Hi. What part of sz or sza makes us not able to hold a job as some descriptions of our disease states?
Or what makes you unable to work or what makes it difficult to hang on to a job be it full time or high interaction jobs. Dig in deep because I feel that it is.
For me, since I’ve been diagnosed I just find all social situations difficult and uneasy. They feel unnatural or like I’m being fake after all the depths and agony of what I experienced. I find the whole social interaction thing difficult. I fear it as well.
Feel free to talk about what you’re going through now on or off a job.
I just interviewed for a logistics processor at Nordstrom, but I don’t want it because the manager expressed how it’s fast paced and team oriented. I have an opportunity to interview with Marriott for an at home reservation sales rep. Although I’m generally quiet and not one to call people often, I think I may be able to handle this because I’d be home, but then again I may be in over my head.
In my opinion for most it’s the cognitive and negative symptoms. Many people with sz can get positive symptoms under control with APs but APs are not designed to treat these other symptoms. So negative symptoms may hurt social skills needed to get a job or keep one and if there’s cognitive issues you’re options are narrowed down even more…for some people the side effects of APs themselves prevent them from working…I really believe that once we get APs that target all symptoms with improved side effects that the majority of those with sz will be able to work and be independent…
Hi Anna. Thank you for your response. Do you know of anythings that help with negative symptoms? I have most of these, but I try my best to function through them.
i have paranoid sz and i have tried for years to work but i just cant hack it. I cant deal with the stress and certainly have a very hard time not being paranoid and interacting with people is really hard for me. I have been on ssi for about 7 years and while i am grateful for the little money it gives me i really wish i could work because its so hard explaining to people that u dont work and then they inevitably ask why and u have to decide if u are going to tell them that u cant because your schizophrenic and deal with the stigma or lie to them.
There’s a lot of debate over things that may help with them but there’s no definitive evidence that anything is very effective at treating them right now…in every psych class I’ve ever taken as well as neuropsychopharmacology the answer has basically been there is nothing right now for treating negative symptoms.
HOWEVER there are meds in development currently that aim at treating both types of symptoms. So hopefully those are effective and come out within the next decade or sooner!
Hi mamallive77, thanks for your reply. I am glad you are able to receive benefits. Coming from someone who wants to get ssi, I hope this helps in place of those that like to judge and believe and fall into the stigma
I get that fake feeling a lot, especially around people my age, so I don’t socialize at the moment. I haven’t seen my friends in 6 months and I have been outside once I’m that time. I’m 18 btw.
It is quite difficult to work but some maybe more then just some can pull it off. Ive about had it with how difficult its been for me to work. I currently work at a drive thru store but you may be one of the lucky ones cant knock it till you try it!
I am 48 and have a long work history. I only became MI at 46. I am also on SSDI. The main reason I can’t work is because my delusion is so distracting that it makes it difficult for me to focus on anything else. I am hoping to get to the point that I am not thinking about it all the time. I have also had psychotic breaks along with bizarre behavior related to my MI and that is, obviously, not good for a job.
Like I said, I am hoping for a long remission (maybe forever) and being able to work at some point.
The part of sza that makes me not able to work is my very, very poor judgement. I always get into trouble with the brass on the job and then I get fired. Every time.
I find it hard to stand for long periods, I go faint, I mumble all my words incomprehensibly to others when I’m worried, I need a bathroom break every half-hour.
Both my parents were highlevel government workers, and I can’t even hack university, handwriting is illegible, can’t keep up with profs.
Always running out of energy and rarely up for a full day’s anything. I sleep a lot more than normal people do. If I force myself up then again I go faint headed and every little thing is too hard to deal with.
I find it easy to fall into delusions that things are working against me, etc.
I’ve been out of a job for 21 years now. No one will hire me now. To do anything. I’ve been out of work too long. You have to have a recent job history to get hired anywhere. And that’s assuming I can hang on to a job. I usually get fired from jobs for being inappropriate. My poor judgement. I can’t even drive a car because of my lousy judgement. I guess it is cognitive related.
