When Diagnosed/First Noticed Your Symptoms, Did This Affect Your Employment?

[Jonathan]

So far since my trauma i cant keep a job for long ie 2-4 months am i the only 1? This is only a yes or no poll and if you were affected at work how was you affected and did you find a way round it?

[upstream]

I voted know, since technically I developed PTSD before I was legally old enough to be employed. However, my PTSD symptoms have affected my work relationships in the past.

[batgirl]

In case you're interested, there's another poll about working and PTSD, it's right here:
http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread338.html

I voted yes because my PTSD diagnosis has rendered me virtually unemployable, in my case it's considered a full disability. I am able to work only under sheltered circumstances, currently I work from home as a comic book artist. But when I was diagnosed I was also underage like Upstream, so I've actually never really worked a "normal" type job anyhow.

[anthony]

I voted yes, as when I was diagnosed my ability to work ceased along with my employment at that time.

[pandora]

I think that I had symptoms of PTSD for years but didn't realize it. I became a workaholic and a perfectionist. Then when it became full blown after having my son diagnosed with autism..my boyfriends father died in a horrific way...triggered me when i was a teenager (when my original trauma happened) , boyfriend boke up with me, moved, mother in a very bad car accident...had to take care of her for 10 weeks in a hospital bed in my dining roomand all of this happened in about a 4 month span. Then....my symptoms were out of hand, shaking so bad I couldn't even hold a pen had a hard time driving. Wow....sorry I am rambling....bottom line in my position it was just too much and my body said no more. I could not work...I tried to go back and ended up back on leave....so I think when symptoms are raging and we don't know how to control it...well...I still am not working. I think if I didn't have the added stressors of a back injury and as well....I take care of a special needs child on my own....with all of the therapy I have had I am much better but unfortunately, I am still not working. It has been over 4 years now but I was dx with my back injury almost two years ago. I was going back aug 22...2006, I hurt my back in July 2006. Hopefully one day I will get back to work.

[She Cat]

I voted no....But I have probably had symptoms of PTSD since early childhood. Anxiety and panic for sure starting at age 10. I have worked on and off through out my life. When symptoms were bad, I had to leave work for months to yrs. depending on how bad I was at the time.

At the time of Diagnosis, I was admitted to hospital for 7th attempt at suicide, I was working at the time.

[northernpunch]

Oh yeah, of course. It wasn't six months after I was run over by a truck and my pelvis was shattered in 14 places and the aeorta was ripped from my heart and I was left in a snow bank to die that lo and behold I was back at work, and less than three months after I was back at work I was asked to leave and I have never been welcomed back there. I have gone on to other things, but, yes, it affected my work, it utterly destroyed a 13 year career at a reputable newspaper. I freaked out on a fellow employee and the boss said, 'You used to be able to handle this environment but not anymore, so, goodbye," and yet, they were kind enough to give a glowing reference of the previous decade, and left it at that. I guess I broke even.

[northernpunch]

Wow....sorry I am rambling....
You know what the old song says by Led Zeppelin

RAMBLE ON, BABY!

[goingonhope]

Jonathan, I voted yes, even though I do believe I once was able to mostly hold down one job for yrs., (did bounce, at times, from one job oppt. to the another) when still suffering PTSD symptoms. To begin with, that one job then was way below my skills, interest, requir./knowledge and promise; (Less pressure and room for absentee'ism) ,,, (Much illness & anxiety/fear combination).

The other jobs, well they didn't last long, bc I was simply to ill for the No to practically none absentee'ism rules. At these time I was still undiagnosed.

However, after the ending of a particular yr. what with 3+ specific trauma's that yr. in addition to previous chronic threat and trauma, well then that impact and those then severe, debilitating syptoms that followed, I was rendered completely disabled and truly unfit for employment for some yrs. to follow.

A difference may be though, that I for the life of me, could not find any help and then later proper help.........until I did find help, and then I did work again in a skilled, career and good paying job for about 1yr. at which point I discovered I had lost much vision, and was progressively losing more, was then diagnosed with an unknown condition primary to the secondary inflammation and loss of vision. Also, I was married and had given birth to a set of twins, each of whom need(ed) me.

Our then newborns, my employment stress and increasing inability to drive home did it, and I had to resign from the job. Don't much remember what role my PTSD then played, as I had been previously been given 2 1/2 yrs. of what was then received by me as a miracle and a new life.

Hope

[nic]

I voted "no," because when I was first diagnosed, I was able to continue work. I still work (at the same job); however, there have been times over the past 6 years that I have had to take a sick day (or two or three) because of the PTSD. It is also difficult because, as a teacher, I am often forced to confront things that set off the PTSD, such as things my (teenage) students are going through or even certain books which make me uncomfortable.

[AmarettoShining]

I have been home bound for almost a year. I worked for almost 20 years when I was assaulted at work. Worked the full day of the incident (happened at noon) and one more day. Have not been back since.

[JustJane]

I voted no because I was only recently diagnosed and haven't been working for over a year anyway. But this brings a question to mind, whether this will prevent me from getting work later on - even a sitting and part-time job for some mad money. How far-reaching does this diagnosis go in rendering me useless?

[nightowl52]

Mine was work related & I was disabled by the state. My hands shake as I drive past the turn off to where I worked so hard it was hard to stay on the road.

[Roo]

Absolutely, yes. I have a terribly checkered past where work is concerned...and there have been so many consistancies over time...

At present, I am on short-term medical leave and in the process of applying for long-term. FINGERS CROSSED!!!!

I want to contribute, to work, to do good in the world...but it has to be in certain ways, I realize...

Great question, Jonathan...thanks.

[moog]

Yes, trying to work through it but it's starting to seem like it will be one of many causes of the end of my time in uniform. Still working but at a limited schedule/capacity.

[newmoonluna]

I posted yes, as I had been diagnosed with bi-polar when I was 12, depression had always been something I have been working on. In my late 20's I started to experience panic attacks. These would come on suddenly anywhere at anytime. This was a problem at work as it was embarrassing for me to be like that in front of people. The attacks subsided for years until this last year, with a stressful job, then my roomate commiting suicide. The attacks worsened, having 1 or more attacks daily. This effected my attendance and was demoted from my supervisor position due to using all my sick and pto time. My insurance was dropped due to not being a salaried employee as well. Currently I have been diagnosed with PTSD which they think I have had since 12.

[ChrisB]

So far since my trauma i cant keep a job for long ie 2-4 months am i the only 1? This is only a yes or no poll and if you were affected at work how was you affected and did you find a way round it?
Jonathan- I said yes to this question because it all changed for me when I was properly diagnosed. I knew that something was not right all along but did not understand that they were symptoms. As the years went by my brain demanded help or it would simply shut down. (Dissociate) It was as if my stress glass was always to the brim. Does that make sense? I fought it, over compensated for it; but in the end, I needed help.

[cypher]

As of today, I voted no. But that could change by the end of the week?? Hopefully not. The uncertinty is hitting me hard.