Struggles of Finding and Keeping a Job with Mental Illness

Jobs! I swear…when you’re dealing with mental Illness, finding and keeping a job that not only pays what you need, but you’re able to manage emotionally on a day to day basis is probably one of the hardest things to do in the world. For the past ten years, I’ve worked many different jobs (mostly coffee/bartending/serving), none of which I’ve ever seemed to be able to handle…I have borderline and PTSD and quite severe anger issues that stem from that, and it’s insanely difficult to keep calm in stressful situations when I end up physically shaking and sweating from the anxiety. I can’t count the number of days I’ve called out of work before or just flat out disappeared and never shown up again because things weren’t going well at work, and it just felt more than I was able to handle emotionally. Especially in the hospitality industry, you tend to eat a lot of shit, and that’s so hard to take in stride when I feel so fragile on the inside sometimes, like an exposed nerve. Then I’ll go weeks feeling like everything is perfect and I’m on top of the world, but still constantly nervous because I know that feeling isnt gonna last. Oh the ups and downs I go through 😭 I wish that I could find a job in customer service maybe, one that I could work remotely or from a computer that would be easier to handle, but the only thing I’ve ever done has been hospitality, and where I live in NYC, most job seekers look at a resume like mine and see just a bartender/server, even if the position is entry level. It’s so hard to break out of an industry sometimes. And so hard to afford living here 🫣 Sometimes I wonder if there even is a job that exists that’s good for people dealing with mental health issues…maybe it’s more a case of me adjusting my expectations. I’m curious to know what kind of jobs you guys have had that you’ve been able to stay sane at? 😅 I’m also in the process of finding a new doctor and haven’t been able to get my meds for a while, so that may be why working has felt so hard for me lately 😭 Anyway - Wishing you all a wonderful day ❤️