Jump to content

Employment opportunities for OCD sufferer


Recommended Posts

 

I am trying to access information about how to find suitable jobs for my son, aged 22, who has had severe OCD for 8 years. He has no problem finding jobs in, for example, construction, or waitering, but when he hits a downer and the symptoms take over he is forced to stay at home, and consequently is unable to hold down a job for a significant length of time.  There must be other people who are in the same situation.  He wants to be able to sustain an independent life but is finding it very difficult.  Very grateful for any ideas of places where such a disability would be taken into account.  

 

Link to comment
3 hours ago, Vivien Tucker said:

 

I am trying to access information about how to find suitable jobs for my son, aged 22, who has had severe OCD for 8 years. He has no problem finding jobs in, for example, construction, or waitering, but when he hits a downer and the symptoms take over he is forced to stay at home, and consequently is unable to hold down a job for a significant length of time.  There must be other people who are in the same situation.  He wants to be able to sustain an independent life but is finding it very difficult.  Very grateful for any ideas of places where such a disability would be taken into account.  

 

Employment opportunities are pretty much whatever he wants to do....    the issue is not finding suitable employment around OCD, but dealing with the OCD and tackling it and beating it so that is OCD becomes irrelevant for employment. 

Link to comment
On 5 June 2017 at 16:51, snowbear said:

Hi Vivien,

Is he receiving CBT for his OCD? How long does he manage to go between 'downers' and how long do they last before he's fit to work again?

Yes he is currently receiving CBT (for about the third time I guess).  He had about 6 months of being pretty much ok, was employed at Gourmet Burger Kitchen, had a regular routine of going to the gym, was happy, and then boom, from nowhere all the doubts crept in and he was completely incapacitated, with no evident trigger.  Since January he has been pretty unwell, and is currently having a spell in a private mental health hospital.

Link to comment
On 5 June 2017 at 19:02, Ashley said:

Employment opportunities are pretty much whatever he wants to do....    the issue is not finding suitable employment around OCD, but dealing with the OCD and tackling it and beating it so that is OCD becomes irrelevant for employment. 

I agree with that.  He is very much engaged with tackling his OCD, is currently in hospital having CBT, and my hope is that one day his OCD will be managed to the extent that he can hold down a job, but we are a fair way from that at the moment.  

Link to comment
On 5 June 2017 at 23:12, carolj said:

Obviously tacking the OCD is the aim, but it might be worth looking at companies which have signed up to this scheme

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign

My son is older than your son, but I know exactly what you mean, its such a difficult balance.

 

Thank you for that. Will investigate.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...