Worst Jobs For Ptsd?

[friendlybadger]

I have to begin by saying I do appreciate that I'm lucky to have a job. I know the economy is tough and people are struggling. But that said, I hate hate hate my job :( The owner is, well, a wanker to be honest. He's like bipolar-nice one minute, belittling the next. He lives to invade all our personal lives and then uses it to hurt us. That aside, he pays well and gives us expensive gifts, so it's a trade off.

What's really hard for me is that in my position I have to see alot of people and deal with many many different personality types. And part of my job is I have to be "nice" to them. Being professional is one thing, but having to be nice and sugar-coat everything is just draining :eek: And add to that my ptsd, and it's causing me to feel completely burnt out. I have enough trouble dealing with my own emotions, let alone having to spend the entire day being fake or putting up with mean, nasty people while smiling.

I should probably mention I work in an office setting. I have alot of responsibilities, and having to do grown up work while managing my own life-stuff and managing other people is just maddening. I come home feeling completely burnt out, frustrated, angry and wind up taking it all out on my husband. I usually want to be left completely alone or I'll vent at him and wind up making him feel bad. Being so unhappy with my job has taken a toll on my marriage. I've been working hard to make things better and control my negative behaviors like venting, or being bitchy to my H, but it's hard.
I would love to figure out another line of work that doesn't involve having to smile and put up with people being nasty and dumb. My goal this year is to do something different with my life because this office gig just isn't my bag. Unfortunately I don't know what I want to do, or what line of work to go into that wouldn't be so hard on my ptsd.

Is anyone else in the same boat as me where your job creates more stress for you and makes your ptsd worse?

 

[.Ambivalent.]

I can definitely relate. My job is quite stressful, which makes my PTSD worse at times. I, too, have issues with my boss that just add to the stress. My boss goes through phases where certain employees are her favorites. When you're not her favorite, you're on her $#!% list. We also have a lot of drama at my company in general, which I find quite stressful and frustrating.

I love the work that I do, but it can be very overwhelming. I work in healthcare as a caregiver to adults with developmental disabilities. I'm also an EMT. I don't know if it's my training or just the way that I tend to deal with things, but for the most part, I am able to keep it together at work. When I come home, like you, I tend to take it out on my family members. I don't try to, it just builds up all day at work, where I have to keep it together, then I come home and it boils over, spilling into everything I try to do and lashing out at anyone who is there, really. For me personally, I can't think of a different line of work that would be an easier on my PTSD. Dealing with people in general is frustrating, but I'm afraid to work completely alone (not that there are many jobs that offer that, anyway, you always have to deal with someone at some point).

I wish I could offer you a solution or even a suggestion for a different job, but I haven't found one for myself yet, either. Working in general is just plain stressful. What I'd give to win the lottery... :rolleyes:

 

[Froggie]

The biggest problem is not the job itself, but who manages or assumes the authority and how they do so. There are so many manipulative technics being used that it can become devastating. It's like anything is ok so long as there is a profit attached to it. Like rendering life miserable for any employees that should have the right to more advantages because they are costing to much for the company. So they get nagged on their minor flaws ... and when I say minor it is really MINOR ... they try to keep the more manipulable employees. This is what I experienced at the work place where the criminal act was noticed. I was not one of the manipulable employees, but one that stood up for my rights ... and others rights... When bosses think they can make good people do whatever they want are crazy ... that is abusive authority !

 

[Dani]

my stupid job is like a double edged sword somedays. I'm here, I'm doing what I need to... but at any moment... right outta left field something comes slamming into me. (not physically) but yes, my job does not lessen my PTSD effects.

 

[stuff]

I know I have a hard time with customer service jobs, and anything with a strict timeline/short order/on demand stuff. My current job does involve customer service, but in a relatively low key manner. My previous job was a complete nightmare. Sensory deprivation, combined with extreme noise, combined with a high stress environment and the work of two people being demanded in an 8 1/2 hour shift, with no allowance/penalties for overtime. I finally had to quit because my PTSD was starting to go off the rails.

 

[friendlybadger]

I wish my H had a better job. Right now I have to keep it together because we can't survive on his income alone.
The stress though is killing me, especially knowing how dependent we are on my keeping this job :(

 

[DHC]

I worked as a massage therapist for 10 years and I loved the job. Being in control, listening to gentle music and using my hands to work. It was the only job I was ever good at! Also, you reserve the right to turn down people you're not comfortable with, a lot of places you set your own schedule. Too many benefits to mention. I stopped because I burned out my hands but there are plenty of people who do it long term.
DHC

 

[lovestopaintwithblack]

I work for a mental health & addiction agency. Typing all of our psychiatrist's notes triggered me beyond belief.

