Tray Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 i was just wondering who works, and if they do are they part time or full? I am asking cause i have worked before my dx and after but again have been made redundant (end of oct) and am looking for work again. my pdoc says at the mopst i can only work part time, ie less than 25 hours per week, but those jobs are few and far between. i have next months mortgage payment and then imscrewed so today have applied for a full time role, local to me so no travelling time, with an agency. have to go register tomoz and see how it goes, its only till end of \jan so i reckon i should manage that shouldnt i??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Data Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 I am not a doctor but in my experience its not as simple as the number of hours a week that you work, although that is a factor. Its also about.. How long are the shifts? 6 hours a day for 4 days a week is probably easier to manage than 8 hours a day for 3 days a week How sympathetic are your employers? Will they let you take a 5 minute break every now and again if you just can't cope? Are there any triggers present in the work? We all have our own individual triggers, for example loud noise is one of mine. How nice are your work colleagues? You never know this until you start, but sometimes you get a "vibe". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_pressy Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Hi Tracy, I work a full time job and have been in it for 3 years now, and was only diagnosed in March this year. I won't lie, 2009 I had to have just over a month off work due to the BPD and 2010 I was off for over 2 months after a failed suicide attempt. But I find that work helps to create some sort of routine in a life where I don't seem to have any control over anything. Your pdoc most likely is just like mine and doesn't seem to understand that no matter how crappy you feel you still need money. I think it is possible to work a full time job with BPD, but your employer will need to know about the disorder and, where possible, try not to put too much stress onto you. I guess a lot of it depends on how you feel in yourself and whether you think you could handle stress, because I haven't come across a job yet that isn't stressful! Take care k_pressy x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tray Posted November 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 data - i think you have a point. my pdoc said he would rather i work small shifts daily than long days as i get tired easy and that causes anxiety. K - when i worked full time, before i was dx i coped but thats cause i had to, like you say we have bills to pay! x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_pressy Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 It really does depend on how you feel personally about working and whether or not you think you could handle it. Are you on any medications or anything to help? I've found that since I was put on mood stabilisers I can cope with things better at work, but there are still times when I have to say 'right i've got to go outside for 5 minutes' because I feel like I could explode. I think that data is right with regards to working small shifts, or even a split-shift so that you could have a 'nap' inbetween. But the only downside is that, obviously, the more you work, the more you earn, and it depends how much you need a month to get by. I hope you do manage to find something though. The one thing I will say about this job you are currently looking at is be careful as it is around the Christmas period which is stressful enough as it is. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tray Posted November 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 iv been exclusivly looking for part time work. i was on meds but recently stopped (silly me) but have an app with the pdoc (new one) next week so going to see what he/she says. i can get by on part time money as i get tax credits to top it up x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_pressy Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Well if you can get by on part time money I would definitely go for something part time. And i'm sure that your new pdoc will be able to help you and recommend what is best. Saying that, not all pdocs are great. Before it was confirmed I had BPD, I had one telling me that they thought it was BPD, and another that said I was 'just a little bit sad'!!!!! x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tray Posted November 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 lol if only we was just a little bit sad eh! my old pdoc has left so got an app with a new one, quite scared really but going to be strong and demand that they give me something that suits me this time x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie46 Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 I work two jobs but lately have found it difficult to get to work I am always late the last couple of weeks I have been really depressed my therapist thinks I need a new doc to look ay my meds thinks I might need a change but can't get in to new doc until March so I'm seeing a nurse practicioner on Fri I am really suicidal at times then the next minute I am fine my one friend is done she is burned out on listening to me she thinks I will wake up one day and life well have passed me by she thinks I need to have my therapist teach me how to feel something sometime s I feel bit most times I don't no how to explain what is going on with me does the feeling of hopelessness ever leave sorry I'm rambling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow girl Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 I left normal emploment back in 2001 because I couldn't sustain it even though it was just 21 hours per week. The pressure of set times and government targets and big brother type higher management was too much. Since then I've been self employed which has been much better in relation to the stressess of normal employment but has other stresses of its own. E.g. not knowing from week to week how