When to return to work

Hi @Ilovehiking I have Bipolar 1 and schizoaffective disorder. I would love to go back to work but there is no way that I could handle a job (me personally speaking) as a teacher of teenagers .... could they not put you on other duties whilst you are still in recovery? Shorter hours/ Part time maybe?

I think throwing yourself back into the lion's pit after a couple of weeks is too short a time ... I would speak to your psychiatrist and be very honest. At the end of the day only you really know whether or not you can cope with that kind of work right now.

ps: Going back to work should be a positive experience for you not one full of trepidation.

Wishing you well.

Hi @Ilovehiking,

I'm sorry to hear that the last 10 months have been so hard for you. Adjustment to new medication can be a difficult process, and I'm sure working with Teenagers, as you say, can add to your daily challenges and make you feel more emotional.

Like @Bunniekins, I think it is crucial to be honest about your concerns around going back to work with your psychiatrist. Hopefully they can work with you to help you make a decision as to whether going back to work would be suitable for you at this time.

You may also be interested in reading or posting in the following threads about work and knowing when to go back - "Bipolar and work" by @730; "Getting back to work" by @Lochlyn; and "to work and not to work."

I hope this helps you somewhat!

Kind Regards,

Amour_Et_Psyché

Thanks everyone for your input so far. Its tough one. For the past 4 years I have been the second in charge of a department of 16 staff. I get no extra time or money for this position. I had reapply for this position which I did reluctantly, but now I'm questioning why I did. I think think position adds a considerable amount of stress to my everyday load at work. So that is something I can change.

I am doing some work at home- writing exams, markling work, reworking documents for next year's senior classes.

Its the face to face that is causing me anxiety. At home if I over react or cry no-one judges me for it. In the workplace or worse in a class room of teens its a disaster. Maybe I need to think about looking for education based work but in a different setting?

Hi @Ilovehiking.

There has been some good advice given but I thought I would add my experiences to the mix.

I'm a high school teacher too. Last year I had a term off when I became unwell and decided to go straight back into a full load, though without the year coordinator role I had been doing (like you with many extra hours, no extra pay and no time consideration). It was a mistake and I struggled for a year with little support (I'm now having more time off). The school system, especially high school, is not set up for part-time work or alternative roles that have less contact time with students. It is a shame because those would be really great options to help ease the workload and the stress. I should have accepted the offer of a graduated return to work (I was stupidly too proud) and before you go back I would see if your school will support this. It may only need to be for a few weeks, but might take some pressure off. Can you also resign from your extra role, or ask for someone to take over for a while? Lots of people are looking for experience so they might be able to do it for a while with you as a mentor and you can decide if you want to go back to it or are better off without that extra workload.

Being a teacher is hard and as a high school teacher you may have 120-150 students, who all need individual care, attention and support. The expectations from parents, students and administraion is ridiculously high. If you are not feeling 100% then this can be overwhelming - this is not good for you and not good for the students. If you can manage some more time off it might be a good idea. A fresh start in 2018 may be helpful.

I have also noted how many teachers are on here - it doesn't surprise me but it does make me think about our education system and what the system could do to support teachers more. Happy teachers make happy students.

Hello @Ilovehiking

see you at topic tuesday tonight

Hello @MaryMahem , @Former-Member , @Former-Member , : @Bunniekins