[diamondprincess]

Do you guys work? If so, is your job stressful or easy? I found a job (miraculously) working from home. I don't love it, but I am grateful for it since I am not on any medication. Please share your experiences.

[Nola0250]

I work. I find the busier I am, the better I do. And my job is stressful. I think maybe that's not usual? Time to ruminate leads to time to get anxious and the next thing you know I'm in a mixed episode. If I could be a massive workaholic I might just get by without meds, but I'd be just getting by and barely. If I want a personal life where I can enjoy free time, I gotta be treated.

[Row Jimmy]

My job is stressful and I don't always use my strategies. I tell my p-doc they don't usually work but he keeps at it. I'm not big on crowds, noise, or confusion......and since I'm a school teacher, these things are sort of unavoidable. I also suffer fools poorly and I have plenty of them in my classes. There's this one kid who is an absolute dink - he just yells stuff out, talks inappropriately, and acts like a jerk for most of the class. The other day, he says "I don't want to go to China because all they do is eat dong". This is what I deal with......his dad is a nutcase so calling home does no good. The office doesn't want him because he's a chronic problem, so it's people like me who are left to manage him. I don't dislike him - he's actually likable on some levels, but he's incredibly disruptive.

I try grounding strategies but keep in mind, I'm live-on-stage and there's not much I can do. I don't have the luxury of taking a walk, closing my eyes, or meditating. I almost have to do some long-term groundwork/prep so I don't get in trouble.

Unfortunately, my mouth gets me in trouble and I need to watch it. I am your typical BP hothead. So I remind myself to cool it if I can.....but it gets the best of me sometimes. After his wise crack, I tossed him from class and told him I didn't care where he went. As he's leaving, I said "here's a spelling lesson for you - ABC ya!"

Yes, I do work.

I’m not sure I could find a more stressful job if I tried. I was laid off from my previous firm (which was spiraling down and is now out of business). I tried to find a similar job but couldn’t get one (they would just hire someone younger and more junior, or pull the job). I finally landed one-a headhunter found me, but it is higher level and I’m not used to dealing with executive management.

I was being managed on Abilify then Seroquel...a few months after I started this job I went hypomanic from extreme stress. I managed to inherit two massive headaches the previous person in the role fleed from. One pertaining to overarching technology issues, the other—multiple regulatory issues. My God. They didn’t tell me this during the interviews...

My therapist and my psychiatrist both asked if I could find something less stressful. I told them I already tried, and I would have to move since my industry barely exists in my city.

I asked to be started on lithium and was also given gabapentin to handle the anxiety.

It’s been very hard.

[Aviza]

I work but don't consider my job stressful. I like the extra money. Plus i qualify for different better benefits being a working disabled person.

[diamondprincess]

Originally Posted by Nola0250

I work. I find the busier I am, the better I do. And my job is stressful. I think maybe that's not usual? Time to ruminate leads to time to get anxious and the next thing you know I'm in a mixed episode. If I could be a massive workaholic I might just get by without meds, but I'd be just getting by and barely. If I want a personal life where I can enjoy free time, I gotta be treated.

My last job was stressful and I think it was good for me too, so I know what you mean. The busier we are, the less time we have to be depressed and/or angry 24/7. I have actually learned to enjoy my free time, by doing creative things I enjoy by myself. I find that I do them more now that I have BP, sometimes cause I enjoy it and other times to help me cope, so its a win-win.

[diamondprincess]

Originally Posted by Row Jimmy

My job is stressful and I don't always use my strategies. I tell my p-doc they don't usually work but he keeps at it. I'm not big on crowds, noise, or confusion......and since I'm a school teacher, these things are sort of unavoidable. I also suffer fools poorly and I have plenty of them in my classes. There's this one kid who is an absolute dink - he just yells stuff out, talks inappropriately, and acts like a jerk for most of the class. The other day, he says "I don't want to go to China because all they do is eat dong". This is what I deal with......his dad is a nutcase so calling home does no good. The office doesn't want him because he's a chronic problem, so it's people like me who are left to manage him. I don't dislike him - he's actually likable on some levels, but he's incredibly disruptive.

I try grounding strategies but keep in mind, I'm live-on-stage and there's not much I can do. I don't have the luxury of taking a walk, closing my eyes, or meditating. I almost have to do some long-term groundwork/prep so I don't get in trouble.

Unfortunately, my mouth gets me in trouble and I need to watch it. I am your typical BP hothead. So I remind myself to cool it if I can.....but it gets the best of me sometimes. After his wise crack, I tossed him from class and told him I didn't care where he went. As he's leaving, I said "here's a spelling lesson for you - ABC ya!"

School teacher huh? I thought about working with kids, especially after I got diagnosed, since I will probably never have any now.

[diamondprincess]

Originally Posted by key tones

Yes, I do work.

I’m not sure I could find a more stressful job if I tried. I was laid off from my previous firm (which was spiraling down and is now out of business). I tried to find a similar job but couldn’t get one (they would just hire someone younger and more junior, or pull the job). I finally landed one-a headhunter found me, but it is higher level and I’m not used to dealing with executive management.

I was being managed on Abilify then Seroquel...a few months after I started this job I went hypomanic from extreme stress. I managed to inherit two massive headaches the previous person in the role fleed from. One pertaining to overarching technology issues, the other—multiple regulatory issues. My God. They didn’t tell me this during the interviews...

