Poll: Do you work?

I have never worked, the main reason being severe social anxiety and social interaction difficulties. Several years ago an assessment said sheltered, supported work was the level of my employment capabilities.

  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Voluntary
  • No

I have worked for 9 years since 2000. However, the doctor certified me as incapacitated to work after reaching ā€œmaximum recovery indexā€.
The workplace now only welcome youngsters before 30 or 35. Unless it is vacant position for manager, though.

I am currently neither working nor volunteering. I am a member of a clubhouse which isn’t technically volunteer work though it is voluntary.

I have however worked many jobs over the years. I got my first job at age 14 and tried my best to keep a job during my teens. My difficulty with keeping jobs was also due to anxiety for the most part. I have no idea how many jobs I’ve had but know that the most rewarding work I’ve ever done didn’t even pay me.

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No, mostly due to age restrictions. I did have a ā€˜job’ when I was 13 however, before anxiety and such started hitting me full on.

I worked for 6 months full time. about 12 yrs ago in a farm shop

i did volunteering on and off for many years in lots of different things charity shops riding therapy

i studied a lot, yoga shiatsu art outdoor education / youth work

i worked part time a little for a few months at a time farm work, restaurant work,

a lot of these things were attempts to make something of myself and overcome schizophrenia which was how i thought of it,

i don’t try and do that now and now i don’t go into hospital because I’ve been well
paradox

i do a little voluntary work on a friday morning 3 hrs

I’ve worked pretty steadily since 1983. I’ve had about 14 different jobs, I’ve worked 40 hour weeks before but most have my jobs have been part-time. I’ve lasted 4 years at a couple jobs and three years at a couple more. My highest ā€˜status’ job was when I was a park ranger for two years. I’ve worked in several department stores and I’ve been at my current janitor job for 4 years. I’ve been with the same company for 5 years.

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I’ve never been stable enough to really hold a traditional job for long. I’ve done some volunteering but even that was on again, off again in nature.

I think if I really put my mind to it and think about alternative jobs with non-traditional hours and duties that I might be able to find something I can do. I’d like to be productive, independent.

Janitorial work isn’t hard. It’s possible to find a job as a janitor where you can do your work in an office building or other building after it is closed down for the day. Like a swing or graveyard shift. Where you can work on a crew but basically you are doing the actual work by yourself, no people to distract you or stress you out. And you can make $10.00 or $15.00 an hour.

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I work full-time as an administrator in the NHS (national health service). I basically book hospital appointments.

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No, but I kinda have a plan to get back:
Step 1. Volunteer and learn to deal with my problems in public.
Step 2. Get a part-time job when I can manage it.
Step 3. Become self-sufficient again and get a full-time job when I can manage it.

Things to overcome:
• Nausea from anxiety in public.
• Panic from crowds.
• Paranoia (Kinda ambiguous as it can vary a lot)
• Motivation and focus/memory.

The problem is, I keep procrastinating. Though for good reasons:
• I don’t have a car and I’m not going to take public transportation.
• Not a good time financially as we’re in the process of buying a condo.
• Not a good time for stress because of the above reason.
• I’m afraid that if I try to volunteer or get a part-time job, the SSA will deny my SSDI during a review because it’s a sign of improvement.

That last one is the most damning. I get reviewed every 12 months, so if I appear ā€˜better’ to them, I can lose my benefits pretty damn quick.

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No I don’t work, I only ever had one job in my life and it was part time for about three months, just before I got married. Last year I did some voluntary library work, but stopped after a month or two because of lack of motivation. That is my biggest problem, it is really disabling. I plan to apply for disability grant soon. Fortunately I am married and my husband has enough money to support us so I don’t really need to work.

That’s where I started. I loved the 4 to 5 hour red eye shift. I really liked the idea of being done a little after sunrise.

From Janitorial I went to Groundskeeping part time, and worked up to full time as I got stronger. Then I moved a bit up the ladder again.

*My son had a few jobs when he was younger. It is very easy for him to get a job, he just cant sustain it for long. its been a long time since he has has a job. He also used to talk about getting a job on 3rd shift-working on his own.

For me it would have to fit the following criteria which is nigh on impossible- near to home, little or no interaction with co workers ,minimal manual or organisational skills required, non competitive, low stress, doesn’t require much initiative.

I’ve been told I’m unhirable. Sometimes I feel like Maynard G Krebbs, if anyone knows him.

I might be able to do a job at the computer at home, that’s not repetitive.