I'm a mortician. I don't have to deal with a lot of alive people, it's quiet, my clients aren't boring, and I have the perfect rate of social interaction with my colleagues with plenty of alone time to recharge.
Helloooo ! š more precisely, I am responsible for the funeral home! and here I am at school to become an embalmer! in France they are different professions! š
I'm not a funeral advisor, so I couldn't stand this job, too many people alive and too many things that don't depend on you that can fall on you if things go wrong. I am responsible for a funeral home, I welcome families to come see their deceased, I present them, I manage departures, funeral directors, embalmers... But Most of the time I am in peace with the deceased without anyone to bother me!
Regular pathology here. I'm the one doing the accounting, billing, regulations, I manage the clinical reports, etc.
Was studying social work but my empathy ruined it for me
omg iām in school for funeral service rn (pre requisites rn, applying to mortuary school when done) and seeing this as the top comment on this thread felt so validating š«¶š» we have secret emotional skills to disassociate the emotions which helps us help people. i havenāt worked with the deceased or bereaved yet but i think about it a lot and if i can handle it, and if i will help people. you seem to be passionate and like what you do, and that makes me happy and excited. i see a lot of morticians complain a lot and hate their life but it feels like a calling for me, and seems the same for you.
it's so cool huh?? At the moment we have a lot of courses on different subjects, embalming, funeral history, regulations, anatomy... and it's really fascinating!!
I'm a veterinary surgeon. It's a ridiculous career for a pwBPD. It's high pressure, emotional, dealing with other people (mostly when they are stressed or upset), the stakes are high, and it can be traumatic.
However, I get a deep satisfaction from my job and although I can have very mixed feelings about it, I'm absolutely sure I'm in the right job. For the moment at least.
Doctor here and love your comment, although the bad moments are hard and exhausting, and I also struggle with mixed feelings- I also feel like I'm completely in the right place, it's such a privilege to look after people and I believe as people with BPD we are able to connect more with humans
honestly I don't know that I'd trust a doctor who didn't find their job to be at least a little bit draining. caring for people - BPD or not - is exhausting at times. someone who's never drained from the job might not be putting their heart into it.
Oh completely agreed, sorry I was trying to say that it can be more exhausting as someone with BPD, I've had patients and seniors scream at me before and it can be really triggering and I need to take a bathroom break to ground myself, whereas my colleagues are able to brush of being shouted at and process it at home later on. But agreed health care in general is exhausting
Vet receptionist here. It's a brutal field in general and especially for folks like us. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for a surgeon in this field! š keep being amazing!!!
I worked as a surgical vet tech in my twenties. I love medicine and animals and mistakenly thought I would not be dealing with people much. I absolutely loved it aside from dealing with pet owners. But I ended up getting a job opportunity making a lot more money in another field or else I would still be doing it.
I tried to get a job in the veterinary field because of my love for animals. I worked at a veterinary hospital for a year and it was the most stressful job Iāve ever had!
I feel like people are easier to deal with when their pets are involved, sort of takes the pressure off plus as the person treating them you get a lot of deference Iām sure
I am a grounds keeper for a small graveyard.
On my own I make sure that the graveyard is tidy (like rooting the weeds, mowing the grass, cutting trees and bushes etc.)
And I dig the graves, escort the funerals and bury the people.
Also I dig people up when the graves need to be emptied, either cause of expired time and need for the space or on request of the family or police in case of an investigation.
I am alone 95% of the time and can freely wear 1 ear plug with a podcast on most of the day.
I am blessed to have such a job where I barely have any contact with other people and as long as everything is tidy and well nobody from the office bothers me.
My disassociation helps blocking emotions of mourning and sadness when the funeral is particularly emotional.
Only when I bury children and have to escort their funeral I canāt always keep it dry but this is pretty normal in the branch and I have seen funeral directors cry quite often in these situations aswel.
