Does your counselor encourage you to go back to work?

I was just diagnosed with schizophrenia 18 months ago and until recently, was doing well on meds. My worst side effect is sleeping too much (now I sleep 12 hours a night and I used to sleep 8). I have had some problems recently with hearing voices so I am afraid I might need my medication changed.

I am on SSDI now and go to counselling with a LCSW. She is very strongly encouraging me to look for part-time work I can do with SSDI. Is this common? I told her last time I don’t think I could work until we have the voices under control. I feel a little pressured abnormally to work. I’m not even sure if I can work part time on SSDI

Is this common? Should I find another counsellor who is more comfortable with me not working? Thank you in advance for your thoughtful response!

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it is their job to set goals that are achievable for the client .
my therapist does the same thing…she wants me to set goals…e.g… go back to flying…education…work.
know someone cares :heart:
take care :alien:

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I think you can work at least part-time on SSDI because the SSI rules which are more restrictive allow it. However if you don’t think you are ready you probably shouldn’t risk it because if the program for work is the same as SSI they’d cut your check and losing your job would put you in a fix because it would take a while to restore it. (the government after all is pretty slow). If you decide you want to work the safest bet is volunteer work if the job site can be reached inexpensively. Working is a positive aspect of life because it keeps you busy and an idle mind is the devil’s workshop so to speak. I have been going through serious doubts about ever working again but I find my health is improving because I am currently taking physical therapy for my plantar fasciitis and arthritic ankles which involve a lot of exercise. It is 3 days a week and in a minor way it’s the most productive thing I’ve done in a while. It also forces me to take better care of myself. It’s nowhere near to the conditions of a job and I find myself worn out after just a little over a half hour of it (the exercise is followed by a foot massage) but it gives me something to do.

I agree that if you don’t feel capable you shouldn’t do it. There’s a bit of a cultural thing that we with MI should suck it up and be “normal”, that means work most of the time.

Would you rather go back to school, study something? Might be less stressful.

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My therapist does not push me to go back to work - this is not her primary focus.

She knows that I have limitations when it comes to working, but she does tell me to keep busy - go out more to stores etc…

If your therapists main focus is to get you back to work, knowing that it may be difficult for you, I would see someone else.

Therapy is supposed to be a 2 way process - Good listening skills is important on the part of the therapist.

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My counselor doesnt really care that much. He helped me tons financially, but otherwise he always went against my will and always said to the doctors that i should stay longer in hospital, which i hated. Also he is very unreliable, since he never responds to letters or e-mails and only sometimes on the phone. I appreciate his work to ensure that i didnt have to pay any penny for my meds or the hospital stay, aswell as ensuring me monthly social security/welfare of a nice sum. Wether i work or not he didnt care but gave some hints where i should look, if i felt good enough to start a job. He will not provide his services in 2017 anymore, i hope to keep the social security /welfare though. The stupid thing is that if i work part-time or full-time i wont receive my welfare money anymore and thus make deficits but if i work like 2 days a week or less then i can make money and still get welfare and in the end its even more than working full-time…

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When I got divorced and was a single mom, I moved in with my parents. My therapist kept trying to convince me to move out to be more independent. That would have been a disaster! As it was, I raised my son in my parent’s home for 18 years. I would not have been capable of doing it on my own. It’s good to challenge yourself to know what you’re capable of, but there is a general sort of blind push toward normal sometimes that isn’t healthy when you’re not ready. Don’t feel rushed. It’s not now or never, just keep it in mind. Maybe in the future something will spark your interest and you’ll be comfortable getting that job, or school or whatever. If now is not the time, that’s ok. Focusing on getting better, being balanced, is the priority always.

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Find out if it its really work she wants you to do or just something social, work like enjoyable challenging appropriately, and positive
You need something even 4 hrs a week in a charity shop x
Don’t let her misunderand your capabilities
Stress will kill you

Thanks for all the feedback here. I will raise the issue of her wanting so many changes, like working, when I meet with her next.

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