A new start (kind of)

Hi @MDT,

If you can't access the helpline chat currently, it could be that they are unavailable for the moment or busy ☺️ Might be best to try to get through to them again in a bit. Meanwhile, maybe you can share some of what is happening for you here with other forum friends to get support while you wait?

hi @MDT you're not going backwards, you're working really hard. So hard and doggedly. Plus you're a great guy.

Struggling a bit myslef today, very glum, strugglign to do any work.

hi @TAB good effort on the walk, if you can do it I can do it! going to walk to the pharnacy to pick up meds - more money on meds, they're so expensive. look after yourself, going to check out a midday movie on telly?

that's the plan, well in concept anyway @BryanaCamp depends on the movie. just got home ifrom shops in time tho

yeah but you go hiking gosh am feeling off today tho, going to have to explain my optimistic call of coming back to work tomorrow

may the Force be with you @MDT um yeah Sisyphus-arbeit re eternal struggle

do you have anyone you can see in the near future/talk to or hosp or whatever it takes ?

hey @MDT no need to apologise. I totally hear you. It is very hard being unemployed and mentally unwell, I find. The days can feel aimless and it is very hard to keep the motivation up. My hopes go up when I submit a job application and envision myself going to work there, then my hopes gradually fade when I don't get a phonecall and finally get the rejection email. It's increasing hard to answer in an upbeat way when people ask "how's the job hunt going?"

You're doing an awesome job & are being very productive. I can't believe how many applications you're writing! Plus you've been recently employed and have great references. That's a good position to be applying from.

I really do find volunteering 1 day a week gives me productivity & structure and somewhere to go and something to do. It's work! Helps with the unemployment blues. I work hard, my manager is grateful and it makes a good change from just job searching & writing job applications. Maybe you should really consider it, simply as a way of getting out of the house and having structure to your week beyond writing & submitting applications. It's not like it's a binding contract, the minute you get paid work they understand you have to go. Please give it some thought, I think it could really help you & it's quite easy to arrange.

hi @TAB is the movie any good? I'm off to arthouse Japanese film tonight. I like it cos it's like travelling for me, expands my stubborn mind.

was watching Sweeney 2 @BryanaCamp its so dated and camp well pornographic as well. Different times

@TAB thanks for making me laugh!! eww, I'm squeemish these days about that sort of stuff, getting more conservative with age. how are you going with alcohol? Does your respite include a medicinal short or are you abstaining? I can't keep off the beer for more than a coupla days. My psychiatrist just laughs which I appreciate.

@MDT avoiding grog is very self-disciplined and very good for your liver & health. Good onya. N.B. When cooking with alcohol, the alcohol evapourates off when you heat (cook) it, you are just left with the flavour. So you don't need to worry about alcohol toxicity with cookery. I make fruit cake with brandy but all the alcohol is burnt off in the cooking process. I make chicken casserole with white wine and bolognese sauce with red wine but all alcohol is cooked off during the cooking process, only the flavour remains. An exception is one fruitcake recipe where you take the cake out of the oven and pierce it with a skewer then pour brandy over & let soak in. Here the brandy & alcohol is intact as there is no cooking. Know what I mean?