[dgrem3510]

I have been on state disability for bipolar for about two years and it is about to run out. Now I need to work, but I have no idea what to do. I failed out of college as a result of a major episode. My last job I had to quit because I was so dysfunctional and it was a really bad experience. Over the past six months I feel like have become much more stable and comfortable, my meds have been working well but as a result I feel very cognitively impaired (bad memory, difficulty recalling, difficulty reading, writing and organizing thoughts). This makes me feel very incapable of doing any kind of job very well and I'm very insecure of myself.
I'm looking at job listings and find nothing I'm qualified to do. Any job I apply for has hundreds of applications of people more capable and qualified than I am. My only option is to try to make myself more marketable in the job field with school or retraining. But I just don't feel confident that I have the intellect to complete such a program. This has totally been stressing me out. Its always on my mind following me like a dark cloud. I haven't been able to think about anything else, its very draining, gives me a headache and makes me feel sick. I feel really helpless and I don't want to be that way. I wish I could get this out of my mind and feel better again.

[Travelinglady]

Hello! You say you are running out of state disability. You don't say where you are from, but I live in the U.S. and my disability (social security type) will stay in place as long as I can't work.

Is there anything you can do to have some sort of disability continue? After all, bipolar isn't something that people generally are cured from.

I am thinking you might ask in the Bipolar forum what kind of work and schooling these folks have managed to be successful in.

I hope you will be able to get some work or some additional money before too long. Or find out what lines of work you might be successful in.