Trying to re-enter the work place

[Cake74]

Hello,

I’m Cas and for a fair while now I had anxiety & depression. I worked on it a lot but when it comes to work it becomes so much harder.

Last year I had a pretty good job as a waitress but I couldn’t cope with the high expectations and I overthought everything. They were big on giving feedback so I knew I was t doing so well. I ended up leaving because I had a shift time wrong I was supposed to start 11 but I thought it was 1. I freaked out so badly that I didn’t answer their calls and never went back. At the time I was smoking plants I shouldn’t be to ‘cope’ but really it wasn’t helping at all. I gave it up just coming up to a year now but I’ve not been in work.

I don’t drive because I don’t really have anyone to help, I’m 27 and driving lessons are so expensive right!

I want to give working ago again but I’m feeling concerned about how long it’s been and if I’ll even get hired anywhere - especially when I don’t have a licence. It’s a vicious cycle, I need the licence and car to get a job but I need the job to get a licence and car haha. Especially because of my age I’m not feeling the most optimistic about being able to get myself back to work and the gaps on my resume too.

Being on Centrelink isn’t working for me though, I have so many bills and I want to get a bit ahead in life you know? I went and did a process manufacturing course in July and I’ll get my forklift licence soon. There’s so many jobs available for that so I was hoping it would be something easy to do and I would find something.

I’m mostly worried about managing the anxiety while at work, managing the overthinking, managing telling myself I’m s*** and doing things wrong and concerned about making mistakes to the point I get fired.

Has anyone been through something similar and managed ok? Has anyone been able to be completely transparent in their workplace about what they’re going through? This is the type of workplace I’m hoping to find.

Thanks,

Cas

[white knight]

Hi Cas, welcome

So, I detect an underlying problem here that needs to be tackled, once that is achieved it will download to being a more reliable worker and things like paying bills, getting driving lessons and buying a car should all fall into place.

Employers arent interested in excuses nor people with special needs like us all here. They want workers problem free and productive , value for paying wages. How do we manage that?

The reason forums such as this is so popular is people with mind struggles have a place to congregate, share the hidden pain. If a cafe employed a physically disabled person the disability would be more apparent so the flexibility would be greater.

So, in my experience of some 90 jobs and 15 professions, it best to separate work with home life, social life and treatment.

Apply for jobs as a fork lift driver. Leave out the gaps from your resume. If asked, you went overseas or had a break. The work resume is about work not what you did between jobs.

Then once you have got a job, focus on becoming reliable and dealing with issues of mental illness outside of work. That means filling up your time with sports, hobbies and friends.

Essentially you cant expect too much tolerance from employers. Two part time jobs is preferred in fact as you'll be distracted better.

I hope that works for you.

Google

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TonyWK

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Cake,

I feel for you, & I can empathise with how anxiety & depression can affect work. I work and also have my own mental health issues. My specific experiences aren’t the same as yours, but to some extent, I understand...

I feel for how shaken you would have felt when you accidentally got a shift time wrong. But I still think it was very impressive that you put yourself out there last year, in terms of work. Despite your struggles, you worked in hospitality. That’s a huge achievement 🙂

I’m excited for how you’ll be getting your forklift licence soon. But I also realise that comes with mixed feelings, because you need a driver’s license for that line of work...

I wonder if maybe trying to get a temporary job that doesn’t require a driver’s licence (e.g. another waitressing/hospitality job) will help pay for the driver’s license that you need. I wonder how that sounds to you...?

I know you’re feeling nervous about the gaps in employment, but depending on how you word your future job applications, it’s possible to overcome. For example, the fact that you’re studying should help. Also, things like a good cover letter and volunteer work can also make up for employment history gaps...

I can sense your anxiety and fears, especially about how you’ll manage your anxiety in a work environment. But perhaps remind yourself that you managed it when you were still in that waitressing role, which suggests to me that you have the capacity to manage it. I understand that you ended up being so shaken by a particular shift that you never went but. But overall, you still stayed in that job for some time...

I wonder if perhaps advanced planning might help ease some of your fears e.g. learning and practicing anxiety management strategies (e.g. breathing exercises, visualisation, etc) in the lead up to employment. That way, you’ll have more solid coping strategies when you start a new job, in care you feel anxious. Just a little idea...

In terms of being open about your struggles at work. Theoretically, if we could all do that and find compassion and understanding, that would be great. But sadly, that is not always the reality in many (not all) workplaces...I would gently suggest a degree of caution when it comes to who you open up to in workplaces.

Good on you for opening up here. There’s no pressure, but if you want to chat, ask questions, etc, this is a very safe place.

Kindness and care,

Pepper