much income you will have so you can't budget easily; if you have a bad patch and can't work as much you don't earn as much therefore you have to keep going till you're in a real crisis. I don't know which was better/worse: the guilt of letting the team down and going off sick for long periods when employed - but with sick pay, or the pressure to never stop working or take a break because if you do you can't care for your family and risk losing your home. At the moment I am desparately trying to come up with some work that is low pressure and provides some reasonably reliable income - even if small, without the pressure of having to keep to set times so I keep the flexibility to work around my moods. I don't want much lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie46 Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 Good luck shadow girl Right now I am in the position that I really should be in a hospital I am cutting and burning and my meds must be out of wack because I can't sleep I'm barely at work just enough to pay the bills I go to one job one day the other the next and maybe niether the next I feel like dying every day I just got a 3 month supply of ativan enough to put me to sleep for a long time if not for Casanova I would've already accomplished the task thanks for listening you always say good things how do you do it your amazing. Mickie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow girl Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 Hi Mickie, sorry you're having such a tough time at the moment - have you got support to help you get your meds back on track? If your meds are a temptation ask to have them dispensed weekly, that's what I do. Since I went on weeklies I've managed to reduce the size and frequency of overdoses a lot. Stay safe. Hugs x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie46 Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 I do have some support but I have about used it up my family all lives out of state but my therapist might give them to me each week until I am stable again I feel so out of it right now having a hard time staying at work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddie50 Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 I used to work full time until I became very unwell in 2005. It took me a long time to recover and I now work part time - 15 hours a week which I can do flexibly. Whenever I want. I am very lucky being able to choose my hours as some days I am more unwell than others and some days i am more doped up and need to sleep more. When I geve up my full time job which was really well paid but very stressful my incoome dropped to about a third of what it had been but i wouldn't go back to those terrible days of trying to struggle through feeling out of control and and out of my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tray Posted December 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 i went and applied at the agency today for the full time job, we wil see what happens... thanks everyone for your replies x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annielou89 Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 i voted part time but off sick at the moment, have been since mid october. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autism-bpd Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 only voluntary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catsmother21 Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 I have been signed off work for about 10 years now constantly and it was on and off before that xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aurorablues Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 Hi Tray, I used to work, very hard. From the age of 16 to the age of 28 (i stopped in Jan 2008). The reason for stopping is a long story, but to cut it short. I used to work in catering (upto 70 hours a week) and it was very stressful. My mental health was also worsening around that time, i lost my job and found myself homeless and i was told by my Pdoc at the time to discontinue looking for work until i got myself sorted. Unfortunately things got worse before they got better, so i've now found myself out of work for almost 4 years now. Aurora :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roses Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 I haven't worked since 2005 and haven't been able since then. Tried to go back to college but even that was too much for me. Just taking it one day at a time at the moment and my partner has been out of work since end of August so it'll be a really tight Christmas this year but we are happy and getting on with it. Applying for all the benefits we can like only paying interest on mortgage, council tac benefit and JSA and child tax credits and that. Hope you find a way forward x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_pressy Posted December 3, 2011 Report Share Posted December 3, 2011 Good luck Tray, hope you do get the job and it isnt too stressful for you if you ever need to have a good old rant feel free to pm me x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tray Posted December 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 well no one has called so guess not maybe its fate i didnt get it x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasmineRose Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 I work a bit over 25 hours a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewchocolate Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 If you get a job and are both working 16 hours & over 25 you can apply for working tax credits which might help you out a little. I work 16 hours but not old enough yet but I know other people have applied for WTC and get an extra £300 a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5headh Posted December 5, 2011 Report Share Posted December 5, 2011 I worked from 16-18 on and off depending on how bad I was, had quite alot of time off sick. Now Im off work completely atm, so very very poor :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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