[Collegegirl99]

Ok so I've been on meds for 3 years and I've been going to school. I didn't work because I was still fearful about becoming under the delusion that ppl we're talking about me. I remember how bad it got with my last job so I avoided it all together. I used school as a way to ease myself back into society. Here I am now and I have a dilemma. For reasons I'd rather not discuss I cannot work a paid job yet. I was looking for an unpaid internship to work this summer after graduation while my psychiatrist lowers and possibly takes me off my meds. The problem is that the place I was going to intern at no longer offers the position. I was going to use the internship as a cover up to people who I know but don't know about my struggle with mental illness. But now I can't. I understand that I can volunteer somewhere until I'm stable on a lower dose or off my meds but what am I supposed to tell people that ask me what's going on with my life right now. I can't think of a polite response that tells people I'd rather not talk about it. If this is a dumb post I apologize...it's almost 3 am and this just hit me. I'm open to any suggestions.

[mazing]

It's definitely not a dumb question If it was me I would use a vague version of the truth - something like "I'm volunteering to get some experience while I get everything in order and work out exactly what I want my career to look like/which direction to take". Most people don't ask any more than that.

If they keep probing then you can always continue to use the "still working it out" line.

[Little Lulu]

You really don't owe anyone an explanation about the details of your life but it is natural people might ask. Something like mazing suggested sounds good. If you are not volunteering you can say "I'm still hammering out the details of my post-college career and life" ... which is true.

Congratulations on persevering and graduating.

[hayleytheherbivore]

It's awesome that you've made it this far. I've still got a year more myself before I graduate high school, and it's definitely a struggle for both me and students around me that don't even have mental illnesses.

People do not need to know your private business. If they ask, you are not required to tell them. Vague responses will be fine, if they push you are more than able to assert yourself and say that it is private for no reason other than that you prefer people to know you by your capabilities, not disabilities.

[Perna]

I'd just say I was reviewing my options, thinking about graduate school, work, travelling the world. . . What would you like to do next? Just get excited about that and tell them about that. If you want to work, talk about the type of work you will be/are looking for, etc. Or, just say you "don't know" yet and ask them what they did when they finished school, effectively changing the conversation around to them.