 

[friendlybadger]

Does anyone have a happy story? Like, have you found a job, after being diagnosed with ptsd, that you really like or enjoy?
I can't seem to figure out what I want to do. I want to change careers because the line of work I'm in makes me bored and restless, which promotes my symptoms. Plus, like I say, bi-polar boss makes me way edgy!!
Sometimes I wonder if I would be happier somewhere where I don't have to interact with people and am left alone in a small, windowless room all day dealing with 'things' like numbers/figures instead of people.LOL Sometimes I even think I'd rather go to work in a bakery making pies rather than do this anymore. It seems to appeal to me to be able to work independently and not have to deal with so much nonsense from people. It's hard to tolerate the stupid things people do when I've got my own issues (ptsd) to deal with, you know? Like, I really have to manage an argument between Sales and Accounting over and over again and listen to all their complaining about one another? Their gripes seem pretty petty compared to what all of us on here have been through. And we all are still trying to be functional people.
I think my well of compassion has run dry when it comes to petty whining.

 

[stuff]

I work as a gardener/landscaper now. It's a joy to work relatively independently, and I can help control my mood a bit with music. It's sometimes a bit stressful, but I really enjoy being connected to the outdoors, and the sensory connection to the dirt and the smells of the plants. It's hard on the body and wears me out, but I sleep better doing it. Eventually I would like to work as a landscape designer, I also do residential drafting/design consulting on the side. The more I do this the more I realize that I will have to run my own business if I do. That scares me a lot, which sometimes makes me more hesitant at seeking further training. I'm keeping a roof over my head these days and feeling pretty okay about it though. I'm not as afraid to wake up in the morning so I guess there's hope? I have enough training to do several other better paying jobs, but I'm terrified of taking on that type of responsibility. Also, because I have really varied skills I always end up having my job description slowly rewritten without me until I feel like I'm doing the work of two or three people. That's hard enough when you're just juggling normal stress levels, but an out of control freight train with PTSD. It's exceedingly hard for me to say no to people, so I finally had to say no to those types of jobs.

 

[friendlybadger]

Stuff, sounds like you got the right idea!! Might be an avenue I would also pursue.
I can relate too about somehow winding up doing 2 or 3 people's work. That's part of why I want a new career.
Sounds like you're on the right track though. Congrats! :)

 

[cherryblossom]

I know we all have to get a certain amount of money to pay our bills and live our lives a certain way, but one thing that it has taken me years to work out is that work is just work, not life. If your work is killing you either emotionally or physically, to the point where you can't enjoy living - then seriously - what's the point in it all?

I think froggie has a really valid point

The biggest problem is not the job itself, but who manages or assumes the authority and how they do so.

I love my job, but PTSD, and crap managers dragged me down. I was recently off work for 13 months. Mostly due to PTSD, but complete lack of support from managers, bullying, and bad management made my life 100% more difficult. As part of my return to work, I negotiated moving to a new team, where the managers are much better. I had to inform them of some of my 'issues', in order to get better hours etc, but without doing so, I would have been stuck back at square one. There were times when I just wanted to pack it all in, but my passion for the job always won through, and I fought many battles to get back to work, in a position that suited me, and that I can manage with my PTSD.

But, if your job just doesn't interest you anymore, then it's time to find something new before work takes a toll on your health, and wellbeing (and your family too). Maybe take a job that has less interaction with people. Why not go and make pies in a factory and see how suits you?

Or maybe you are just temporarily bored and fed up. Imagine you were fired from the job. How would you feel? Would you miss it? What might you miss about your job, if you were told you could no longer do it? I was really fed up with work, plus severely depressed and raging with all other PTSD symptoms, when I stopped work in May last year. But actually, when push came to shove, I couldn't bear giving up the job I loved just because of PTSD, and very bad managers. Is there anything you can change about your job, to make it better for you? Or are you past caring? Sometimes it is time to move on, but sometimes it just takes a serious re-evaluation.

I think people who are most happy in their work are people who use their passions or hobbies as a way to earn money. What do you like to do? Do you have any particular passions, or abilities?