How Many Of Us Are Able To Work?

[Alexandra]

I gave up my job due to ill health. The door was left open for me to go back but after the depression went it went into agraphobia.

The more i worried about the work situation the worse i felt about the confirmation of the agraphobia & some of the depression id had previously came back, but i rose above that & let work go for my own well being as i was getting no where fast fretting about it all so much.

The depression & stress was really all related from my work & personal stuff when i was living at home, basically it had all snow balled out of control. The personal area ceased to be a problem when i managed to find my own flat. Even though i was'nt completely out of the woods i did feel abit better than i had been.

It had been like a great big weight around my neck & when i finally had enough courage to let go of work i felt so much better, it has really been a turning point for me things have slowly looked up from that time on.

Things can only get better.


Alexandra

[Ma Larkin]

Hi everyone, cop this then! I work full-time (40 hours per week), am a single mum with 3 kids, run a home, at the moment my eldest daughter has IBS, my youngest son has a broken leg, my ex-hubby is sulking cos his latest love has just dumped him, my first hubby has just proposed to what will be his 3rd wife & hasn't told his 2nd wife yet or got divorced from her! Working full time keeps me sane, I don't know why as I work as Personal Assistant to the 57 councillors of my local Council. Can you imagine the abuse day in, day out, people not getting their bins emptied, street lights not working, pot holes in the roads, etc., you name it, I get it. I've been in trouble at work for having time off. After I took the overdose I was off for 16 weeks, but that was because of massive panic attacks, upto 20 a day. To cut a long story short, I cannot even have an hour off sick now. Don't get me wrong, my managers have been so supportive, but working for the Local Authority has its policies and Human Resources are quite harsh. Visits at home, written warnings, Stage 1 interviews, Stage 2 interviews, the list goes on. If I am ill now I have to book a day's holiday!! The good thing about it, is we have our own Occupational Health Unit & they have been wonderful; i've had counselling, medicals, & if I go into panic mode I just nip next door (handy isn't it having an Occy Health Unit right next to my office haha!!) If I didn't work full-time I think I would probably be agrophobic like a lot of people on this site, but I have to work, I can't afford not to. I suppose there are lots of people in the same boat as me, but its my only bit of independence & like I said before, it keeps me sane!

[kate]

But, aren't we always being told not to avoid things as this will just intensify the fear? Does not giving up work due to anxiety/depression also fall within the "avoiding" category?

Kate

"Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same"

[Tomimo]

I am training to be a teacher and am split between uni/school.

There are days when I hva wanted to stay in bed but I find that work keeps me motivated and provides a welcome distraction when things are rough.

Annie x

[Alexandra]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">But, aren't we always being told not to avoid things as this will just intensify the fear? Does not giving up work due to anxiety/depression also fall within the "avoiding" category?

Kate

"Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same"

<div align="right">Originally posted by kate - 23 February 2006 : 15:50:41</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

Hi Kate. If its for your own well being & to keep you sane & to not be a nervous wreck all the time then sometimes it is for the best best to let go.

Please also note that some people like myself end up without a choice in the end. Everyone's situation is different than the next persons.

Im just telling it as it is.



My boss didint want to understand my situation, he would just (so to speak) brush it under the carpet & i think secretly hoping that it would just go away)
I tried & tried my best to get through to him. In the end i went over his head to his boss who actually did something, by then it was to late i was so worn out with everything, i was in tears every lunch time on the phone to my partner who was angry & upset that my supervisor was doing this to me. My doctor even said to me that i needed to get out of there before things really did get out of control.

Alex

Many People Will Walk
In & Out Of Your Life
But Only True Friends
Will Leave Footprints
In Your Heart

[Karen]

I don't work at present and haven't for about 6 years now but the reason I lost my job was not because of my depression or anxiety. I've experienced these since the age of about 12, went to college for 2 years after school and then straight into a job.

The reason for not working is because I have chronic RSI and I was made redundant from my last job because of it.

I do agree that the longer we remain out of work anxiety and self-doubt creep in and it becomes harder to return.

When I am well enough I hope to re-train and do a psychotherapy course next year - unfortunately I have not been well enough to start this year's course and the next one starts next January.

I have goals I would like to achieve and within the next couple of years I would like to be running my own therapy service.

Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey

[Alexandra]

Good for you Karen re the goals you can do it hun. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Take Care

Alex

Many People Will Walk
In & Out Of Your Life
But Only True Friends
Will Leave Footprints
In Your Heart

[Quirky]

Hi Jullip,

Sorry I didn't reply and answer your question earlier, there are so many posts about right now I must have missed your question.

ME is M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Encephalopathy) is a chronic, fluctuating illness. It is also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). The illness affects many parts of the body such as the nervous and immune systems. The most common symptoms are severe fatigue or exhaustion, problems with memory and concentration and muscle pain.
There are many other symptoms too.

Do remember though most people with tiredness and aches and pains do not/will not have ME, anxiety alone can make us tired and achy.

Lisa

[shakylady]

My dream goal is to work and be independent and am not giving up on trying to make this happen, I think once I have reached this goal I will get back some well needed confidence and dignity!!

I admire anyone who works whilst fighting this anxiety monster!!

[kate]

Alexandra,

The point I was making is doesn't giving up work fall into the avoiding category? If it is best for us not to feel like wrecks, for our own well being etc then we will never again go into any situations that make us anxious! I was merely asking why the working environment should be treated any differently to any other situation that causes us to panic.

When you replied to my post with your own experiences, you are unaware of mine. You don't know if I work or not, what I suffer with or how long I have suffered.

Kate

"Everybody's changing and I don't feel the same"