Lived Experience Forum

[Billythekid15]

My career as a Fire Fighhter ended when a back injury kept me out of the career I loved. I also had a bitter divorce because of my addcition to pain medication and infedelity on HER part.I was diagnosed with PTSD and discarded into a world that I feared. Abandonment issues from my childhood and now in adulthood have parilized me. I am able to get it together long enough to land a job, I just can't keep it because I sabotage the situation and quit or get fired. I have been approved for disablity(American term for not able to work and goverment assitance) but am unable to live on the wage offered. I am trying not to off myself because I have two children I am responsible for and raising. I wonder if there is any career that someone with PTSD can thrive in and be succesful? People tend to irritate me easily because of the negative behaviors and mindsets society has adopted(people are just assholes sometimes). I am ok with people in small doses. Any advice would be appreciated ........Thank you.

[Lunar]

Hello @Billythekid15

Welcome to the forums, it is nice to meet you 🙂

Thank you for sharing your story, it seems like you have been through some incredibly tough times with an injury and the impact that has had on your mental health and employment, you seem very aware of your self sabotaging behaviours and that people irritate you, which is helpful to be aware of.

You might like to get soem support for finding work, there are agency's like Ostara and Job Access who work with you to find a suitable job, or an employer who can be flexible with your mental health needs.

There are also some threads where members have discussed finding suitable work that still allows their needs to be met, perhaps for you it is something without much interaction with other people, something more practical with your hands or creative, or with plants and animals?

You might also like to read through other members experiences, @PAL has a great thread called 'PTSD has ruined my life' and another great thread by @Ma60 called 'Disability employment services'.

I look forward to getting to know you better @Billythekid15 it sounds like you have many things going on for you at the moment, so I hope you are getting some much needed support for all of that so you are not managing on your own?

Lunar

[Jinx]

Hi,
I’m new to these forums too, I recognise exactly what you are describing, have lived with CPTSD for 30 years but only just recently receiving therapy.
I have a 14 year old son.
I am struggling financially.
I want to have a rewarding and meaningful career and to provide for my family and my future but I can barely hold down my part time job as I can get overwhelmed anywhere from 1-10 times a day. I try to hide the tears and the hyperventilating but it’s really hard to do in public. It can hit me anytime, anywhere.
I don’t know how to make a living or keep my child safe with a food over our heads and food on the table.