stopped work for years

[patricias]

due to not being able to be around people for too long. i cant work out there in the workplace. i work from home. but i have a driving phobia as well which imprisons me in the house, i live in the country with only 2 buses a day, but i used to love the work i did, did it for years until my problems took over. its not that i am a work shy person, but after a couple of days at the most i am usually asked to leave as i am upsetting the other workers, or i have a row with the boss. i never know what the reasons are. i was on benefits for years becuse of this and still would be but my benefit has now changed because i have become my partners carer. i would love to have the courage to work around folk again but i always blow it. they make me feel like an idiot not the other way round, i am a very skilled person but cant overcome my social problems. does any one share my problems in any simular way?

[Chem]

Apart from the fact that I can drive, I could have written your post. I can no longer go out to work and can't forsee the day when I will be able to. I loved my job, was good at it and miss it. Now I can't fill in a form if I have to without a pa. I don't feel safe with people, a) in case they attack me , and b) in case I attack them. If someone upsets me I'm overtaken by white rage that comes out of nowhere. It's really scary.

I hope you manage to work outside again. Have you tried any voluntary work? Even a few hours a week might build your confidence and give you respite from being a carer. Good luck

[weevil]

I think I know how you feel even though driving has always been the opposite for me, I worked doing it for a couple years at my first uni and I looked forward to being there while I was too scared to go into classes. I haven't worked in ages but I've been trying to go back to uni again but having trouble doing that as well, it's not as bad as working would be but just the presence of other people puts the fear in me. I don't know where the fear comes from I'm not afraid of getting attacked or anything, just being trapped while feeling scared. Which you are at work as you have to be there 9-5 for example.

Are you doing anything about it at the moment like therapy or medication? I seriously doubt any medication alone will help me now, I need help from a professional.

[PinkRoxy]

due to not being able to be around people for too long. i cant work out there in the workplace. i work from home. but i have a driving phobia as well which imprisons me in the house, i live in the country with only 2 buses a day, but i used to love the work i did, did it for years until my problems took over. its not that i am a work shy person, but after a couple of days at the most i am usually asked to leave as i am upsetting the other workers, or i have a row with the boss. i never know what the reasons are. i was on benefits for years becuse of this and still would be but my benefit has now changed because i have become my partners carer. i would love to have the courage to work around folk again but i always blow it. they make me feel like an idiot not the other way round, i am a very skilled person but cant overcome my social problems. does any one share my problems in any simular way?

yes that kind of started to sound like me at work too. I am a pool lifeguard and now I am not but I had to leave from some other health condition that was completely different.

Anyway I had mood problems and also picking arguements with my manager and I found the workplace just too stressful. I can only handle being around people for a certain amount of time aswell.

It affects my social life and love life big time, I have only a very small amount of friends and I dont have a boyfriend and havent had one for years.

I feel like I am ruining my life and I get depressed from it from time to time. I am seeing a therapist now and am going to go and study next year so I plan to ick myself up and get back in the working place.

But yes I understand how you feel. Have you tried working in a quieter environment? Such as behind a desk and/or computer.

I have only just been out of work for two weeks now and it is driving me insane because now I have all this time on my hand and I dont know wht to do about it.

Anyway I understand where you are coming from and I really recommend a therapist as they help heaps

[Dont_look_at_me]

Just a thought to consider ... Asperger's Syndrome can be associated with these sort of social interaction problems - though not saying it necessarily is in the above cases. More information would be needed to assess that.