How many of you have jobs?

[bumble18]

Im agoraphobic, hosuebound completly, and i get benefits but its not much, and obviously there's no way i can work.

How many of you do work? And do any of you work from home?

I'd love to have enough money to move out of my parents house when/if i get better, but obviously i dont think a few quid a week is going to get me far, except an allyway and some food maybe =p

Do any of you know of any jobs you can do from home? I doubt there is any....i just want to be indepedant again.
This illness took my life away and i don't want to get better and then have no where to go and be stuck with my parents for years more

Thanks in advance if thereis anything....

[Rachel424]

Hi there, I am in a similar situation to you. I am unable to work due to my generalised anxiety disorder. I also feel housebound and depressed and worthless. What makes it worse is that I have 3 university degrees including a PhD, and yet I'm unable to have a career because of my anxiety.

I also get a low level of benefit and my partner is very supportive. I try and do some 'work' from home. Earlier in the year I published a book. I also find that having a hobby helps to keep my mind occupied. You should do some research on the internet about working from home. There are lots of things you can do to earn a bit more money without leaving your comfort zone, only if it is selling things on eBay.

[blessing]

i have held my job for nearly 3yrs now, god its hard some days to find the strengh to get out the house, get on a bus and stay at work all day! but with a very understanding husband and a great boss i get there.

[mabelina]

Im 33 and have never ever had a job due to my panic/anxiety and i also live with my parents. Id love to work from home as well even though i know i NEED to get out and meet people and have some sort of routine.

[bcr]

I work full time but have a somewhat flexible job and I'm not closely managed which is a pressure I couldn't cope with.

I hope to eventually work for myself as I do struggle with working in an organisation and although in some ways it is good as it forces me to get out and interact, it is very difficult when I am suffering badly from anxiety.

Is there anything you enjoy doing or making? Is there a way you could do that from home? If you like arts/crafts you could make things and try selling it on eBay or specialist craft websites

[xBettyBoopx]

Hi Bumble

Just a lil quick note. You are more than likely to get a council flat if you're not working than if you are!!! That's the way the system works.

I don't work & live on my own, but was working when I got this flat.

Els

[flegger1]

i work full time and its hard sometimes. but some days are worse than others and forcing myself out can actually help as it means i cant sit at home and let my thoughts stew!!!

i would recommend just starting off by going for a small walk, and then keep building up so you go for a small run. babysteps will eventually lead to bigger steps!

good luck

ps i had a relatively stress-free day today!! :) there is hope

[rosepetal]

I work 27 hours a week, but I do have reasonable adjustments under the DDA to help me cope with things that my illness makes harder for me.
I've been in this job nearly 6 years now, the longest I've been in any job.
I work for my local library service, and have a very varied job.
Before that I was a primary school teacher, including supply. It exacerbated my illness. A lot.

[Kerrigan]

Thats a tough situation you're in, start by doing voluntary-I've looked around some voluntary options but they are too 'normal', I want to be a teacher so I offered to work in a nursery but I got there and all the girls were in their pastel uniform tops and trousers painting and playing with the kids and they all said 'Hi' but I felt like such an alien, I thought 'I'm not saying enough, this is an awkward silence' then my nervous tic would start and I'd try focus on what the nursery owner was saying but I just wanted to go.

I also live with my parents and my brother and I'll be 25 next. I work for 2 hours a day and I sign on but I haven't got any benefits through yet. I need to get a pan in place and I wish I could just be normal like I used to be and go do a teaching degree but to be honest-it's hard enough going to work. I just do cleaning which I am also kind of ashamed of but I don't mind it. I don't know if I could do a full time job, maybe I could but it would be hard not to think about swallowing and I'd probably have a sore throat before the week would be out (then again I have to stop thinking negatively).

Put in to do voluntary anywhere where you feel it's not too high standard so you have nothing to loose, just bite the bullet and you'll probably do better than you expected. I wish you luck and confidence.
:hugs:

[Meewah]

Cant help feeling I would lose it totally and be sectioned if it was not for work.


