Schizophrenia and work

@Former-Member!!!! Congratulations!!! This is such wonderful news!

Hi @Former-Member

That's great news. It must be a relief! Yay for you.

❤️❤️❤️

@hanami @Former-Member I just wanna say it’s not easy, but I did it somehow so I’m pretty proud tbh… it is full time and it hasn’t been smooth sailing lot of challenges something out of my comfort zone.

but going back to 2015 I worked 1.5 years Unmedicated so now I’m medicated so I hope this is a lifetime role tbh. My memory not so great but I’m surviving and making a few friends along the way

edit: I’m glad I have a support network and a good psychiatrist

It sounds like you've got so many things in place to support you and you've worked so hard.

I know a lot of us memory issues for lots of different reasons. I struggle too, mostly because of my ADHD.

What's the job @Former-Member ? If you want to share of course!

I’ve got some memory pills hopefully they work @Former-Member adhd I wish I had that when I was younger tbh. But instead I got the most terrible disease hope they change the name of it soon or come up with a cure.

im currently working in defense I’ve seen some people with visible disabilities working there so I hope some way somehow I can stick it out too. And that’s just the honest truth I could lie to you and say everything’s been easy and I’ve found my way around this place but the truth of the matter is it has been challenging and yeah this invisible illness is not easy to live with

@Former-Member, yeah, sometimes it's best to be honest about the difficulties too. But I can sense a lot of hope!

I hear you about the name. Obviously we have quite different experiences and diagnoses, but I feel like both are misunderstood and are invisible disabilities (but again, quite different!). It can make it so hard in workplaces. For me, I try to keep up with regular people, but wow it's hard. Not sure if that's how you feel too?

Anyway...massive effort. You've done great.

I think one of hardest differences is the visibility (or lack of) of disability. Like you said, you are working with people with clearly identifiable disability and everyone can adopt some understanding of their difficulties, needs and actions just from that visual interaction. It is so hard when you can't see it to understand some of the difficulties, needs and actions of non-visible disabilities. Even if people know, it can be hard to understand because people can't imagine what it is like to think or feel things outside of their norm, unlike the ease of imagining not being able to walk, or see for example. Education is key!! Sounds like you are doing an amazing job at being open and that is the foundation for education and understanding.

Congrats on your new job 🎉 The Defense Force has so many cool opportunities, I hope you can grow your career here with great success. How are you going to celebrate?

@Former-Member

@Former-Member @My parents wanted to take me out to a lunch or dinner but I’m going to be drinking some what of a taboo but it’s what I like

As long as you're staying safe, I hope you enjoy your celebrations 😎!

Have you been able to connect with some work colleagues yet?? This is such an exciting journey @Former-Member

Thanks @Former-Member @we have work drinks