Going back to work

Oh gosh, I'm so sorry you're going through all that. I went through something very similar, and am now living hundreds of miles from my family with no job. It's a stressful time to be sure.

If you ever want to talk you can pm me or meet me in chat sometime. Maybe we should all arrange a chat tme to meet up and discuss work?

Can't Stop... just keep looking after yourself, things will get better. I don't know how old your kids are, but I know they have a good Mom. I'll pray that your work situation improves.

So with you on all of that.

It's hard though when you need the money and when you have an illness and need insurance. It's not like Prince Charming Job is waiting out there on a white horse right now. It's kinda ugly out there, (as you know!) It took me over a year to get my current minimum wage retail gig after losing the call center job. I went to three interviews for it! It was nuts. I make some money on the side writing but it's not steady, so I need the job.

Ironically, people are still fighting to get into the time-your-pee place. For every 100 applicants only one gets in. Then when they do get in and get on the phones, they're like, argh. This is hell.

Yup.

Hi PGrundy, I need my insurance just for basic health care and I pay a significant portion of the premium every month (then am discouraged from taking time off work to go to the doctor). Do the people who are applying at the timed break place know about the timed breaks before they apply? Some of the stuff I put up with I didn't know about before I hired on. You have some good experience between your retail job and the call center job. Keep your eye on government jobs -- they like that kind of experience. When I want to find Prince Charming I watch one of those cute romantic comedy movies. 90 minutes of pure escape

I'm glad your leave will be paid. That is one less worry. You can come here and tell us, and what about finding a support group near where you live? I hope things start looking up for you soon.

Just saw the responses on here- you guys are awesome.

You are awesome! I saw another of your posts about where you work being "one upsmanny" and the thought came to me that some industries are worse about this than others. Where I am working now has a definite, highly structured hierarchy and everyone below a certain level is dirt (I'm on the dirt level). But where I used to work was even worse. Oh, to be able to find a job where people value being kind!

Sometimes, it takes one or two people who are willing to break the tradition and speak kindly to those on the "untouchable level" to start the changes rolling. These types of behaviors are often based on fear that if you don't treat them like crap, peoplewill mistake you for them (not you personally, but the general, unknown "you") I ran into that at a clinic I worked at once) Stopping and snacking with the security guys and the office staff slowly started to change the atmosphere, but it took time.

I am also about to have to go back to work and I am terrified. I have been out since Jan. 7 that day I attempted suicide, had surgery, and was in the hospital for weeks recovering. My problem is that no one knew I have any mental health issues, I hide it very well in my professional life, but my personal life is a mess. That in itself is very hard and stressfull. Back in August I was raped and only my Front office Manager and the General Manager knew about it but I felt like everyone that came in or walked by the front desk could tell just by looking at me that something was wrong and that I had been damaged in some way. There were days my anxiety and depression was so bad I could not make it thru a shift. I missed a lot of work during that time. Now I have those feelings coming back. I know when I go back to work people are going to ask where have I been and what happened. I don't know how to respond. I am lucky that my bosses are great and I work with great people. But I am scared about letting my crazy out, I don't want anyone to know that I'm bi-polar and suffer from major depression, PTSD, and have terrible anxiety. I am considering not even going back to the same place, maybe I should just find something new and start over then i won't have to deal with it all. I work at the front and am the face people see when they walk in, I am always supposed to have a smile on my face and be happy and cheerful, but how can I do this when I am so afraid they now know what is wrong with me, what if I can't hide it anymore. I have all the same feelings coming back like I did after the rape which is now giving me flashbacks of that ordeal. I guess the only positive thing is that I did make it thru and continued to work after the rape, with med changes and therapy every week, hopefully I can make it thru this also. I hope you can to, I know it's scary and i wish you the best.

(((((((((Sunflowers)))))))))!!!!!

poor (((sunflowers))). hope you're doing ok!