Hey I’m wondering if anybody here works has or had a job and what do they do
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I worked mostly in restaurants, both kitchen and dining room. I quit because of mental illness.
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I’m employed, but don’t do a lot of work. Just MI reporting really so I don’t have to talk much or attend lots of meetings. I just make the graphs look pretty.
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Sza. I’m a librarian.
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Not working at moment but got my BA and wound up working in factories for most if my life. I wasnt on meds during that time though and it frequently made things more difficult than they needed to be as far as paranoia, voices, mind reading, etc.
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I’ve been at my janitorial job for the past 12 years. What a long, strange trip it’s been.
Since I got sick in 1980 I’ve had 16 different jobs. They lasted anywhere from 3 days to 4 years to my current record of 12 years.
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I was working as a sales exec before my last episode, and studying full time too. I got the degree, but lost the job
Im working on fitness at the moment with drs with the hopes of going back to work within a few months.
I think it is possible to work and have sz/sza but its a rarity, i dont want to burst your hope, contrary, i wanna give you hope
Do not at any cost stop your meds, your body does adjust and if you have things like routine day cycles (sleep and wake at normal hours) you should be ablr to work too
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I was a special ed paraprofessional and substitute teacher for years before I could no longer function at work
I’m currently on disability
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I was training to be a pharmacy technician until my physical health took a turn I want to get back into it
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@Noise, I think pharmacy work is so cool.
I really appreciate the pharmaceutical industry cos they gave me abilify.
My only issue with working there is fear of accidentally passing on the wrong expiry date or dose etc. Or even entirely wrong medication.
But I assume you are not a worry wart like me and are careful so that’s cool. 
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I have had a lot of jobs with schizophrenia. Currently I own a vending machine business.
I got offered an aircraft mechanic job today but they only offered me $20’an hour and I won’t work for that. Maybe if it was local but I would have to move.
I had a second interview for another aviation job today but I haven’t heard back yet.
I am going to start a job in solar sales in two weeks so I will try being a salesman.
I used to sell cars before I joined the Marine Corps.
I flew helicopters and airplanes in the Marine Corps.
I had a security clearance until last year. If I still had that I would have more options.
What do you wan to do? I have worked for $15 an hour and had another job that paid me $400 a day.
It’s easy getting jobs with this illness. It’s hard keeping them.
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Senior insurance broker, commercial products. I’m a specialist in managing insurance for large auto fleets.
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They took mine away when I got hospitalized.
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Honestly I really liked it cause everything was very systematic and very straightforward.
The hardest part is the math sometimes but once you get the hang of it it’s pretty simple!!
I miss it a lot
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I’m sz. I worked at a sporting goods store before I was dx’d. Now I’m unemployed. I hope to teach meditation some day.
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My wife took mine away when we got married. I have been on a need-to-know basis since.
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I was a registered dietitian and practical nurse, but I couldn’t handle the work, I’ve been on disability for 11 years now. I have sza. Ironically, the job I’ve enjoyed the most over the years was working in a convenience store.
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@WhiteRaven Did you do your schooling and training to be a Practical Nurse and Registered Dietitian while you had sza or before? If so where you on meds?
I actually did my schooling AFTER I had the sza…I went back to school when I was 35, and at the time I was on about 800 mg of Seroquel. I found schoolwork very easy and could readily regurgitate test answers and write papers, but I always found dealing with people difficult. I also couldn’t deal with paranoid ideation and voices while doing my job.
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I am a data modeller - also a landscaper, but I chose to work for a firm than myself.
Being self employed brought a lot of stresses I am not built for
As for employment more generally, I have had to start over many times
It’s very difficult, but if it was going to be easy - it wouldn’t be worth doing
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