One of the greatest challenges when it comes to dealing with significant forms of trauma and when dealing with chronic medical or mental health issues is trying to navigate that with work. Our world is not built in a way that makes it easy if you cannot work for long periods of time. Our society is also built in a way that makes others think that we are lazy when we can’t work the same ways they can. Thankfully my work has been amazing when it comes to navigating everything that I have faced in the past few years. But this is a privilege, as I know many people have not had the same type of response regarding their situations.
Challenges of Working While Dealing with Trauma
There are so many challenges when it comes to working with trauma or navigating chronic medical conditions.
- Exhaustion Levels- Trying to perform at the same level physically/mentally as you could previously makes you feel exhausted. And adding to that the masking that you are doing to appear okay to everyone else, makes the exhaustion level even higher.
- Appointments- You are bound to have endless appointments (court, doctors, therapists, etc.). These all happen during the regular work week and during regular working hours. This means that you have to find a way to take time off for all of these.
- Adaptive Equipment- You may require adaptive equipment in order to function while at your job. This may not be affordable for you or your place of work may not be built in a way that is accessible for this kind of equipment.
- Others feeling like you have to take time off to feel better- The truth is, we are not getting better at a fast pace (like if one has a cold or the flu). It is going to take time. If we are not at work every single time we don’t feel well, we would never work. It can be challenging to find a balance of work and taking time to recover.
The Need to Work While Dealing with Trauma
Despite the challenges, there are many benefits and reasons why you might need to work when dealing with trauma or a chronic illness.
- A sense of normalcy/routine- Having a routine and sense of normalcy is so critical when recovering from trauma. If you can at least have a consistent thing in your life, it is very valuable.
- Being Around Others- Working is so good for the social connections with other people. It takes a toll on your brain to be frequently alone and for those dealing with trauma can push you into a depressive mode.
- Insurance/Income- Being able to work full time is critical. It is especially when you are single dealing with trauma or a chronic illness. Being sick is costly. You need your insurance and your working income to help cover all of your bills from your endless appointments.
The thing to remember is that not everyone with trauma or chronic illness has the capability to work. At least not the way the system for most workplaces is. To many jobs people facing these issues may seem unreliable, unfocused, lacking motivation, or too challenging to make accommodations for (especially when it involves mental health). So just a reminder that we are not lazy. We are often trying harder to work than most all of our peers. We have worked so hard just to make it into the office and we want to be there and to work.
