[CgRgSm]

Hello, I have been depressed for my whole life, (I'm 22 years old now), and I had the hardest time finding a job. I've only had this one job ever, and the only reason I got it was because my brother worked there and they liked him. It is a really annoying and difficult job for me, but I think that it is the best that I can do in my lifetime. It is basically just typing up edits for documents on a computer all day, of course there's a little more to it than that, but I don't want to type a huge long message right now. I was just wondering how others cope with having depression in the workplace.

Every day I come in, I have to say hi to several people, and I really don't like talking face to face with people, especially if I have to lie about how I am doing (because I'm never alright). When they ask me these questions, they're expecting a "normal" person answer, but I'm sorry, I can't give it. I always try to tell the truth to people, I even told my supervisor that I will never be alright, I tell her I'm ok, for me, and I am alive, but that's about it. I wonder if I'll get fired for being depressed?

I applied for many jobs before, and did interviews, and from my experience, no employer is going to want someone who is even remotely sad or depressed. They're expecting you to be all cheery, happy, and want to be around people all the time and all this stuff that I am most certainly not. I can't make myself be this way. So please, anyone want to talk about this subject? How do you cope with being depressed at work or around others? You can pm me if you want.

[roads]

What a good question, & a common situation for so many of us! I'm glad you've brought it up.

The issue of honest/fake answer to "How are you?" always aroused two distinct schools of response around here. The bigger group by far says to tell'em what they want to hear. The rest of us want to be honest--your desire.

I was with you until another of our members, Venus Halley, http://forums.psychcentral.com/member.php?u=99858, showed me why IRL I might want to exercise the other option. I'm going to try to track down that discussion and edit in the link here or message it to you later. If that doesn't happen, I suggest you contact Venus directly & ask her for a chat. It's an important issue & could affect the rest of your working life. Venus is approachable, generous, much nearer your age. She's Czech & hangs out in Prague ... a great city too btw.

[Rohag]

Originally Posted by CgRgSm

It is a really annoying and difficult job for me...

• Does this job allow you to gain a sense of increasing mastery?
• Are you becoming more depressed at this job, or is your depression "stable?"
• Have you considered training for work where you could be more autonomous?

No need to answer the questions. If a way exists for you to a brighter life, we want to help you discover it.

[cornercurio]

I do everyday. When I started the job I was not depressed, but became depressed a few months later and still am. I spoke with HR and with my boss. As far as I know I'm covered as if I have a disability. I fake a good mood alot. And many have told me to fake it until you make it. Just hang in there and do the best you can. The more you interact the more you'll get out of your own head and feel better. I just do my best every day and hope it's good enough. And I hope you do too!!!

[CgRgSm]

Thanks for the replies.

Roadie - ok, I'll have to see if I can get help from her. I have seen her in the chat rooms before.

Rohag - 1. not at all, 2. It's been up and down, 3. I've considered other occupations. The skills necessary for my job are skills that are completely useless to have anywhere else. When I first got the job, I was a little less down because I wasn't expecting to find a job at all. But, this job only offered a graveyard shift then, and I ended up getting stuck with that for 2 years now with zero chance to change shifts. I wish there was something that I was good at or even something that I sucked at but I knew that I wanted to pursue.

When I was in high school, my counselor was trying to help me with one of those career tests to find out what I wanted/could do for a career. I told her that I have thought of everything in the world and there's nothing out there that fits me. She thought I was crazy and said I couldn't possibly have thought of everything. To me, its like there's only so many things out there and I am very limited.

cornercurio - I am horrible at faking good moods and I wouldn't want to anyway, it feels so pointless to me. I don't want to have to just lie and simply try to get by. I never speak in real life unless I am specifically requested to, so I am not interacting with my co-workers at all. Right now I'm sitting at a table with 3 other people, they are all way older than me and were in the military, and were small town country type people. They are always having a good time teasing each other with jokes and poking fun out of small things in the work but I never laugh with them and they just think I'm weird. I hate this situation and just want to die.