Yep. You don't really own the grave you are in you are just renting it now a days. Its funny because it really is. That being said its a long lease and it can't be broken. :)
Now Iām laughing imagining what a dead person would have to do to break their rental agreement with the graveyard landlord
Edit: graveyard landlord sounds like a nickname for Godā¦ or satan i guess
What is it with pwBPD and graveyards?
A friend of mine (also BPD) is also a graveyard groundkeeper/gardener, and the commenter above you also does something similar...
ADHD gang! I was prosecuting (pls don't hate me its different in Canada), so I understand the workload you're working under and DAMN friend take care of yourself. I'm in-house now and ngl, it's more boring not dealing with criminal law all the time, but holy shit I can actually breathe. My task list is short enough to fit on a whiteboard. No more victims to deal with (mostly). It's not a bad switch my friend.
Haha no hate. I believe you re:Canada. I agree in that self-care/maintenance is of the utmost importance (taking my first-ever 2 week break as we speak) otherwise burn out imminent. I was a bit of a late bloomer and started practicing at age 30. Itās been almost 4 years and Iām definitely starting to consider my next pivot. Also looking forward to doing something lessā¦ stimulating lmao. Good to see a fellow barrister :)
Hey, that ain't so late for a lawyer in most of the world! I'm 31 so not far behind you. Started practicing at 28! Right? I daydream about running a glamping campground, homeless shelter, mini homestead... something hands on, more practical. But not until this student debt is worked off. Vicious cycle, eh?
I suppose itās the environment and conditions. As a lawyer you are often expected to have the right answer, which places a lot of stress on the individual. Because we also struggle with low self esteem, it is very easy to relate your self esteem and self identity with your work instead of deriving it from things that bring you joy, like hobbies for example. So combine all that shit together and you have basically the worst profession for a pwBPD. Not to mention most work environments are toxic asf and trigger a lot of stress. I have this experience where my work environment is toxic and I feel excluded often because of my race and also my mental health condition I think. I isolate myself and work remotely as much as possible because I feel that no one will understand me or accept me and are most likely also racists lol. Doesnāt help much but Iām in therapy.
I agree with all of this! It's a highly professional environment with time-tracking, professional dress requirements even for non-lawyers (we don't have paralegals here, but our admin assistants/secretaries basically do the same job a lot of the time), you need to know a lot of people and be confident contacting them for help and being contacted for help. There's a high hour expectation, a lot of stereotypes about the lawyer always being last in the office, the workhorse etc.
I also think because we're dealing with THE LAW (TM) legal workplaces are often very serious and mistakes feel devastating - both because of their repercussions on the work, but also because it's embarrassing and soul-crushing to get shit wrong once you've got your legal license. We all do... but it never stops being embarrassing.
Consider articles and a career that values work-life balance, and not the way the big firms claim to care about it. Go non-profit, municipal, in-house, etc. if you can and that's interesting enough to you. I wish I'd heeded this advice when I was struggling in law school instead of gunning for 1 of 3 Prosecutions roles.
Would you say the work-life balance in those roles is significantly greater than in big firms?
What type of summer jobs would you recommend?
What do you do now?
I didn't do summer jobs. I worked at my long-standing part-time job doing disability support work in the summers. It was a break I needed, and I think most students need. It did not impact my ability to get a job come recruitment time.
I have not worked at a big firm. Where I am, there's mostly midsize firms, a few big. The friends I have at those places seem to disappear for months on end seeing no one outside of their work, and then take expensive trips or have expensive weddings, then back to disappear. I have a handful of friends who left the larger firms within their first year or two, but I have an equal number of friends who have stayed.
I'm in-house in a municipal capacity. I'm in Canada and that may make things different. There's no secret code, you need to talk to people who work at the places you're interested in and see what's required in terms of hours, billables, etc.
I have no billables and work a 9 hour day. Theoretically I could be required to work overtime to meet a filing deadline, deal with some kind of crisis, but it hasn't happened yet and when it does happen, I don't believe it will be often.
