Work and Mental Health
 

Does anyone else here really struggle with balancing both a job and mental health?

I'm missing work again today. I just can't go. I haven't showered in over a week, I have no laundry done for just as long and I have voices yelling at me. I struggle every work day to go in and do my job.

If I could afford it I don't think I'd work. When I'm off work for long periods of time my mental health improves quite a lot. Still not even close to 100% but I do start to function a little better.

By the way I already work less than full time and get a lot of holiday time (like months worth). I feel like such a failure because even with that I can't manage.

You're not a failure at all, we all struggle sometimes. I lost my last job because of my mental health and i'm supposed to volunteer twice a week but haven't been for months because I feel so anxious and low and can hardly get motivated to do anything. Can you think of anything that might help you to cope better?

Yeah i'm struggling a lot also. I only do shelf stacking but having the motivation each night is really hard, i regularly take time out at work to cut or to be by myself which i know i shouldn't do but, i need time out. I take valium sometimes to get me through it, just to numb everything and for some reason it makes time go quicker. I refuse to give up though, no matter what job i do i will always have the same feelings and urges and lack of motivation, i work overnights so there is only about 4 of us in the whole store until the early morning so as far as being around people (which i hate) it's the best i think i'm gonna get. You are not alone, but don't give up, fight it. Takecare

I recently got a new job as a support worker for people with learning difficulties and I find it very difficult because it's a lot of responsibility which makes my anxiety play up. I feel very scared about the future and how long-term things are going to pan out.

Mental health wise these past few months I've been much better, although I can feel myself slipping and I'm scared of how it's going to affect my job. I worry it's all going to go wrong and I'm going to burn out or something. I've not missed a day yet but I don't work full time (still quite long hours though because of the nature of the work) and I find even that very difficult.

Whilst at university I volunteered at a brain injury centre just once a week and I found it very difficult to go regularly just because I wouldn't be able to get out of bed. You're not alone in feeling like this.

Have you contacted access to work to see if there is support available that would make it easier?

Thanks all.

I don't really know what they could do to help me cope any better. I enjoy the job itself but working in general just takes so much out of me that I'm not able to function in the rest of the areas of my life.

And right now I'm not functioning well at work either and got very little done today which means of course I have more to do tomorrow or later this week depending on how much I even manage tomorrow.

Yeah, it gets hard sometimes.
I think my MH improves when I am working but it is very tiring so I end up pretty exhausted, I also don't work full time.

when I was working I felt it really difficult too with my mental health.
there are people out there that can help though. hang in there hun xx

Yes! I am glad you have made this thread, cause it feels less lonely.

My work/life balance doesn't exist, I work full time, and sleep there 2/3 times a week, come home, get drunk, and start again.
I work in mental health too, and recently I have been getting unwell and people are picking up the slack for me, which is awful and I feel guilty. But without work I would probably be dead? Or a drunk? So I don't know.
It is good to have work, but it comes at a cost when it makes you I'll sometimes.

I know the vicious cycle all too well. If I don't work at all my mental health issues get worse because I have no distraction etc so I'll find work. I'll do really well for a few months and then it starts to cause my problems to worsen so I end up loosing the job and its back to square one. I guess the best thing we can do is work part time and build ourselves up. Your certainly not a failure though.

Thanks.

I just work along side so many people who have children, are working full time, and getting their masters degree at the same time. Meanwhile I struggle to even shower and work basically just a little more than part-time.

I struggled with my job and anxiety and as there was quite a lot of responsibility and very little support I ended up having to leave due to my anxiety