# Working and mental health issues **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 23, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-and-mental-health-issues/464885 "2008-09-23T19:58:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4491bb/32.png) [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Have_Hippos_In_My_Garden)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-and-mental-health-issues/464885/21 "2008-09-23T21:11:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Hippos - That was my question - do you have this behaviour both while you’re working and when you’re not? Annoyingly yes. The last time I was in ITU was three weeks ago. I had worked all day on the saturday, had the sunday off and was then due to work the following week. On the sunday I drank the antifreeze because I had a lot of flashbacks. Being due into the work the next day didn’t stop the pattern of behaviour, even though I lost my job over it and knew that I would loose my job if I did something (they didnt know what I did, my mum just rang them and said I was in hospital). When my head starts spinning its like the world doesnt exist, my hands work without my head thinking. I dont think I could physically drink the stuff if i was thinking rationally because it is so disgusting. Obviously I don’t appear to have any problems when I’m in work because you can’t physically self harm infront of customers! But as soon as my shift had finished I would do something if there was a trigger. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-and-mental-health-issues/464885/22 "2008-09-23T21:12:17Z")
> [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](#): > > I’m beginning to realise now that really I need to sort out the problems that happened in the past that make me hate myself so much now. This week I have several different therapies starting- CAT therapy, an appointment with a specialist eating disorder clinic and counselling with a specialist eating disorder therapist. Once I have delved into my own head I hope day to day living and doing normal things will become more regular, rather than spending 6 months of the year in hospital. Awesome, hope that all goes well for you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-and-mental-health-issues/464885/23 "2008-09-23T23:04:54Z")
I’m constrained by not violating another person’s privacy, so I can’t get too detailed, but I’ve been friends with someone for about 25 years who also suffered from anorexic and self-harm behavior for many years, would spend months of every year in the hospital, and so forth. For many years she could not work at a job. Yet, she did, eventually get her act together, entered medical school, and had her MD by 35 and is still working as a surgeon to this day. So, sure, you’re “behind” some of your age-mates. On the other hand, THEY aren’t dealing with the crap you are, are they? You need to help yourself before you can help anyone else. Yes, it probably will take more years, I’m sorry to say, this problem didn’t occur overnight and it won’t go away overnight. Perhaps you use your attempts at working as a way of avoiding some of the issues you need to deal with? Really, the level of self-harm you have described MUST be dealt with before you can move forward. My admittedly limited understanding of these things is that, at least sometimes, people think they somehow don’t _deserve_ to get better, or _deserve_ to be taken care - well, they DO deserve it! Believing that about yourself (should you fall into that category) can be very difficult, of course. Better to spend 5 or even 10 years now _truly_ getting mentally and phsycially better so you can enjoy the rest of your life is far preferable to staggering through the next 20 years hurting yourself for being victim of something YOU are _not responsible_ for! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-and-mental-health-issues/464885.md?page=1)