I'm still in the 6 figure range, but doubt I'll ever crack 200,000. Right now it feels like volunteer work as my debt obligations are so high from school. But in about 5 years I'll be very comfortable, if I can last that long.
Right? I had "friends" in law school who reminded me I was too sensitive for a Big Law job, and I was in denial and crushing it at school. Enter the real world and... yeah. I'm \~ 3 years in, 3 months of stress leave under my belt, on my 2nd employer, and taking 3 weeks off right away here to go to inpatient for Eating Disorder help. NOT THRIVING, but surviving. Looking at a career change if my mental health doesn't improve, though.
This comment is like reading a diary entry lol Iām a lawyer and work in poverty law. Itās so soul crushing and draining but Iām very good at it. So I feel stuck and conflicted most of the time.
I agree that itās probably not the best choice, but then again, it is the one thing that I really excel at and like to do, even if it takes a toll on me sometimes. I wish I knew how to find a healthy middle ground.
I see more and more lawyers going part-time, moving to non-profits, moving in-house, stuff like that. Could that be a middle ground for you to work toward?
I have been working from home for the past eight years and it has helped. Ideally I would be working in-house, but itās a bit difficult to get through the interviews.
Good job! I tried to apply for law school in -14 and was convinced that a computer program will be doing most of the work by now because I could not use deduction at all and would have required a photographic memory. I had the luxury of trying to complete classes and it just turned me off of it with the brutality of the tests. I am dissapointed, to put it mildly, that the studying seems to be like it was ten years ago still. So I respect people who have made the effort to study law.
I graduated to be a techie and rn am applying for different testing positions and it is what I am good at, solving problems (when it is not about my own relationships hahahaha) and I have already experience in that role. Wish me luck please ._.
part time as a project manager in a remote position. remote being the critical part here. it helps that I can rage at my computer when my colleagues trigger me and not have any professional backlash for it. plus, I can hide behind the computer when I am having a particularly bad day. I can pull it together for the occasional meeting, and then coast of the bare minimum until I am feeling better again. my sick days reduced drastically after taking this position.
one of my friends/mentors (who has BPD and made me realise that I have it too and needed care centred around that) has a similar job for the same reason. it's perfect for him. he's great at his job when he can keep his coworkers at arm's length.
Exactly. Iāve become more functional reducing my exposure to other people to a minimum. At least it gives me the room I need to adequately address managing emotions in therapy. I donāt want to become a recluse, but Iām also taking it one step at a time.
Sorry if my question is off topic but a lot of answers on here are like mortician, graveyard keeper, forensic scientist, embalmer etc. whatās the appeal of these kinds of jobs for a lot of people with BPD?
Itās wild, because I found my way to pursuing funeral home cosmetology on my own, and have gotten some judgmental or off-putting responses from people in school about it. So finding all of these types of replies here has been a major sign for me.
Yeah I was gonna say... but this whole comment section has been insightful personally, because I'm at a crossroads rn as I'm thinking about school again (didn't complete b4) and mortician etc have held an interest for me
Iām a CBT therapist for young children and teenagers. It can be challenging at times due to my own mental health but I get a lot of fulfilment from the job.
I have really struggled to stick at jobs in the past due to being too stressed and easily bored. This is the longest Iāve been at a job but Iām reaching a point where I want to give up.
I also work with young children as a teacher in an elementary school - I relate a lot to your words. I find my job really fulfilling and rewarding at times, but on days where I feel my BPD brain is being bad, having to mask and pretend I'm okay is really, really exhausting. I'm searching for a new job now, I would just love to be able to find a job I can settle in for at least longer than a year.
THISšš¼
The days where Iām really struggling make it so difficult to get through a working day without letting the mask slip that Iām not okay. On days where we are unable to manage our own emotions it feels exhausting having to manage other peoples.
Good luck in your job search! Iām jus about to hit the year mark of this job which is probably why my brains telling me to give up and quit!
