Suggestions about sleep/job problems?
I am unable to wake up in time since I keep waking up at weird hours of the night each day. (3 to 4am) I feel really exhausted and I can't seem to keep myself awake.. anyone else with this problem here? How do you cope with it?
Anyone who has any suggestions about jobs that might suit ppl with BPD better? (For some reason I don't cope well with the more stressful ones which requires a fair amount of interaction e.g. Retail, cashiering)
How do you hold down a job? :/
Jobs have never been an easy topic for BPDs. Let's see now, our impulsitivity and self identity issues makes us want to change jobs a lot, so many of us can't really hold down a job either, so a job that is also like a hobby would be good. Looking at your post, you are also seeking out a job that requires flexible time schedules and little social interactions. This would mean a job that a person can do on their own, and therefore providing a highly flexible schedule. Jobs like that come to my mind that fits all these are being an artist, photographer of nature, programmer of small apps, writer .etc
Hope that helps!
@TheBlueBirdie Thank you! I will take a look into those type of positions!
@LifelessDoll it took me 15 years to hold down a salaried job after high school - I feel your pain ❤️
A few things that helped me:
-having understanding supervisors and a written statement of disability on file with HR. Not sure about the rest of the world, but the Americans with Disabilities Act is a great protection.
-coping mechanisms like breathing exercises and relaxing videos (with good noise-blocking earbuds) on my phone.
-relaxed and open coworkers that encouraged me to also be relaxed and open. Keeps me from getting worked up, and helps me get back to reality faster. Avoid threatening coworkers like the plague!
-a fast-paced environment that is also varied and not too mentally taxing. Keeps me from getting too wrapped up in work because no matter what happens, I have to let it go and move on (coffee shops are pretty good workplaces in my experience.)
-take care of yourself as best you can! Good healthy meals, exercise, reading absorbing fiction, and making art all help me a ton.
So... I'd avoid sedentary jobs like accounting, stressful and unrewarding jobs like customer support reps, or self-driven freelance work that depends on you being on your A-game to make ends meet. I bet you'd be good at computer coding, dance instruction, firefighting, or another absorbing career (depending on the employer.) Your mileage may vary - but you can do this 😊
@cedarlake Thank you! I don't have the confidence to get myself out there at the moment.. so I am trying really hard to get over my fear. I live in SEA and sadly my local government doesn't treat mental illnesses seriously (Insurance doesn't even include mental illnesses :/).
In my country, we have to hide our condition since.. nobody will want to employ us after they know. (The people in my country looks down on people with this type of mental illnesses)
I am currently in a similar chat group and there are people who is honest about their conditions during the interviews (unemployed with work gap for more than 5 years), they ended up being rejected by the employers repeatedly.
How.. do I even start trying when I know that I have to pretend that I am normal? :/ To be honest.. what scares me in any job is not the work itself, it is having to face human interactions.......