Dear reader,
I am in need of advise in regards to how i could integrate back to the work force. Any help is appreciated.
I suffered from depression and social anxiety when i was about 18 years old. This is due to alot of unfortunate event, family member passing away, got bullied in school and in NS, etc. Now i am 23 years old and has recovered much after treatments from NUH, various conselling centres and MMI.
One serious problem i am facing now is that i've never work full-time before besides NS as a clerk because i am extremely anxious to do so. I have limited experience working before my problems occur but for years i stayed isolated, my brother is funding the living cost for me and my mum and both of them has sort of given up on me.
I really want to contribute to the household but i really dont know where i can get help from. I am too anxious to work and it makes me extemely depressed because of it. I know that i can work but i really want to start from a place where people acknowledge the problems that people like me are facing. I tried to apply for jobs before but i got so anxious that they will ask what i have being doing for these years and discover my problems. i took medication but it made me so drossy. It's depressing
What i hope is really that if there is any helpline that helps people like me to get back to the work force, a place that acknowledge people like me, giving us a chance to gain confidence back to the workforce.
lala123
Dear lala23,
Thank you for writing to Depnet.
We sense your eagerness to get back to work and there seems to be some obstacles you are facing. We’re also glad to hear that you felt you’ve recovered much after the various treatments, as that shows you’re aware of some of the progress you’ve made so far.
It appears your main concern is your tendency to feel highly anxious when you begin the job search, and that somehow deters you from carrying through the plan to find a job. Since you’re aware that this anxiety is affecting you, it may be good to ask yourself what skills you need to better manage the anxiety. For a start, it may be helpful to recall the skills and strategies that you have developed or used previously.
We presume that you are still on follow-up with your doctor. It is important to work together with your doctor in managing the illness. Do feedback to the doctor and discuss with him/her regarding the side effects and how to better manage them.
While there are helplines available for persons with mental health issues (refer to ‘Find Help’on Depnet’s website), it would be more beneficial to arrange for face-to-face counselling to work on your goal of having a job and contributing to your family. In addition, you may want to consider joining some of the service programmes (eg, rehab centre, support groups) to build on the skills that are needed for you to move forward in looking for a job and starting work.
Regards,
Depnet