To work or not to work

[FishyEnthusiest]

Since being released from the hospital due to depression and suicidal ideation two weeks ago, I am trying to make the decision whether I should continue to work part-time or not. I have been back to work 2 times since my release from the hospital and I have felt unsettled and anxious every time I am there. My anxiety kicks in and all I can think about is wanting to leave. I really don't know what to do...I know I am new to this group but any advice or wisdom would be much appreciated.

 

[King_Oni]

Does your job know about your situation? If not, is there any option/consideration of telling them (well, at least your boss).

Also; how much do you depend on your job? Social security? Disability benefits?

To be honest, I'm quite wary to even consider looking for a job, because I know that there's a big chance it'll go sour and I'll end up in therapy or the hospital because of the job (whatever job that might be; it's not the type of work, it's more all the stuff that comes with a job; schedules, social situations, etc. that annoy me enough to warrant me a mental case). Thus that's something that I consider if it comes to jobs/employment in general. Do you think another job wouldn't be that stressful, if offered a different one?

 

[FishyEnthusiest]

Most people at my work know about my situation and my boss is very understanding when I do need time off. That being said it is fine if I take time off but i'm also not getting paid. I do get partial social security disability but it doesn't cover my living expenses. If i stop working I can go on full disability. I just am not sure if a job is worth the stress I feel. I have had many jobs. I have either been fired or quit. Between my aspergers, anxiety and depression life and work can be quite difficult.

 

[King_Oni]

If i stop working I can go on full disability. I just am not sure if a job is worth the stress I feel.

Well, that's something you have to sort out yourself. But if you get full disability, at least you have the option of quitting and not having a lot of problems cause of it.

 

[Arashi222]

Well it sounds like you feel there is the option to go on full disability but do you really want to? working is hard for us I can understand that but you have to look at your health would you be healthier if you could devote your time to things that make you happy? I don't know the answers I wish you luck. Plus i have to tell you that i really like your avatar that is cool.

 

[FishyEnthusiest]

Well it sounds like you feel there is the option to go on full disability but do you really want to? working is hard for us I can understand that but you have to look at your health would you be healthier if you could devote your time to things that make you happy? I don't know the answers I wish you luck. Plus i have to tell you that i really like your avatar that is cool.

I think on one side I would be happier being at home and not having to work, I would just have to develop a new routine....which can be a challange but it do-able. Thank you for your input.

 

[NeverEnder]

Since being released from the hospital due to depression and suicidal ideation two weeks ago, I am trying to make the decision whether I should continue to work part-time or not. I have been back to work 2 times since my release from the hospital and I have felt unsettled and anxious every time I am there. My anxiety kicks in and all I can think about is wanting to leave. I really don't know what to do...I know I am new to this group but any advice or wisdom would be much appreciated.

Hi.

I have experienced very similar situations as you described.

I have Aspergers and have been hospitalized for Depression many times.

I cannot handle working at a "normal" job; The anxiety and social problems deem it to difficult and stressful for me.

Fortunately, I am working from home about 25-hours per week for a media company; I test software and moderate website forums. It is easy and the best part is working from home. (The only contact I have with co-workers/bosses is via email).

I wish you the best in your situation and your decisions.

-Matthew-

 

[Grubby]

Don't work. Working wastes your time doing what others insist you do, which is rarely if ever what you would choose to do yourself. In fact a contributing factor of your depression was probably work.

 

[Arashi222]

Don't work. Working wastes your time doing what others insist you do, which is rarely if ever what you would choose to do yourself. In fact a contributing factor of your depression was probably work.

Working is not a waste of time. If you can work and do what you love I say do it. But sometimes you have to make choices on what makes you happier. If mental health is the key then the choice may not be not to work but to work at something you love and are happy doing. Like Neverender does he does something he likes while getting paid a bit and is at home which helps him. Depression can be prolonged and made worse by being in situations that are stressful but it is not necessarily working in and of itself that is the issue just the situation. But the most important thing is making a personal choice on mental health and happiness.

 

[King_Oni]

Working is not a waste of time. If you can work and do what you love I say do it. But sometimes you have to make choices on what makes you happier. If mental health is the key then the choice may not be not to work but to work at something you love and are happy doing. Like Neverender does he does something he likes while getting paid a bit and is at home which helps him. Depression can be prolonged and made worse by being in situations that are stressful but it is not necessarily working in and of itself that is the issue just the situation. But the most important thing is making a personal choice on mental health and happiness.

I agree on this... if only job centers thought like this though -_-

To them a day worked is way more important than 2 months of depression because of it... and ending up in piles of medical bills.

Talking about senseless bureaucracy.