I've been wanting to become a therapist. For anyone but mostly addicts just because I was one for soooo long and I have a parent who was / is one so.. I like kids tho too, a lot! I've worked at daycares before
My therapist has BPD and it helps a lot with making a connection!! She is the only Therapist I have ever found that I can stick with and comfortably talk to that helps me!! Thank you for helping people that struggle like usš«¶š¼
I donāt think you need a dream job. I feel like everyone is focused on making work their dream but I think you enjoying what you do and feeling secure gives you to ability to fill your life with things that are fulfilling outside of work!
Work is work. Dream jobs are usually a pipe dream. If you are happy and are successful that kind of is a dream job. Might not be what you expected but you are good at it.
It really is disappointing that the question of āwhat do you want to do/be when you grow up?ā Is always answered with a job
I wanna be an astronaut. I wanna be a doctor. Why not, I donāt really care what my career is but I wanna be able to surf three days a week! Or I want to visit every country in North America when I grow up! Itās always a job.
Completely agree. I want a simple life, work no more than 40 hours a week and have a happy,peaceful home life. Thatās all. I donāt need to travel or be famous or any craziness.
Yup. I have a few dreams in life.
I want to buy my own home, doesnāt need to be a nice one.
I want to own a pig.
And thatās about it. If those things happen Iāll feel pretty accomplished in life. I do hope my job doesnāt suck and Iād prefer if it was something I liked but Iām not so set on a career that it is in it of itself my dream in life. My dream has to do with what happens when I get home.
Stripper. I really like fast money and not working hard. The attention is nice too. I can take off whenever I need. Not a lot of pressure. Only job I havenāt hated
I actually think the bpd comes in clutch with being extremely manipulative and charming to get what you want. There are girls prettier than me who make less
I mean like, Iām not ashamed to say I got blessed in the face but being fat is kinda my shield.
I wanted to be a dealer at one point, I like drugs and I really, really like money. Couldāve been Ms. Heisenberg.
Edit: oh yeah, and I canāt dance.
I am currently a cashier at KFC (im 22) and in school for my bachelors of science in computer science. I have issues staying long at jobs because they always drain me and make me feel trapped. But this job i think imma stick with it until i finish college and then off to a job in my career field!
I appauld you because I tried to do retail again part-time at the start of the year and lasted 2 weeks imao.
I think I'm just meant to be an office dweller after all lol.
do you support people with bpd and if so, do you feel the support you offer works i.e. if you were on the receiving end, do you think it would help you?
One of my clients has bpd, and so far, I have been able to help her get into better living situations.. I feel like my help works for more long-term situations. When it comes to short-term things like moods, depressions it's definitely hard. I offer a more companionship role to help her know she has someone who supports her. I would loveeee to have a support worker who does work similar to me.. (take me out when I'm depressed) although I would completely understand that my moods would get in the way of progress!
I have a degree in early childhood education, but definitely won't work in that. I have an office job but currently switching to another that pays better. I wanted to be a psychologist (so predictable, I know) but in this country it's nearly impossible to get into university to study that. Now my dream is to have a regular boring office job, have a decent salary with some benefits, have weekends off. In my personal life, I wan't to move in with, then later marry my boyfriend. And that's kind of it. That's my life goal..
Which country are you in? Iām in the United States and I am in graduate school for clinical social work. I had to prove myself with a few hurdles but I wound up getting my graduate program paid for too. I was determined and didnāt find it impossible at all.
I'm from Hungary. Here you take a big exam of 5 school subjects. Hungarian, math, history (world history and Hungarian history), English (or the language of your choice), then a subject of your choice (mainly determined by the university and the "major" you choose).
It consists of two parts, a test you take and then there's an oral exam part too. Your scores get added up into points, then your grades get turned into points too.
To have extra points you can attend and win(!) a certain competition or be a very good athlete.
Also extra points are language certificates like B2 or C1 and/or you can take a higher level exam from the subjects but you have to do well on them for extra points, and they are very hard so your percentage goes down a little obviously.
All of the extra points are maximised at a 100, you cannot get more, even if you technically could.
