Do you get guilty about being unemployed?

My mom is a doctor in urgent care and every day she sees and treats people injured in the line of work, and people who are dealing with chronic issues and who just need something to get rid of the pain.

She tends to treat me kind of coldly being unemployed even though I’m going to school. She has that “nose to the grindstone” rugged individualist sort of outlook on life. If you are unemployed for any reason, in her eyes you are wasting your human potential.

I am just two years out of an acute episode and am gradually recovering. Should I be ashamed that I am unable to take on the responsibilities most people my age do? Should I be ashamed of relying on people in the wake of an almost complete mental collapse?

What are y’alls takes on this. Should we all be working and are those who deem themselves unable to do so guilty of a great wrong?

I really don’t think that you should feel shame about not having a job. You have a good reason : you are sick or you have been sick and you are recovering. It’s really important for you to take the time to recover and it’s normal for you to have no job during this time because sometimes a job can be difficult and stressful.

But I remember that when I was sick, I was feeling really bad because I couldn’t have a job. So I know how you feel. I was feeling so bad that only some months after starting recovering, I came back right away to university. It worked and I have now a job but I took a risk.

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My advice would be do what u can do. When I first got diagnosed I was in rough shape. Mostly because my body wasn’t used to the meds. Now I’m not sedated and I can work
Think of yourself as having potential. If I were you I wouldn’t feel guilty. But at the same time it’s very important to have purpose. Maybe you could volunteer or work part time or start a side gig. A self employment business license is only $50 in some states. Yard work was therapeutic for me. So is being a self employed fisherman, but yard work is very cheap and easy to get into

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I wish it weren’t the case, I myself am 36 years old. I have an associates degree in computer programming, and a Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration, but every time I attempt to find work I find myself getting more and more stressed out by the idea. The more stressed out by the idea I get the more my psychotic symptoms start rearing their ugly head. I feel like I should be able to have a decent job. Take my brother’s girlfriend who’s about my age, she has two jobs. My brother just got a new job and started going to college again to get certified to work on car’s…all in a new state mind you.

My sewing instructor teaches sewing at her family’s store but also is going to school for cosmetology. She’s my age…and has her own apartment she shares with a roommate.

Meanwhile I’m still living with my parents, don’t even have a driver’s license, or a job to speak of. I do write in my free time, but so far nothing’s happened with that financially except for me spending what little I get from the government on the craft for like writing software, and paper products, and pens, and all that good stuff. Oh well it does help with release of stress. But like you said I can’t help but feel guilty for not being able to actually hold a real paying job.

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I was actually also really stressed, especially before coming back to university, just by the idea of if I’m going to be able, if I’m enough healthy. I was thinking about that all the time. I didn’t want a failure. Fortunately for me, the stress didn’t create any symptoms and afterwards, I have been relieved by seeing that I was productive and that I was able to get very good grades.

Have you talked about the effects of your stress to your doctor or your psychiatrist?

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I don’t feel that bad. I would have a job right now if not for the sz. Like literally they didn’t hire me because I was sz. So I apply to more jobs and maybe I will get one. So don’t feel bad. I think I read somewhere like 90% of sz are unemployed.

Thanks @discobot

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Can you shut the hell up?

I can only speak for myself, but I feel guilty when I’m not working.

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@Anon10

Instead of criticizing you, your mom should try to see the world through your eyes. And she should be proud of you for going to school.

Have you and your mom ever discussed what you want to do for work? I know you said that your mom has a rugged, individualist outlook on life, but she’s conveniently leaving out the many times she was helped out by someone in one way or another.

If your mom truly wants you to get a job she should hook you up with a job at the hospital.

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These nazi like opinions I do not agree with.

I think it is cruel and hateful and cold etc

When I had voices they used to say I do not deserve food because I do not work.
Same time they said I was not aloud to leave apartment because I am too ugly and might get seen.

My mum called me trash scum lowlife some years ago and I do not agree with her.
She had high expectations for me perhaps.

I believe I was a workaholic with my eons making multi billions and more and beyond .

