If you have ever had a mental illness while working a job, there are certain strategies for success. Battling mental illness is about not pushing yourself too hard and knowing when to ask for help. You can battle mental illness while under extreme pressure and this article tells you how.
Instructions
1. Get a lower end job. The problem with certain jobs is they are high pressure. It's like putting a scared soldier on the front line: his hands are shaking, he cannot see friend from foe, and therefore he's in trouble. So be clear with your boss. If you must, explain the situation. Usually he or she will be willing to accommodate you. It isn't a negative at all to work a job while battling something like schizophrenia or manic-depressive disorder. Working can actually help certain pieces of mental illness.
2. The help. Rushing through the day, sometimes you forget the mental problems in the first place. There is no time to think of depression while you have twenty customers waiting in line. Work can have healthy effects on your mind.
3. Managing time. Now that you're busy, the condition will come and go. It might come back stronger than every when you take an extended leave, or just get less hours for certain weeks. The world, once clear before, will be different. I noticed the aftereffects of working a lot of hours. You might notice that managing time is crucial so always go back to being busy, or at least social. Let no hour pass where your thoughts control you. There is an old saying of addiction, "An addict alone is in bad company."
4. When to quit. The pressure of working long hours for low pay hurt can hurt your mental condition. Sometimes you will see the signs of when its time to quit. They can come in physical effects, like your hands shaking, or a bad case of nerves, possibly depression. This doesn't mean just quit your job. I am saying to consider it.
5. When to be happy. Just because you are working a job, battling a mental illness and trying to stay busy in between doesn't mean you will have no problems. You will need other hobbies, because burnout often will hit you faster than normal people. Think about it like this: people with mental illnesses can actually stress their minds out with racing thoughts (a common condition with schizophrenics and manic depressives). So find ways to be happy too. Something is needed to keep your mind recharged, to keep you able to work, think and be happy. Being more social in some way, such as engaging in conversation, allows you to zone out in a different way.
6. Reach out. If you are having serious problems and want to stay on track, always consult your doctor, sharing what is going through your head. Medication can help slow things down for many sufferers You are not alone in the attempt at working while battling mental illness so reach out to those you trust.
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