Mee

[melvin]

iv had anxiety and panic for the last 15yrs i work for myself so when i feel it comeing on i can stop what im doing and go sit in my van i have found it hard some times to go to work but it would kill me to stop at home all day i go swiming and listen to my relaxation tapes and keep looking at this site

[nomorepanic]

I have worked through the panic attacks and anxiety - could not afford not to.

It has been hard but I had no choice to be honest.

[pinksorrell]

I have been working in the same job for nearly 2 years and at the moment it is getting very difficult to maintain due to the constant personal challenge each day brings. I am signed off sick at the moment for 2 weeks and getting concerned about returning soon.

I have been considering what else I can do to take off the pressure of working. Maybe a less taxing job. I am finding it difficult to be away from home for any length of time and also contact with other people is something I try to avoid. Yet I have to support my children so need a reasonable wage coming in. It's a dilemma.

Selling on ebay could be carried out from home - just an idea. Sometimes you see ads in the newspaper for home workers too. Google it and see what comes up.

[bumble18]

Thanks everyone
its really interesting to see how people can and cant do certain things....
I dont really have any hobbies lol, i practise nail art, but thats not really something i can sell on ebay is it! plus they're not really good enough i don't think.
I will look on google though :) thanks everyone


also, a note i forgot to write, i was working before i got ill, however i was already a month housebound before we realised i had anxiety, therefore had to quit my job

xx

[pinksorrell]

Could you do nail art from home? Get people to come to you when it suits you. It could be a bit of extra income and maybe help you feel more positive.

Some people do hair and other beauty therapies from home like that.

[bumble18]

Im not sure if im good enough lol, plus i have a really hard time seeing people, especially strangers =[

[nuttyirishman]

Hi

This is my first post so bear with me!!
I had my own business in I.T in the USA for 14 years But the anxiety got to me and i stopped working and communicating
I was always waiting on a check that never arrived, A phone call in the middle of the nite over stupid s**t
Customers with attitudes ( at least i thought they did) I had one any way
I had to move the clients to another company Which i did successsfully Now i am hoping to work for someone else to make a living with minimum strees and GAD
i realized no man is an island and we all need help and support but we must not give in, just change our mindset so that we control our life and it becomes happier to live in.:yesyes:

[Worry-wart]

Laid off from the best job I've ever had a week after buying my first home:doh: I think that and poor monitoring of my thyroid levels are why I'm here.

[diane07]

I'm battling against agoraphobia, but i have to say recently i have taken on more hours in work, as i found the more i was at home, the more it was feeding my agora.

I'm very commited to my work so i suppose it outweighs the anxiety, i'm a home carer so people rely on me too much, and i take strength from knowing that.

di xx

[Dale.]

I work for a charity but I am signed off at the moment - hope to go back near the end of July if not sooner.

[blessing]

totally agree with that last reply! iv been signed off work for two weeks and some what wish i had of had the courage to just go to work as my brain is working overtime! at least at work your mind is takin up with other stuff and not about yourself.

[Kerrigan]

Thats excellent advice Emma, I'll definately give some of those ideas a shot to boost my income. Thankyou

[rubymolloy]

Hiya,
I have not worked 'out there' for years due to panic disorder and anxiety.
I recently got online again and have booked in to do a short 10 point course with the Open University. It's an IT course I chose, with a view to perhaps being able to work from home, but there are lots of courses. If you are on benefits it is totally free and I was deeply impressed by how understanding the administrative staff are about disability of all sorts, especially of mine, being afraid of going out and unable to travel.
Disability resources team email
disabled-student-resorces@open.ac.uk
or www.open.ac.uk/disability (http://www.open.ac.uk/disability)
Must say I am nervous about the course that starts in October but I think it will help build my confidence and give me a focal point. It is an incredible thing to be able to receive education for free...
Let me know how you get on anyone if you also give it a go..
Kind regards to everyone
Ruby:winks:

[Rachel_123]

I'm a student looking for work. I refuse to stay at home and not do anything :)