Though my person and body does not get that money but I do good and serve.

It is not encouraging the hate they have towards people who they see as non productive.

Narrow minded who do not know any better I think.

I am proud of myself for many reasons even if no one else is.

I did the dishes today and have helped and assisted my bf.

My eons ,spirit and aura have done great things I believe but in person with my body I struggle to be around most and going out is big and takes a lot out of me.

I am afraid of work as it could make me worse.

I want to get disability pension and be well enough to volunteer work for meals on wheels.

Some of My family may be a bit nazi like and hateful.

I am sorry for them that they can not appreciate me.

The brothers and sister were taught from baby age to disrespect me and see me as trash and “you do not want to be like her”.

My parents on paper taught them that with their new partners.

I have no contact with brothers and sister who are spoiled and hateful and arrogant with all their awful friends.
Ugliest behaved people I ever met and some of my own family is my enemy .
They started it.

I was giving so much that I was fragile and weak and still feeding them and loving them that they can not comprehend of understand.

I will probably never meet them again by choice but I send Birthday and Xmas card to be polite and I may have love and care even for my enemies.

i really wanted to work as s Aged care worker as I paid for certificate all by myself and took two years to complete.

I do not want people like that in my life.
I tried breaking all contact with some family but one woman who raised me gave me a home to live in and I love her but her children are awful people that I do not want in my life.

I tried breaking all contact with my father on paper but could not as I thought a card at Xmas etc atleast.

That attitude of arrogantce and hate I do not agree with.

As a Dr you would think she would be more understanding and caring instead of hating and trashing such people.

I would not want your mum to be my dr .
I reckon.

There are disabled people who do great just existing.
Maybe they make people laugh or give lots of great love and do what they can and are able to do even if it’s getting out of bed or being seen .

It is sad that we have nazi like Drs so hateful to people they are supposed to be helping and a bling and encouraging .

You can feel the vibe even if the hater is trying to be professional.

I am sorry for them that they cannot appreciate disabled people who do not work but maybe their eons do…

People like that can worsen someone’s symptoms rather than be proud of what they can and do do.

I want keep such people away from me.

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I had this guilt due to an enormous work ethic.

I hated going to the post office to get weekly money because I was sure i was being looked at like a loser and felt awful about myself for years

I am now sure i could do a 10 hour a week job but i think - could i really do that long term, without return of symptoms?

I have after 27 years been signed off for life, quite recently.

before that were the crushing forms to fill in about how i cannot function on my worst days for benefits

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Only sometimes do I really feel guilty. On bad days I’m usually able to be okay that I don’t work. But in good days, especially when I’ve had many good days in a row, I start to feel like a fraud. Like I’m not really sick/disabled and should just go back to work. That I must just be really lazy. I hate those thoughts. They usually end up making me push myself enough that I end up feeling awful.

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No. I don’t feel guilty. It’s etiher work full time here in Australia or don’t work at all. It’s just the way it’s all set up that way and it’s sucky.

I’d like to work. But I work fulltime and I travel and I sleep 10 hours a day…I have like 2 hours to wind down and that doesn’t work. I end up stressing and getting paranoid.

I’d love to compete with everyone in the job market but I have schizophrenia. That is a serious thing and it’s not easy to manage for most. I do well…but it’s still out of my realms to work fulltime. Do some volunteer work to keep you in the game!

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This disease we have is pretty overwhelming. I don’t think anyone can legitimately find fault with you for not being able to work. If you feel like you are capable, give it your best shot, but don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t work out. Blame the disease, not yourself.

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I feel guilty for not working but that comes from other people telling me what to do

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I tried to work but it was a long commute and I was living in a nightmare by the time I got home. Since then, I totally understand why the disabled have a hard time working… I think wanting to work to be happy is something all made up in our head. It’s possible to lead a respectable and modest life with help from the government or family. idk that’s what I tell myself though I keep obsessing about work.

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No I don’t feel guilty as I would if I could
I do volunteer work

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I’ve never seen that bot thing before

@discobot fortune Should I feel guilty for not working? lol