depression and applying for work

hi, I'm new to this forum and this is my first topic

I have spent 3 years on incapacity benefits through being able to work because of my depression, and about 6 months ago now I felt I would like to return to work and that being able to provide for myself and earn my own money would help me feel better about myself. But, I find that having had help has caused me problems when it comes to applying for work, many jobs I have applied for specifically ask about nervous or mental conditions and weither I have had been to see a doctor and what about.

whenever I have been asked this specifically and told the truth I have never recieved an invitation to an interview or even a letter to say that I was unsuccessful . If I'm to be totally honest it has really hit my sense of self worth, but it has left me more angry that I feel I am being discriminated against, so much so to the point I have considered lying on job applications and trying to hide my past in that respect, I was wondering if anyone had any advice or suggestions?

thank you

Hello Laz
I am sorry you are hitting a brick wall in finding a job at this time. Have you thought about putting will discuss at interview in the space describing your disorder? There is no need to fully disclose every detail of your Disorder to anyone at the time of application even though you are trying to be honest you are also sabotaging your efforts to get a job. I hope the best for you in the future regarding getting a job. I live in Ohio and there are many rehabilitative resources and job searches for persons with mental health disorders, there may be rehabilitative services and job searches in your state as well if you are actively getting treatment from a mental health agency. You will need to call your mental health provider to see if the services exist in your state, if so it will be easier to get a job since the job you obtain will meet the objectives of you becoming a productive worker with a mental health disorder. Ihope the best for you in your job search. take care Soidhonia

hi so sorry about your situation,at times i would love to return to work trouble is what you have experienced would probably make me more ill that is often the reality for people with mental health problems. it can become a real trap.i'm in the uk and i have never accessed training for work schemes. they are there ,there is the job centre and also private schemes there is a pathways to work scheme but this only operates in certain ares your local mental health services will have contact details even if you have not had contact with them they should be able to assist,your gp may also know of schemes. you do have to watch for just being a place on a seat which certain private schemes are notorious for.i have spoke to people in the us and they seem to have better services than the uk re rehab may be wrong though,good luck with your job hunt i wish i had the strength to do what you are doing

It does seem unfair but insurance rates, etc. are greater as depression is like other illnesses and I imagine the company doesn't wish to take on someone with a pre-existing illness. I can't get my own health insurance, have to get the "state's" because I'm too overweight; even though I'm extremely healthy and have no great past history of illness. But because the odds are stacked against me, I have to jump through hoops to get more expensive, special insurance. If I were to go back to work, that would be different (since company/work insurance is based on claims/health, not what probably will happen in the future).

I would apply for a "smaller" or part-time job that isn't going to ask you questions about mental health? I worked for 10-15 years at part-time jobs I'd find because they fit what I wanted at the time. I always presented myself as following my own plan and stated that I was deliberately looking for part-time jobs, etc. I don't think you would be lying in any way if you stated you had taken 3 years off to work on a "personal project" or something like that. I would get back in the work world either part-time or volunteering and then applying somewhere once you'd worked a bit or apply to a place that didn't have "forms" or so many layers of people looking at your health. Once you get a job, any job, then you could go sideways or up, etc. I'd work on a plan to do work in a couple stages to get around insurance worries and get some current experience, etc.

Hi, welcome to the forum.

And congrats on taking the next step to go back to work!

I have an interesting perspective on the situation because on one side, I am someone who has a bunch of mental health problems, but I do work and go to school. Mostly, it is very difficult. On the other side, I actually work in the field of vocational rehabilitation, meaning I work with people who have mental health issues and want to return to work!

You might want to research vocational rehab. places in your area. They can be very helpful with hooking people up with employers that are acceptive of people with any type of limitations, and can be pretty flexible with scheduling and stuff like that.

Also, you should never feel required to tell an employer more than you're comfortable with.

What types of jobs have you been searching for?

thanks for all your replies :-)

the main type of work I have applied for is to be an electrician's apprentice/electrician's mate (assistant for non-uk readers) as I allready had experience and qualifications in that field before I needed to stop working.

I have however been looking to take at least as a stop-gap most types of work that don't require previous experience and pay a realistically livable wage, theese include: Security Guard, Factory labourer, construction laborour, and warehouse operative.

this Vocational rehab that has been mentioned sounds very interesting, where would I look for such help, and would it matter that I am not currently recieving treatment from a GP or other healthcare professional? the Jobcenter has had very little help forthcoming in that department, it appears thier focus is on recovering Alcoholics, recovering drug abusers and ex convicts, I sometimes just feel that depression is something that many people just too easilly dismiss

hi again i have at times felt dismissed by drs and so called professionals in the mental health field other times they have been excellent like the rest of us they are human,i think it is because at times i can come across as well when i am dying inside .it relates to never asking for what i'm enitled to, i've slowly changed this attitude but its not easy. depending on your area there are schemes for people experiencing mental health problems check your local mental health teams and if ones are not in place ask why not ?good luck