Living with PTSD: Work Transition and Support Options

[elvie]

I am wondering if anyone else has experience with work slowly becoming more difficult over time and if quitting, working part time, or going on SSDI would be the best option....

I was diagnosed with PTSD from being sex trafficked in March of 2020, Three months after landing a job. I had symptoms before but did not have access to health care and couldn't afford treatment. At first things got better as I dissociated and disconnected while at work. Now I am noticing it seep into my work day and I am being triggered at work more and more. I get emdr once a week and talk therapy every other. I am realizing if I don't put more energy into taking care of symptoms it will get unbearable soon. I am over a hour late every day but no one has noticed that I am aware of and when I get there I often hide if not with patients, it's getting pretty bad, last week my coworker saw me hiding under desk disassociating and asked if needed a ride home, I started crying. I am ashamed as I worked so hard to be able to work as I was trafficked during school and not working would seem like it happened for nothing if I am unable to work if that makes sense. I have always worked and don't know what life would be like without working. What are my options? Has anyone transitioned to part time work, quit with no income or support, or went to SSDI from a full time job? What was it like?

 

[Friday]

Has anyone transitioned to part time work, quit with no income or support, or went to SSDI from a full time job? What was it like?

I’ve been homeless/jobless a few different times.

There are probably people/ways who have done the 1/2 & 1/2, part time & partial benefits. I’m simply not one of them.

When I’m okay? I build my life, and myself, up.

When I’mmnot okay? I don’t. And things get hard.

 

[Charbella]

Sounds like you need a break from EMDR and more time building your coping mechanisms. If you can’t function, you can’t pay for therapy. SSDI is not a quick process be prepared to spend years unemployed.

 

[E.G.T]

I have had to quit my job a few times due to my mental health. I don't have an answer for you, but I can relate to the problem. I am currently unemployed, looking into trying to find a low-stress part-time job with as few triggers as possible. I can't see myself working full time at the moment.
Good luck

 

[Freida]

ya, I kept my ptsd under control for a long, long time. Then it blew up like a bomb and, well, disaster.

I was doing emdr and therapy while I was still there, so we focused A LOT on coping skills just to get me thru the day as things came up and demanded I pay attention to them. I won't lie - it was a bitch. I finally got so bad that I went out on long term disability (I was super, super lucky to have a job that offered that) and I still was sure I was going to lose my house.

Then I started the battle with both social security and the VA for disability and eventually won both. Eventually.

Here's what sucks. You can't apply for social security unless you are already jobless. Ya, my sorta sister has MS and they just told her that. And it takes 2 years on average to get approved because they almost always deny the first time around. And you need a crap ton of proof that you can't work, so if you are already working with a doctor start making sure you document everything

Not to discourage you - but the system is set up to deny you and if allow yourself to get into a place where you start thinking you don't deserve help instead of them just being number crunchers it gets really bad so perspective is super important.

I used this company and they were a godsend. They handled everything. They get paid out of whatever back pay you get, so that sucks, but it was well worth it to not have to deal with the government crap.

In the end it was well worth it, but it wasn't an easy journey and it was unexpectedly hard to give up my "work" identity for this new life as a "disabled" person.

 

[arfie]

hello elvie. welcome to the forum. sorry for what brings you here, but glad you are here.

in my own case, the freedom from the stresses of holding a job gave me more time to isolate, ruminate, etc., and reduced my options for outside help. staying occupied (distraction) was and remains one of my more important therapy tools. in my own case, idle hands really are the devil's workshop.

whether managing the stresses of employment or the stresses of isolation, therapy peer support remains critical in the stress management. this very forum is one of the nodes on my therapy support network. personally, i like to maintain a support network rather than a single node. stresses come in tremendous variety, whatever my current lifestyle. ya never can tell which tree the right nut will fall out of. having a variety of trees to shake for the nut i need gives me far more options than a single tree.

welcome aboard. i hope you find stabilizing companionship here.