Lived Experience Forum

[ml87]

I spent last year studying to become a PT as I wanted a job that would keep me active and try to manage my anxiety and depression, as well as something less stressful than my current role which was in finance within a big organisation.
I'm finding I now find the new career stressful and my anxiety is high again.
I feel like I can't work, but then don't feel like that's an option as not fair on my husband.
Our lifestyle has changed since I left the finance world, and I don't want to use my mental illness as a cop out for unemployment. I just am scared and feeling like the only times I manage my illness is when I'm not working and don't feel pressure from needing to make money.
Can anyone relate and please help me out with some advice?
Thanks

[BamBam]

Hi @ml87

I also worked for a large org and have had to downsize considerably. It's a fine line between letting the psyschaitrists win, who will tell you you have few career prospects, and maintaining your own enthusiasm and motivation.

I think a balance is required. At the moment my 'job' is to attend my outpatient support groups and some volunteering at a community laundromat. I have an interview tomorrow for a job at LawAccess NSW but it will be just to keep in practice with interviews.

Having a serious mental illness doesn't mean you can't do big things, but it needs to be done in a gradual way so your anxiety is kept under control. Like training the brain, sort of thing.

Hope you do well when you are ready to.

[CherryBomb]

Hi @ml87,

I agree with @BamBam balance is certainly key. I don't think your using you MI is a cop out at all. If you had a broken leg, you would not be expected to do work.

You might want to check out the career conversations that run every Friday 10 - 4 (AEDT) in the Special Events folder. They cover a topic related to employment each week. 

CherryBomb

[Former-Member]

Hi @ml87

I can relate, I had to take last year off work as i was really unwell, and ive gone back to work this year, and already feeling really overwhelmed and like im hanging on by a thread some times. I also don't know what to do though, as financially we're in a precarious situation (single mamma) and so much else going on with family court and stuff. Its a ll a bit much sometimes..

LJ

[JoseJones]

@ml87, it sounds like you're not entirely at ease about the way your circumstances have changed since you left work, is that right?  I can only echo previous suggestions about unemployment; if it's causing you a level of anxiety that is becoming unmanageable, there is nothing wrong with taking some time off.  We all owe it to ourselves to be as kind to ourselves as we would like to be to others.

[mrkotter]

I took last year to get myself sorted - I didn't have to, I was effective in my job etc. But how I felt I was going and where I was going in the future was unacceptable to me. I thought I could get a better outcome.

Obviously that cost me a lot of money but taking a voluntary redundancy helped. But it helped.

My advice that it's totally fine to take a break - so long as you're working on yourself.