My therapist and my psychiatrist both asked if I could find something less stressful. I told them I already tried, and I would have to move since my industry barely exists in my city.

I asked to be started on lithium and was also given gabapentin to handle the anxiety.

It’s been very hard.

I am so sorry for what you are going through. Are you staying because of the money or? Maybe your therapist is right and you should find something else. I got laid off from my last job as well and after that realized it would be best for me to try and work from home until I felt I could handle being around people again. I know having this crap sucks, but putting myself first has made my life a little easier than it was.

[diamondprincess]

Originally Posted by Aviza

I work but don't consider my job stressful. I like the extra money. Plus i qualify for different better benefits being a working disabled person.

Oh so you get disability, thats cool. What do you do in your free time?

Originally Posted by diamondprincess

I am so sorry for what you are going through. Are you staying because of the money or? Maybe your therapist is right and you should find something else. I got laid off from my last job as well and after that realized it would be best for me to try and work from home until I felt I could handle being around people again. I know having this crap sucks, but putting myself first has made my life a little easier than it was.

It’s great that you can work from home.

I need the job because:

1) I wouldn’t see anyone most of the time - I’m a young widow
2) My daughter is in college
3) Money, sure. I’m my only source of income

I would have to move to get another job—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles/SF...I really don’t want to move.

I really need to be around people. I don’t want to deteriorate—loneliness would get to me quickly. I already feel lonely sitting where I can see people all day. I know it can be worse because in my last job, as they laid people off, I could see only empty desks and I felt so alone.

Are you ok after being laid off? I thought it was a pretty horrible experience. I miss my old coworkers.

[twenty3]

Currently PT (15 hours) as a tutor. Recently left a position as a work from home customer rep (25 hours) since the anxiety and pressure was too much.

I tried second shift FT last year and ended up hospitalized after three months. I guess I'm learning that a simple low-stress part time flex job is best for me?

[Aviza]

Originally Posted by diamondprincess

Oh so you get disability, thats cool. What do you do in your free time?

I actually keep pretty busy with therapy and case managers and stuff. But my hobby is songwriting. I may only work 18 hours a week but it takes up a big chunk of the days i work.

[Pookyl]

I no longer work. In fact I haven’t worked since diagnosis three and a half years ago.
My job was very stressful but I was great at it. I was someone who lived to work. I grieved for a longtime.
Now, as someone who has almost back to back episodes I have accepted that not working was the best decision.

[pirilin]

A diamond princess talking about work. Work?. Interesting.

[diamondprincess]

Originally Posted by key tones

It’s great that you can work from home.

I need the job because:

1) I wouldn’t see anyone most of the time - I’m a young widow
2) My daughter is in college
3) Money, sure. I’m my only source of income

I would have to move to get another job—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles/SF...I really don’t want to move.

I really need to be around people. I don’t want to deteriorate—loneliness would get to me quickly. I already feel lonely sitting where I can see people all day. I know it can be worse because in my last job, as they laid people off, I could see only empty desks and I felt so alone.

Are you ok after being laid off? I thought it was a pretty horrible experience. I miss my old coworkers.

Yes I am ok, because like I said, my last job was stressful anyway. The one I have now can be a lil stressful and triggering, but I guess I feel I have more control because I am alone and can just not answer a few calls if I choose to because Im feeling down or whatever. I do feel a lil lonely sometimes and thats why I chose to come to this site, to be able to connect with others sometimes.

[diamondprincess]

Originally Posted by Pookyl

I no longer work. In fact I haven’t worked since diagnosis three and a half years ago.
My job was very stressful but I was great at it. I was someone who lived to work. I grieved for a longtime.
Now, as someone who has almost back to back episodes I have accepted that not working was the best decision.

Totally understand. Being around people all day is hard. I did it for awhile, but some days where just unbearable.

[diamondprincess]

Originally Posted by pirilin

A diamond princess talking about work. Work?. Interesting.

Lol. True!

[scatterbrained04]

I work. My job can be stressful and even triggering at times. I find that I do better working though. Takes my mind off how I'm feeling. So I usually find I feel better at work than I do in the evenings and on weekends when I'm not working.

[Miss Laura]

I'm not working currently haven't had a job in 7 years. I feel like a bum. I want and wish I had a job but it's all about experience or qualifications now.

I use to work as a Key Worker for a group of men who have Autism along with Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviour. My job was VERY stressful as the guys sometimes were physically challenging. It's not the first time I have been injured. I have the experience but lack the qualifications now and the experience I do have mean nothing as I can't do 24 hour shifts or sleep overs due to the bipolar

[Shazerac]

I’m retired now! But when I did work it was stressful for me when I as going through some kind of swing into depression or mania. The main thing that helped me was cutting my self some slack and staying med compliant. When I had to go through a med change or a really bad episode I called in sick.....because I was.

[Unrigged64072835]

I was in the military for 22 years and a gov't employee for 6 years. It was a high-stress, feast or famine, customer service kind of job. It was starting to pick up before anxiety, bipolar, and menopause unleashed themselves. I've been on disability for over five years now, and I'm finally getting over it.

I can't go back to my old job since I need a new security clearance and there are no jobs here. I don't have a degree that is useful. I also have physical issues that keep me from retail and food service jobs. I'm actually better off on disability.