Posted by fallsfall on May 10, 2003, at 15:24:03
In reply to Re: How do you work, keep a job, with Depression? » fallsfall, posted by Bob on May 9, 2003, at 12:14:11
I thought it would be forever for me to go back to work (gee, seems that way this time, too). I don't remember exactly how it went, but it wasn't an amazing med change that turned everything around. I think that we did tweak meds all the way through. I think that starting small with the volunteering and very gradually working more hours and using my brain more when I was there were the really important ingredients. By the time I went back to software I was working 30 hours, so going to a fulltime job was not too bad.
Volunteering is such a self-esteem booster! You walk in the door and they are thrilled. If you walk in the door and actually do something they are ecstatic. I highly recommend volunteering.
When I was working I wasn't really worried about crashing (maybe I was naive). I had good days and not so good days, but they seemed happy with my work. 3 stressors hit at the same time, and that's what brought me down (around the holidays, too). When I went out on disability, I don't know that they had figured out that I wasn't accomplishing anything - but it was incredibly frustrating to me. I really liked the job and the people, so being at work was always pleasant.
I'm hoping that I'll get the chance to try it again!
poster:fallsfall
thread:225111
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030505/msgs/225610.html