accommodations you'll need due to your disability. They are really on your side.

I went through this after I was disabled from working around chemicals. After my test they presented to me a list of vocations that match my desires. I picked Electrolysis because it's medical, let's me work primarily on women, has no noxious chemicals and has the potential of a good income.

They paid my tuition for school and bought all the equipment I needed to do the job. I had issues with the director of the school who was intefering with my air purifiers. My counselor made sure she honored my needs around my air purifier.

I moved after school to Maine and had to transfer to the Maine office. They don't give as much money but I got help paying for car repairs, advertising and got hooked into a non profit that teaches self employed people how to run a business.

11 years later, I can't work full time, I am my own boss, I have learned a lot of things. I consider myself a success. Even though I can't carry a full time work schedule.

If you are on SSDI you are allowed to make $1,040 in addition to your monthly disability amount.

I highly recommend that you go this route. You are exactly the person they work with. I have to check to see what government system Voc rehab is listed under I'll check and repost.[DOUBLEPOST=1403919324,1403919096][/DOUBLEPOST]To find your local office google Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and your state

 

[Friday]

As for my career & benefits type job.... No. Not only no accommodations, if I out myself with PTSD, I lose my job. I'd say at least 1/3 of the people I know in my field have PTSD / it's pretty normal / there are a lot of loopholes that allow people the time to cope. Time off, leave, switching areas, etc. But you have to keep it together, and be able to keep it together at work. Everyone is pretty sensitive to someone going squirrely, which cuts both ways. Understanding at minor slips, no wiggle room at all whatsoever for going off the reservation, because everyone knows when someone is.

I would suggest as a "practice job" you look into going into business for yourself.

There are 1001 ways to do this, that could meet your needs, and give you a solid year (or more) to experiment before you'd risk your benefits (aka need to be keeping good records for & paying taxes). Most of which you need little to no startup capital.

Here's a handful of ideas in wildly disparate fields:

- Etsy. You've got an artistic bent. Head over to etsy and get some ideas. What can you make that you can sell? Only contact with the public is online.

- Housecleaning. Generally, people don't want to be there while you work, and you can bring a friend if being alone in someone's home, possibly with them is iffy for you (don't know your PTSD). Charge by the room instead of by the time.

- Cut hair, apply makeup, wax... Whatever it was you did well in cosmetology school (in your kitchen, or theirs). Again. This is a being a friend if you like.

- Get your CPA and work for ADHD (and others) people. Seriously. I cannot pay my own bills. I can have 6 figures in the bank (sigh. Not for a very, very, longtime) and be months late, on final notice, in collections, etc. Wven on minimum wage, though, I hired an accountant. My pay checks went into a "shared" account that they had access to, they paid my bills, and then transferred the remainder into my other accounts that hey have to access to. (3, in fact: Living expenses, OSF, & savings. OSF= oh shit fund, for the things that always crop up... Car repairs, forgotten birthday, broken appliance, etc. Anyone can deposit money INTO an account. That's easy. It's taking it out that's hard. This is just am added layer of security. And child's play to set up in modern electronic banking). The people I hire are usually SAHPs who have quit their accounting job (or who picked up a license and formerly worked in book keeping of some kind, but the license bonds them legally, this position can reeeeally screw you if someone takes off with your paycheck or skims) who take on a number of clients for minimal,fees... Because it takes them -so I hear- about an hour a month. Which baffles me. It takes me dozens of hours each month, and I STILL miss something. But this lets the, be stay at home parents and still bring in a little extra money. I've been charged various fees (either a percentage of my earnings or a flat fee of between $50-100). What I get -in addition to my bills paid, and I save money by hiring them instead of paying late fees/ it pays for itself- is a monthly spreadsheet showing how much was paid, to whom, and when. Plus my banking info. In addition to ADHD people this would also be an invaluable service to those who are grieving, recovering from medical issues, Etc.

- Medical transcription. You have a voicemail account that your docs dictate into, and you "just" type it out. "Just" because there's a lot more to it than that. If it's interesting to you, look it up online. Mostly a work from home thing, otherwise it's cubical land.

- Courier. All kinds of these jobs. From bike messengers to driving medical stuff (samples, usually, between hospital & labs) every morning, to interstate (less of this now, that banks aren't sending cancelled checks), to armed or unarmed security on planes.

- Skip Tracing. 90% is collections (not the phone call harassers, but the research) and 90% is following paper trails. The other 10% is "bounty hunting". What I'm talking about isn't bounty hunting. It's you combing through records trying to find out that Jane Smith changed her name in Arkansaw to Nevaeh Lee Ray and in New York to Janet Doe.

- Tutoring. From 5yos to college. Any subject you're good at / can teach, at any level.