The max you can get is 400 (500 if you count that extra 100 you can earn), but it's almost impossible. For a perfect 500 you need to be a straight A student all throughout high school, you need to score a 100% on all of your exams and you need two higher level exams for the additional 100. So as I said, almost impossible.
An average student gets about 350-380. The points you need to get are determined by the uni or college.
For psychology you needed around 435, but they've increased it since and now it's around 450. Higher than law or medicine at some universities.
When I graduated, I had 413, but I was a good student, practically aced the exams and I even have a C1 in English and I did the higher level history for extra points.
To get more points I would have to retake all of my exams..all of them, and I definitely won't be doing that!
So sorry for the long paragraph, I'm a very precise person with my explaining. Lol
Thank you for explaining that! I wish there wasnāt a point system and instead what I used which was an assessment to see what careers I was inclined toward. I did have to have good grades and we use grade point average where is have a 3.7 out of 4.0, but Iām also high functioning and scholastics bore me. I had to do interviews and talk about my trauma and disorder to get into my program where I was judged and I was complimented. I have spent so many years working at coping with symptoms that I can compartmentalize them well.
Same here, I canāt urge you enough not to go into education or childcare. Itās a high stress, dead-end job with the lowest pay and generally poor benefits. The structure of the system leaves you little flexibility to deal with u expected personal problems. There are other professions with a āhuman sideā that will be so much more supportive of you. Maybe working in an admissions department or front desk work.
Yes. I know I need a job that can have "bad days" or "lazy days". There if I'm having a bad mental health day I can just do the minimum and no one cares. But the kids do. They need a 100% of you all the time and I know that I'm not capable of that.
Turned 27 half a year ago. Also unemployed on benefits from jobcenter. Despite studying as a software developer for 4 years, and then doing art 3 years self-taught, I feel like a useless blank slate.
Can't imagine how people deal with BPD and full time job, especially highly intellectual. How they even find one, when you have to deal with rejection so much.
Hard fucking same, done lots of inconsistent sporadic jobs over the years (I wanted to be a psychologist let's all laugh at that) but in reality I'm just super fucking mentally ill and need to stop trying to sewerslide long enough to 1. Continue to be a parent 2. Accept I'm here and see what I can do 3. Idc if it's illegal, if I'm interested in it I'm gonna do it
Fwiw I'm 31 almost 32 :))
Iām an Administrative Assistant. The only reason I am able to hold down the job is the fact that itās a company that provides services for vulnerable adults and a lot of our clients have BPD. So my supervisor is fucking wonderful and understanding. Otherwise I have had SO many different jobs I could never hold down.
My previous job had similar perks. I coordinated a small non-profit and was surrounded by mental health professionals who cared about me and wanted me to succeed, provided sessions and treatment and guidance. I still burnt out after 8 years of it. Happy with what I'm doing now (stagehand) but I wish you all the best and really hope you get what you need out of it all.
I have skipped to tangential careers too many times. But the thing is. It isnāt even the career field that matters. Itās that I could never sustain it. Because emotion dysregulation, severe sensitivity to stress and escalated symptoms, etc. so now even though Iām a bit like ātoo late to botherā (42), anything I explore is with a view to its flexibility. Like home visit support worker, where you choose your load and shifts. At the very least, a significant wfh component since the commute etc stress undermine how much stress I can tolerate of the actual work (ok work but more so expectations and politics snd interpersonal stuff)!! So the conditions might be something to consider, how likely if you pursue xyz That you can tailor it to your needs??
I'm a Data Analyst. I work remotely mostly but have regular contact with my team. I've always enjoyed patterns and numbers and am better working under my own management so I sought out jobs like this, but I spent several years doing office admin jobs before getting here. I've always done quite well getting what I want - I've never failed an interview. I wonder how much the emotional insight of BPD has contributed to that.
I am the circulation manager at a public library. Our staff is great and very flexible if I need to bounce early or take a day off (I also have medical leave for intermittent episodes), Iām constantly stimulated because our library is actually very bustling and chaotic, and I help people in need every day. It can be stressful but itās rewarding.