 

[Mr Faramoose]

feel odd saying this but as much as I see the reasoning behind work and why people need to work to make countries work, it is true that some people struggle a lot more with jobs which other people might think as being easy. For example, stacking shelves in a shop. Most people might say hey thats easy, without realising that mentally, the person doing that might be going out of their mind because they know they're stuck there for hours on end they hate being around other people and knowing that there are people out there happily knowing they don't have to work even though they could do. So, some people might judge you as being lazy for not wanting to work, but only because they will never fully understand the mental health problems it can bring on or make worse. Ok some people might get bored easily and working helps them relieve boredom, other people are just fine existing on a small amount of money and being on their computer all day. My advice, try to keep working if you feel you can, because you'll probably feel like you're achieving something by doing so, but as you said you have anxiety kicking in when you are there [ and believe me I know how horrible that is] perhaps, even for now it is best to accept any help given to you and don't feel bad if you have to give up your part timing

 

[James K Trefethen]

Work can be more of a headache than it is worth. If you are like me, you spend hours at work and the rest of your hours preparing mentally for work.

Having a job helps you feel like a valuable part of society. But finding the right job is difficult. Even a good job can be hard to maintain.

Some people with autism can work. Sadly most of us are unemployed. A good lot of us struggle with employment. I know I sure have.

I wish there was a lot more of the type of jobs that play into our strengths, like software testing. I think such a job would be really fun, but those types of jobs are found in places with more people.

It sounds like this particular job is getting on your nerves. Is this type of job suited to you or would you rather do something else?

 

[Ian114]

I wonder how many of us are employed versus unemployed? I would like to work but consider myself basically unemployable.

 

[King_Oni]

I wonder how many of us are employed versus unemployed? I would like to work but consider myself basically unemployable.

Perhaps this offers some insight from a poll I conducted earlier this year;

The Aspiescentral monthly poll; March 2014 | AspiesCentral.com

 

[James K Trefethen]

85% of people with Asperger's Syndrome are unemployed. Generally, the higher functioning a person with autism is, the more likely he or she is employed. This is true for all forms of autism- not just Aspergers.

Polls on the subject here would be biased by the following:

a) A good lot of the people here have not been diagnosed.

b) Anybody who can write is (by definition) higher functioning.

I won’t go on about the sample size or anything else like that, because I do find the poll to be insightful.

If you don’t believe the forum has some sort of bias, consider this: Women are greatly over-represented in the forum. You’d suppose- from reading the posts- that the mix is about 1:1. In reality, the real ratio for autism is about 4:1, in favor of men.

 

[Ste11aeres]

If you don’t believe the forum has some sort of bias, consider this: Women are greatly over-represented in the forum. You’d suppose- from reading the posts- that the mix is about 1:1. In reality, the real ratio for autism is about 4:1, in favor of men.

There are more diagnosed male Aspies. But many people think that female Aspies are more likely to, while being genuinely ASD, remain undiagnosed. Many or most diagnosed ASD people are diagnosed in childhood. Well, little boys in general have more difficulty with "acting out" in school and stuff, and thus are more likely to be assessed for whichever-conditions in the first place. Tony Atwood guesses that the real ratio might be 2:1, in favor of men.

However, I think the internet in general does have a bias towards certain types of people. It would make sense, for example, that un-employed or under-employed people spend more time on the internet, since they have more time to spend online.

That being said, I still do like Judge's poll. There's almost certainly no poll in the world that has a 100% perfectly representative sample.

 

[James K Trefethen]

Whatever the ratio, the proportion of men having autism is a lot greater than our forum would indicate.

 

[Sheogorath]

Depression often gets worse when the depressed person isolates him/herself from the rest of the world. They quit their job, stop seeing their friends and stay at home all day. This often makes matters worse, but not always. If your job is a source of stress and anxiety, for instance.

The reason why having a job is healthy, is because of the fact that animals (which we all are, in a way) need a purpose. A pack of dogs is never just doing something. They need a goal. Something to work for. Work for food, for instance. It's why many dogs in the US are stressed out and problematic: they can't fulfill their urge to work. We humans are quite the same. We too need to feel useful and need to understand that we get out of bed on a morning because we are needed somewhere. And besides that: it's crucial for once pride and self-esteem to be able to support themselves.

But you don't need a job for that. If you can give yourself a little routine and things to do, you should be fine. Also stay in touch with the outside world. We might not like it, but it's healthy to have an X amount of time of social contact. People often see things that we ourselves can't see. They can give you feedback or keep an eye on you.

 

[CleopatrasAsp]

If you want to work but don't want to have a job, would it be possible to start your own small business? Knitting and selling socks, carving bird whistles, making jewelry, or something like that? And then sell them on the internet? You could earn a bit of money, be doing something you like, and best of all, do it on your own terms and in such a way that you can meet your own social and neurological needs? Just a thought.

 

[JCPHN]

Not sure what to say, except that I'm going through the same problems right now, and it is comforting to read this thread.