Cyclothymia and working?

[artsygal]

I don't know about anyone else but as iv'e aged (early 40's now), this disease has gotten worse. I was recently correctly diagnosed with cyclothymia and it is good to know after all these years the name to the madness. Anyways, I am finding my life more and more unstable and esp it is affecting my work. I NEVER used to call out sick due to anxiety or anything else in my life but now I am calling out often..I feel terrible about it, but I wake up with a crippling anxiety and im even anxious up to 2 days before I have to work. I only work part-time now but even that is difficult. I've thought maybe I should talk to my boss but that makes me nervous as well. She is really kind and I trust her, so maybe I will try and talk to her. Has this happened to anyone else? It really does make u feel "crazy" to now have a label. When before I was just called "moody" and had difficulty. Oh the process of acceptance and understanding... God bless all!

 

[Loven God]

I had to quit work because of my bipolar . It made me sick to think about going in and dealing with people . I told my boss but it made it worse , she acted liked she cared but in the end she fired me and I said she can't because I quit , I have been haveing issues every since then . Right afret that I was in the mental ward for seven days and did a day program for 10 days after that .
The day program was in the hospital , you went for 8 hours of diffrent types of classes but then got to come home , did not stay the night just went back the next day .

 

[trustinhim83]

artsygal,

Yes work life, and any interpersonal relationships for that matter including dealing with co-workers, or clients etc. is very difficult when you have Bipolar disorder or a type of it. I agree.

I usually do not have a hard time going in to work, but have a hard time being up there at times. There is more than a couple times I actually wanted to walk out because something made me just that angry (irrationally), but I didn't. Within a matter of days I would be glad that I didn't quit. However, I have been in and out of many jobs b/c of this. I had such a hard time tolerating and dealing with so many things. Could not handle stress at all. I've managed to pull myself together, and try to mantain my professionalism at my current job though. I go in to work, often feeling extremely depressed so bad that I"m sick in my stomach, and can hardly eat or sleep at night when I suffer from mixed states. Have hardly any energy to lift a finger. Other times I'm so keyed up that just about everything ticks me off, and I can be really mean to others. Sometimes I say things too quickly without really thinking it through first, or keeping it to myself. I offend people in the process, and so some of my co-workers don't like me now because of that. Which makes work even a little more stressful. Not sure if any of this happens to you...

Anyways, I recently got a correct diagnosis as well (at 29), and the diagnosis didn't surprise me because there are many in my family who have Bipolar. I know how you feel though about now having a "lable". It is a relief in a sense....so now you can figure things out, and try to fix it. However, don't let it be a crutch for you. There are many highly functioning Bipolar people out there...many. Don't feel you now have to wither in your Cyclothemicness. You are still the same person today, that you were yesterday. Only now, you know yourself a little better. Hey, that's a good thing!

The way I handled the work situation is that I talked to my manager in private once I found out my diagnosis. She was very very understanding and supportive. I am a very good employee so that helps. I let her know so that she'll be aware in case I seem a bit off while trying to get adjusted to the meds, once my doctor and I conclude on what that will be. It is a relief to me to know that she is aware. It takes a little of the pressure off of me. If you have to take a leave of absence to pull yourself together, maybe your boss would be ok with that? I might do this, if I find it necessary, and just have to hope that they will be ok with that. I think health comes first, and any good employer should understand that.

 

[Loven God]

According to the Family Leave Act you can take time of , you won't get paid for your time off but as long as you do not go over the aloted day's they have to take you back . That might be some help if you need to take some time off .

 

[artsygal]

I think very unclear at work and can't remember one moment to the next. I'll be told a patients name then forget by the time I enter the room, makes it also hard doing paperwork I get so confused it takes me SO much longer. Now i only work a few days a week, but I was never this way in my life. I feel so bad. I know the Bible says that those who don't work shouldn't eat. I thought cyclothymia was supposed to be a mild disorder? Anyways I go to the doc tonight, maybe he can help adjust things better. Please pray, this is no fun esp when I used to work full time and made 70k a year, but now only a few days per week and that is even trouble. I worry about becoming homeless as rents are so expensive in this area and we have to find a new place soon. Thanks for letting me share.

 

[trustinhim83]

I'll pray for you! Try not to think about the money too much. Those things will work out I'm sure. It sounds to me like you aren't not working just because you don't want to, or because your lazy. I think that is more what that scripture would be referring to. You have a legitimate health problem, and so you needed to cut your hours back a little for the time being because of that, right?
Maybe once you work out your health problems with your doctors help you'll be able to return back to your normal work hours if that is really what you need to do. Try not to worry too much!
" Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord, and he will sustain you...."
Thanks for causing me to remember that verse as well.
Also, if having a little less money means you are a healthy, happy, whole person with more balance in your life then I personally would take that over the big income.

 

[Cush]

Wrong thread, sorry.