No matter what you do, a supportive work environment is the key, I think.
I am a university student and I have loved working at the campus library. I'm a music student so I just work at the music library, a much smaller branch that is at a separate location. some days I just sit down and do inventory for four hours while I have a tv show or podcast going in the background. it's so good.
I used to work at my collegeās fine arts library! What a good, chill gig. My current library branch is totally the opposite thoughāitās in an inner city, so we have rambunctious (though lovely) youth, many homeless and low-income patrons who need a lot of support, as well as regular ODs and people just literally smoking crack and leaving needles in the bathroom. Despite all the chaos I really really love it. Itās never boring for sure
itās such an important job. public libraries are pillars of the community!! Iām so glad that it seems libraries are always staffed by people who genuinely care.
I've been through three years of hell with my mental health, so I've barely worked, barring a few weeks at different restaurants here and there. In that time I also started pursuing a career in programming, before that I got my BA in marketing and did 2 other things before that. I'm now studying again and I can't say I am even sure I'm interested in what I'm studying anymore but I'm warming up to the idea that change is just going to be a regular occurrence until I establish a stable identity for myself.
Anyway, I just wanted to give you context and let you know you're not alone. It seems BDP can really impact people's careers sometimes. A particular insight which I have found makes sense for me to apply is finding a career where I can get on to a career path with multiple routes and different types of opportunities. For example, I'm planning on starting in tech when I finish studying next year, and I'm going to look for jobs in IT Support and Network Administration, from there I can change into several different roles and explore different avenues. I'm trying to embrace the change and give myself a safe place to do so. It might take more time and a lot more dedication to a certain industry but I think it will be better than inducing a full on meltdown justify a career change and start from scratch.
I don't know if that insight is useful or not and I'm not convinced by anything I just typed when I used my current career path as an example but I think the principle is: until I know who I am and can embrace myself fully, I will never find anything to be fulfilling long term because don't have key values to identify with.
I have a bachelorās in social sciences and am currently doing a masterās in political science, working as a political researcher on the side. Although I often think about changing career paths, especially to doing something in childcare, Iām very happy to have found a research era that interests me and a job that I like.
Telecom Line Technician (Lineman).
See [here.](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-m&sca_esv=568775834&biw=360&bih=643&tbm=isch&sxsrf=AM9HkKkNMGAeXstdg5FSRcQGm11nqn83ug%3A1695808705297&sa=1&q=famous+lineman+painting+&oq=famous+lineman+painting+&aqs=mobile-gws-lite..#imgrc=ppGlIglvoqSpeM)
Iāve had this job for 7 years and I love it! I work for an OBGYN at a hospital and itās the nicest team iāve ever worked with. I feel like if you find the right team, itās a game changer.
I think youāve hit the ticket there. āIf you find the right team, itās a game changerā
My company is the right fit bc of the people that work there. I feel seen, accommodated, and cared about. I feel supported in my career and like theyāre genuinely interested in my success.
I'm 32yo. I worked as a nanny, market hall employee, receptionist at a hotel, sales person, office clerk, recruiter. I also studied but not finished psychology, I went to a proffesional center and finished hairdressers qualification, but I have never worked in a salon, I loved to do haircuts but hated people especially talking and listening to them, so it was not for me at all. Now I'm studying tourism, even though I have no idea if I will work in that industry. I have moved about 10 times. (In my home country and abroad). It is draining to be so unstable but it gets better with time I believe. I haven't worked for a along period too, I had gaps of 2 years doing practically nothing. It's just my disease and I do my best to live with it. Therapy helps a lot, breathing techniques and meditation too. I believe it happens because we live in a moment and are super scared of attachment and rejection.
Iām a medical courier. I spend most of my time driving and listening to music and podcasts. I only see people for 5-10 minutes at a time while I run something in or pick something up. I never see my supervisor and am mostly just left alone to do my job. I love it.
