[birdcrazy]

My story is basically I got a degree in Zoology. As a child, I had childhood mental illness, but I thought I magically got better as an adult...

Then I got a few jobs trying to teach kids, but my social skills problems and over-emotionality got in the way... a couple of times I literally went brain-numb when stuff went wrong and I shut down mentally.

Then I tried research... everything was going fine until I tried to get more than one job at once (department store and restaurant)... I had my first psychosis/mixed mood episode then...

Yeah, that didn't go over too well...

And then I went back to research, and quit taking my meds in the middle of that job cause I thought I was fine... nope! Ended up going back to the psych ward and missing lots of work...

Then my last research job I just didn't do to well. Plus I was barely able to get my meds.

Basically the other problem is I seem to only find temporary jobs in my field... but this mental health thing limits me cause I already had to turn down one job cause I found out there was no good mental heath coverage in that area.

So my job history is seasonal jobs... and having mental episodes on the job and/or not doing well at the job.

Anyway, I'm looking for another job cause I can't live like this much longer. I'm getting unemployment now, but that can't last forever. I have student loans to pay off someday! My family is very poor and me being here even getting unemployment strains them a lot. I'm limited to jobs with health benefits. I don't have a car.

Right now, I have so little money, that if I got a job, there would be no way for me to move to a new place. I'm to qualified for jobs around here... I live in a rural area outside a small manufacturing town, and I have a Bachelor's of Science!

Plus on meds, I'm not disabled enough to get SSDI or SSI. I'm trying to get help from voc. rehab but I don't think they are interested in helping someone with few problems on meds. But even on meds, I have some problems, it's an annoying situation.

All this stuff plus having to live with my grandma who has dementia is putting so much stress on me, I'm snapping at everyone. Plus I can't get out and do stuff on my own cause I have no car and I live out in the boondocks.

I basically need some suggestions. I'm like applying to 1-2 jobs a day and getting a few interviews over the phone here or there, but very sadly I had to turn down two jobs that wanted a personal interview but I couldn't make it there (they wouldn't pay for it).

[possum220]

I do feel for you.

Is there some supervisor in rehab that could point you in another direction so that you don't fall between the cracks? There must be someway. Maybe you could get some advice from phoning a Mental Health service. Or find some kind of advocate someplace? Maybe even your doctor might know of some avenue for you to follow. Maybe rehab can get you travel vouchers to interviews?

Being in another country that has different services it hard to know what to do.

Hopefully you will get better and better and eventually be able to find a job you can manage.

Good Luck

In the UK we have the Job Centre which you go to on a daily/weekly basis. They pay for your stamps to apply for jobs they give you help and tips/advice on how to behave in the interview and will pay for your transport to and from the interview....

Is there anything like that near where you are ? Maybe if you look into you may be surprised even if its extra help because you are mentaly ill ?

Good luck....

Trish.

[birdcrazy]

GAHWWWW!!!! They suddenly cut my unemployment off and won't give it back. It is true I didn't work for the state I was getting it from for a long time.

And job center... they have one, but they won't help someone with a bachelor's degree, I already tried that. I can try and call and pester them again... but I don't know.

I just don't know where to turn to, my relatives will keep giving me shelter, and my medical is covered for now, but seriously my bills!!! I don't want anymore unpayed bills after what happened with my involuntary commitment to the mental hospital.

Seriously, our family is barely making it as is, without my unemployment, I don't know what we are going to do!!!

[theotterone]

Take a deep breath. It seems overwhelming right now, but you can get it figured out.

My husband has been reduced to 32 hours a week, I can not take any time off for at LEAST the rest of the year and our youngest has been sick so husband has had to take time off without pay. Hang in there! It will work out!

[birdcrazy]

Vocational rehab. accepted me as a client, but they can't help me to almost the end of the month.

And I found out how hard our situation is... we got behind on our propane bill... way behind and if we don't pay we have no heat

I still can't pay my bills.

Right now, we have almost no food, I had to call my uncle to see if there was anyway to bring something home tonight.

I found out what happened is he has 14 credit cards he's trying to pay off, state programs don't count that when figuring up your income stuff, so according to the state we should have enough money and we shouldn't be without food, but that is not the case. I need to beg another relative who is doing much better if I can live with them... cause I'm just placing an unnecessary burden on my family here.

[Hunny]

"Vocational rehab. accepted me as a client, but they can't help me to almost the end of the month."

This is wonderful news! They have accepted you! Sorry, it doesn't kick in until the end of the month.

So, first things first, right. Have you checked out your local food bank. Having to ask is hard, I know. Not sure what I would have done if our church didn't have a bin where people put things like pasta, flour, canned soups and other non-persihables.

Have you tried calling the propane company to see how they can help you?

As for paying your bills and moving elsewhere, maybe leave that discussion to your appointment with your Rehabilitation Counsellor.

It's nice if relatives can help temporarily with food too. Here's hoping that will work out but with the food bank it may not be necessary.

Make sure you listen to some nice music that you enjoy and write here on PC too.


H

[trevorzero]

I'm afraid that a bachelor's degree doesn't really make you drastically over-qualified for a "regular" job in today's economy. I have a bachelor's as well and I take whatever miserable job I can find. Don't be reluctant to settle for something that is beneath your qualifications.

[birdcrazy]

Originally Posted by trevorzero

I'm afraid that a bachelor's degree doesn't really make you drastically over-qualified for a "regular" job in today's economy. I have a bachelor's as well and I take whatever miserable job I can find. Don't be reluctant to settle for something that is beneath your qualifications.

Sigh, I don't know how I would get to a job if I got it... my uncle fixed my car... then declared he was going to sell it cause it was still technically his.

I couldn't get to the vocational rehab appointment cause of transportation, I had to make another one and hope for the best.

There is a HUGE unemployment rate here, 15.3% I heard this morning.

I'm waiting to hear back from a job, but it sucks cause it has no housing, pays poorly and no benefits.

[trevorzero]

I really feel for your situation. I grew up in Southwestern Michigan and I loved it there but I couldn't consider living there because of the economy.

Is there any chance that you could relocate out of the state? Do you have relatives who live elsewhere that could stay with?

These are things that you probably have already been pondering, but I hope you'll "think big" when it comes to figuring out your next step. When I left my small town in Michigan, I went to Chicago and I found a job right away. There is a big world out there.

[birdcrazy]

Southwest Michigan, huh? Yeah, things are rough here. I have no money at all. I remember when I lived in Columbus though for a short period of time I had a summer job, then I was able to find two jobs at once for two months before I had my psychosis episode which ruined everything and sent me back to Michigan.

I don't have many out-of-state relatives... most of those are in northern Ohio or Indiana... just as bad. One lives in Arizona, but he had alcohol problems and I don't wanna live with him.

I do know a friend that saved money, then randomly moved to Colorado with no job, she was able to find one eventually just before her money ran out, but I don't think I could do that, no money.

[trevorzero]

I just hope that you will keep your options open. There are supposed to be many available jobs in North Dakota. Wouldn't it be "fun" to live there?

(At least you're already used to snow and cold.)

[birdcrazy]

Oh, bill people are already mad at me. Relative can no longer help to pay them. I don't know what to do anymore. I don't have any scheduled interviews or anything like that and I don't know where to look anymore. It sucks not having a car and I don't know what to do.