Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

Ive come to realise there are so many people affected by MH and we still work. So im curious to know what is your job? Can you tell me a little bit about it e.g if your a teacher what grade etc or if its an unusual job can you tell me what it is that it involves or what it actually is....
What is the thing you like most about your job and whats the least thing you like about it.

So ill start. Im a full time carer for my pop. As it suggests well i care for my pop 😉
I love the fact that im helping someone esp someone closer to me but i dont like it as it can be mentally draining and im more isolated from the world. But i do quite enjoy my job

[BlueBay]

Hi @Former-Member

Good post!!!

I have always been in administration.  But the last 8 yrs I have been in pharmacy (as a pharmacy assistant) back to admin (at a TAFE student enrolments) and now back to pharmacy where I first started.

I love working in pharmacy because it is very close to home and meeting and chatting with the customers.  Especially the old customers, they love telling you the life stories. But sometimes a part of me still misses admin and typing.

[Former-Member]

thats cool @BlueBay

im not sure if id be any good at administration though.

whats it like working in pharaceuticals? do you actually administer and set up the medications that people need?

[BlueBay]

Hi @Former-Member

No I am in the shop.  I don't dispense meds.  I take scripts in for customers, serve them, manage orders for the shop. Displays, catalogues etc etc.

The good thing is it's 5 mins down the road from home. The pay isn't that great but I guess I can't have everything.

You sound like a very caring and supportive person @Former-Member to be looking after your pop.  That takes a special kind of person.  And so special to have that close bond with him. Just beautiful. xxoo

[Former-Member]

Hi @Former-Member - I currently work in admin. I like it, but I find it hard.
I studied science and I hope to get into that one day.
The problem is my brain doesn't work as well as it used to. I cannot multitask, or remember things very well - which makes admin work very difficult. I really struggle with work and it brings me down a lot. But despite that I find work really good for my mental health, it brings me a sense of identity and purpose - and I like being able to pay the bills.

[Former-Member]

@BlueBay still sounds like a good job ☺ its good to have work close to home too so thats a bonus. Thank you you sound like a caring and supportivr person yourself ❤❤

@Former-Member. I dont think i could handle answering all the phones and making appointments etc and yes paying bills is a very good idea one of lifes joys lol. But it gives you a sense of purpose and identity. And im not the best at science either. I think it was prob one of my worst subjects at school and still to this day lol.

[Mazarita]

Hi @Former-Member 

I am on disability now but have had many different jobs in my life. My passion, that I have sometimes earned income from, is creativity (media and music). In that field, I have been a creator, a teacher, a newspaper reviewer and various other related freelance jobs. The thing I have loved the most about this work is that it has all been related to my passion. The thing I've liked least about it is how extremely difficult it is to make a living in the arts. I also have done a lot of admin work in my life: worst thing was the very fast paced work environment that ramped up my stress levels; best thing was ongoing learning of computer skills. Like @BlueBay, I also enjoy typing.

[Former-Member]

Wow thats heaps of different jobs @marzarita
Lots of experience in different fields.
I enjoy writing amd typing too 🙂

[Mazarita]

@Former-Member, yes, lots of jobs. Because I was freelancing for many years, work came in many small jobs. Other than that, the admin involved a lot of temping, also a way for the job numbers to stack up. I'm 54 and have been working since I was 14 so that's given me a fair bit of time to fit it in. 

How wonderful that you can care for your pop and be employed to do that too. I can see how it could be draining and isolating, and also how rewarding it must be in other ways. What sort of writing do you do, @Former-Member? Is it journals, poetry, fiction, non-fiction or something else altogether? It's great that you have that interest too. 

[Former-Member]

I like journalling um writing short stories and i like to when i read a post word it as carefully respectfully and as helpful as i can be @marzarita