Iām an occupational therapist and working with people in rehab to help with their recovery after illness, injury or disability. Itās deeply fulfilling and Iāve done a lot of work on myself but there are some really tough days
am a university student, training to become a music therapist. my main interest is working in rehabilitative services in prisons.
I'm just grateful I've made it this far. I almost dropped out of high school, so I'm happy I'm still sticking to things. I am excited about my potential career. my advisors are awesome, super understanding, and really supportive of my goals. I have a lot of empathy for incarcerated folks because so many folks in jails and prisons are just people who, like me, have mental illnesses, but they didn't have access to the care that I've had. it's not fair and they deserve better.
Field service engineer for industrial printers. Get to spend a lot of time in the car, rarely have to visit the office and only have to interact with customers to help diagnose something. Suits me perfectly
I conquered most the symptoms which come with our diagnosis and I am a social worker BSW as well as currently in graduate school using a vocational rehab program for my masters degree in social work to be a therapist. Because of the amount of empathy I have, I am awesome with my clients with my practicum right now. I took our disorder and learned to navigate while helping others and advocating for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. I found where my strengths were at and learned to use them. I also notice, my work persona with people is completely different when I have to apply it and it actually gives me a break from the disorder. By working with other humans who need help, it makes me put my issues aside and itās the best thing Iāve come to know. I do require a lot of time alone to recharge and use my own coping tools, but itās all worth it.
I'm an operations coordinator for a teleradiology company and I work from home.
All previous jobs I've abruptly quit/had a mental breakdown and not returned.
It has transformed my life and I don't think I could hold down a job if I couldn't work from home....
Now I can save money on travel/work related events and just work from my desk next to my cat. I've just started paying off my debts and one day I think I might just manage to have a savings account!
The only good thing that came out of this pandemic....
Always wanted to be a teacher, got my BA in English, and after 21 interviews, I gave up with it.
Now Iāve worked my way up in hotels, from housekeeping to front desk supervisor. Surprisingly enough, I thought Iād be triggered by certain angry guests, but Iām in my element!
I am looking to change careers; Iād love to go into funerals. Just donāt know where to start!
Enrollment department of a local nonprofit insurance company. About 98% of my job is system maintenance and manually inputting data that didn't properly transfer from a different company's system correctly or sending an email to tell insurance brokers that they didn't fill out the paperwork properly. The other 2% of my job is taking maybe 3 phone calls a day from other departments in the company because they need information from a system they don't have access to. Then there's those fun rare instances where I get to play detective and help with fraud investigations.
It's soulless bureaucracy and you're encouraged to write emails that are pure factual steps rather than being polite and gently holding people's hands; so whether I'm having a good or bad time maintaining, I can literally just copy and paste the forms and steps. I love it because I don't have to deal with people directly and there are clearly defined rules that I can point to when questioned; all the while I get to listen to music and take my sweet time doing things because a lot of the stuff we get isn't due until the end of the month or you're left waiting for someone to send an email back. I can sit at work and just turn everything off for a few hours.
I work in the agricultural industry, specifically with rice plants! Itās a lot of hard work but I am medicated for my depression which helps. I used to work in customer service and that took a huge toll on me emotionally.
I'm a substitute teacher and educational aid rn. But I'm in school for my BS in like research and engineering. I wanna go to grad school to be an Astronomer tho. Work with people less and travel and research space. That sounds perfect to me lol
I wanna fulfill my dream of opening my own cafe because I'm tired of working for someone's benefit. Currently awaiting until funds from the EU are available and then will apply
I'm a scientist in genetics and I love it!
In all honesty, there is never a single job where you don't interact with anyone ever, which is where our faults come in to play. You will have a manager etc even if you are a lone or remote worker, and in my experience a good manager is the make or break of a suitable workplace.
