I withdrew from my one accounting class at community college. I want to give up school and work for a while but I can’t get disability. My prognosis from both my doctor and therapist is that I improved dramatically over the past year and appear very high functioning. I just want to live with my boyfriend and be a housewife now… My original plan was to take a couple community classes to “practice” and eventually work up to taking a coding bootcamp and freelancing from home while living with my bf. I feel I just need a vacation now. Am I too stupid? Should I just take some time off, and focus on other things?
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Just take your time. U should look into online classes.
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You’re not stupid. You’re being smart about what you need. Maybe you can take a few weeks to recover, then try volunteering for a few hours a week. There are plenty of online opportunities out there. That’s what I’ve done. I volunteer online, which is good for me because I have days when visual hallucinations prevent me from driving. One of my volunteer jobs might turn into a paid position eventually if I keep at it long enough. There is nothing wrong with taking life at your own pace.
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I always fear this will start up when I’m driving and cause me to wreck.
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I have always been able to recognize when my symptoms are bad enough that I would be unsafe on the road. Safety first. When I start hallucinating, I pull over and take a nap.
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Maybe I’m not the best example for you but I’m 56 and taking one online class at a time from a community college. I first went to college in 1984 (six years after I was diagnosed) when I was about 24. I have huge periods of time between taking classes. I have gaps as big as 10 years at a time when I stopped going for certain reasons.But I always wernt back. Now I need 3 more classes for my degree. I definitely won’t get a job in the field I studied for but a diploma will look good on a job application.
I think you see my point.
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It doesn’t have to be a defeat. Just look at it like it is a temporary setback and maybe down the road you can give it another try. Schools aen’t going anywhere, you can go one with your life and figure things out and attempt school later.
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That’s okay. Like Nick said, it’s just a temporary setback. I quit my volunteer recently because I wanted a break, but I’m still working on my other goals.
If you’re eager to make money, maybe you can take an accelerated or fast track(4-8 weeks) accounting course when you feel ready. I’m not sure if it’ll count towards the same credentials in Hawaii but its a usually a certificate, and you can get an entry level position from home with it, or do some freelance.
You got this.
Oh I found something that might be kind of helpful. I got a gig for an editing position through this site, I THINK it might be freelance, or it might be steady work. They also have a facebook page.
Cheers
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There is a lot you can learn on your own regarding programming.
A friend of mine says that industry in particular really doesn’t care about credentials it’s more about if you know your stuff.
There are tutorials everywhere, but probably the most formal and comprehensive coursework would be Khan Academy.
These things are attainable… Just trust that and focus on figuring out what the next best question is.
at any rate don’t feel bad for withdrawing. At least it didn’t take a hit on your GPA.
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Nothing wrong with being a housewife, plenty of people live that way. Managing a household is a full time job in itself!
I think it’s good you understand your limits. However maybe still try to find yourself some sort of activity (maybe like more relaxing volunteer work?) so you aren’t just stuck at home all day. I think one of the most important things in maintaining mental health is to have regular activity. That’s why intelligent animals in captivity go crazy because they don’t have enough stimulation and activity. It’s worse for those who are already ill.
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The important thing to remember is that education does not make you stupid or smart. It makes you educated at best.
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Thanks for all the advice! I’m in China right now and surprise surprise there’s no censorship of this site! I’m actually only getting a B or so in the class. But I used to be a good student so I’m not used to failing… I think I’ll try to finish this class for the sake of it, and try Khan Academy or a bootcamp here in Hawaii when I’m ready. I just get put out and freak out and can’t handle it sometimes!! Something like part time work I think would be very good for me. I already have a bachelors so I can substitute teach or something. Stupid thing is my therapist and psychiatrists all feel I’ve recovered so dramatically over the past year, I don’t need much assistance anymore. I really do! Maybe I’ll keep recovering “dramatically” and be ready next year. I keep pretty busy. Almost ever day I have something to do, though I do sometimes take a “break” and nap all day at home. I credit it to the fact that I enjoy life though. I am in China and definitely feel tired, but everything feels new and interesting. I love Shanghai! At a cafe here and the tea is soooo good!
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I was just about to ask if you were able to access forum.schizophrenica.com from the PRC. I hope the air pollution is not that bad.
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I think it’s awesome that you’re going to try to continue with your class. You always have the option of withdrawing later if you need to, but it’s better to try if you can. Have fun in China!
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Did they revamp Khan Academy? Because I thought it wasn’t that good except for kids. I just looked at it and it looks much better than a few years ago. Do they offer certificates?
Personally, I don’t like Khan Academy. I like coursera, edx, udacity, free online bootcamps, sololearn, books, etc.
Khan academy has hard subjects but I don’t like how they teach the stuff…
You can find a comprehensive CS education online.
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@insidemind have you thought about just earning a certificate of competence in programming or an IT field you like? I think a good goal to have is to get a job, then study more in your free time or later if you need to.
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I love you @anon62973308 , you’re a dear friend of mine.
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@anon62973308 I did the same and it was not good. I lost contact with the school and it took 3 more years to finish it. Maybe you are more fortunate…-
Right. The problem is lack of consistency on my part. Before I got sick, I had an insane drive. I could study 20 hours a day if I needed to. I’m serious. What I may lack in intelligence, I had in drive and determination. Now, I’m a caregiver working 15 hours a week or more. It is hard for me to focus on what I enjoy because it is so demanding and I constantly worry about my grandfather. I live with my grandmother too. She needs help with this and that and the emotional part is getting to me. My uncle lives there too and he doesn’t do anything to help us.
Some of my goals are to take CS50, retake MIT 6.0x again and finish (even though I got the certificate), and do some other certificates before I feel confident to go to community college. I also want to learn physics from scratch. I also need to work on verbal communication and written communication; I have not written anything good for years. I was a mathematics major but I’m thinking of switching to computer science. Remember, I have cognitive difficulties like memory loss. My mind is blank right now.
I was totally crazy/insane for 5 or 6 years. I finally got out of it due to sheer luck and time. I also sleep a lot. I think you’re 10x more high functioning than me.
I also am not interested in working a job I don’t like. I like feeling competent and smart. I don’t want to wrap candy or put nuts and bolts together for 2.50 an hour. I want to be a computer programmer making $80,000 a year or something…maybe owning my own business. I’m thinking front-end, back-end, full-stack developer or some ■■■■!
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Thanks but I really wouldn’t say I’m higher functioning than you. I have low energy and probably couldn’t take care of grandparents and take online classes like you do… I’d say my functioning is rather low but my happiness is pretty high right now. We all got to do the best with what we got. I think you’re doing really well. It is hard for most of us to just care for ourselves, much less others. Set some small goals and start there.
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