Author Topic: Anybody here off work on LTD  (Read 8197 times)

piano321

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Anybody here off work on LTD
« on: August 06, 2016, 12:22:32 pm »
Hello:

Is anybody here on Long Term Disability and have been for a while due to your depression and anxiety. 
Has it been a difficult struggle for you not being able to return to work?

It's been quite a challenge for me. 

Pleeb

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Re: Anybody here off work on LTD
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2016, 09:58:45 pm »
Hi, Piano....That isn't my situation, but a friend of mine has been off on LTD.

She was/is taking a course on reintegrating back into the workforce...not sure how it worked out.


Peter

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Re: Anybody here off work on LTD
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2016, 09:05:12 am »
Hi piano321,

I'm on LTD, and have been for a while. I first "broke" really badly to the point of being psychotic due to sleep deprivation.

My official diagnosis are severe OCD, agoraphobia with panic, PTSD, and depression.

I took 2 weeks off of work and returned. All the symptoms came back in that time and I was hospitalized after 3 days. I attended a day treatment program for 8 weeks. I didn't feel ready to return to work, but my social worker through that program told me I was avoiding by not returning. My sister told me she knew both times I tried to return I wasn't ready.

The 2nd month back to work on a graduated return basis I relapsed and was hospitalized again. I kept saying over and over to myself that I had failed, then tried to change my thinking to that I had tried.

I went through a period of feeling horrible for being on disability. People with OCD seek reassurance, and I asked family and friends several times if they felt less of me for being on disability. My spouse (in the process of separation) didn't help. He told me if I returned to hospital the 2nd time he'd divorce me, even though my family doctor was the one sending me back to hospital and I was laying on my bed crying over not being able to continue working. He told me a number of times I was setting a bad example for my daughters by not working.

The best advice I can give to anyone is to not return to work until you feel you're ready, and to take it as slow as possible. Your health is number one priority.

Good luck!




paulm

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Re: Anybody here off work on LTD
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2016, 03:40:38 pm »
Hello Piano321. I've been off a number of yrs on disability and it was a struggle for a long time. I went back and tried about 8 different jobs, not related to my field(after several efforts I new that I would never be able to work in my field again) , over the yrs and I could never seem to last , even though some of them didn't require much in the way of smarts or work. (I just wanted to work, didn't care what kind of job)

 I found it demeaning and humiliating and I sure didn't like being broke. I don't feel that way now, well I still don't like being broke, LOL.

 Being older now, I can just say that I'm retired and it's accepted. However when I was younger I hated it when people asked me where I worked or how come I didn't work.

 So I found it quite challenging too. Take Care. Paul M