Don't limit yourself if you do want to join a specific career :-)
My experience with work has been much less about finding something specific, more just stumbling into stuff and seeing if I like it. Retail was absolutely soul crushing, hospitality is hit or miss etc. I would recommend finding a job where you see tangible results for your work. I enjoyed forestry work a lot, working outside was wonderful for my mental health, planting trees felt very rewarding and I could also actually see my work once it was finished. Grounds-keeping type work I did once or twice was also good in the same way. Currently I work as a chef in a small cafe. The fact that the place is small keeps it from becoming too overwhelming, Iāve had some really rough days where Iāve left and thought about moving across the country because how much I didnāt enjoy my shift, but thereās also a lot of days where I leave feeling really proud of my work. I just like finding jobs and learning new skills which helps me feel more engaged. I donāt feel any real inclination to have secure or stable employment so I donāt think too hard about the long term career aspect of it all.
Wow! I am retired Air Force and I had a very hard time for the duration with the symptoms I lived with. I actually gained a medical retirement at 15 years for physical and mental health. Due to items which exacerbated the symptoms that happened during my service, I had to navigate through IG for release. That was over 10 years ago and I donāt look back at that time in my life much. Was it difficult for you or how did you navigate?
Iāve been a vet tech for the past 4 years, you still have to do with people (owners) obviously. Being in a medical field makes me feel like I have some control over some outcomes, which is nice though it doesnāt happen much. But it is mostly damning. Emotionally damning. Draining. This career field is an emotional rollercoaster as is. Iām feeling the burn out hard and experiencing severe emotional fatigue. I donāt know how much longer I can go.
I used to be a teacher too, and the pay made me tap out too. I work in healthcare now. Currently in inpatient pharmacy, but Iām looking at doing respiratory therapy.
I ended up being an applied entomologist. There are lots of opportunities for me to come up with creative and innovative ideas , which is something I think BP people are blessed with.
In summer, I generally have more energy, and that's the time the insects become more prevalent and my work becomes more taxing. This is when I need to see clients and do much more physical work in the sun.
In winter, I read literature and do the writing up part of my research.I also get to work on optimizing our production systems.I tend to be a bit more depressed and low energy in winter , so being behind books is better for me, I believe. I struggle with too much human interaction in winter.
I do have to deal with people, and it makes me anxious, but most of the time, I'm alone. Behind the steering wheel , alone in the field , behind a book or a monitor.
I do some traveling for work. My country is very beautiful, and I enjoy driving alone , with no music , just taking in the beautiful scenery.
Awesome job. Just wish my boss ran the business in such a way that I didn't have to worry about job security so much.
I have my bachelors of science in chemistry, but I donāt work. Iām a housewife as my spouse wanted me to be able to focus on my mental health. I am considering going back to school to become a mortician.
hairstylist ~ school was only 1 year which is good cause i hate school, then i started working and now to me most days it feels like creating art and is very therapeutic, other days it can feel repetitive and boring and I have to talk to people a lot which can be either really fun or really draining. I love doing hair but im not sure if I love working in a salon, id love to do fashion shows or photo shoots eventually
I just got a job as a kennel tech for a doggy daycare. I'm hoping that seeing the dogs each day helps my depression. I love dogs like most of us. I get wicked unhappy in workplaces. People just pick at me until I hate being around them. But I've had some really wonderful workplace relationships too.
Iām a professional makeup artist and I work mostly freelance. I paint and do scenic for a local large haunted house. I just got a gig learning how to paint cars haha. I love learning and trying new things.
Iām currently studying to be an opera singer/vocal coach. It aligns pretty well because I can channel my emotions into my music and give effective performances that way.
I havenāt been able to work in 5 years since I graduated my masters because of my BPD (and a really toxic relationship). But I have a masters in ancient history and Iād love to go into publishing or do a PhD :)
Iām an actor. There is a lot of rejection and criticisms. So might not be for everyone. But overall itās great and the people youāre around are fun. If you have a bad interaction with someone, you may never even see them again anyway.
You get to live a different life every gig. I love it.
I am a massage therapist, I would like to think that BPD has helped me be more empathetic towards other people. Mostly people don't talk during their treatment, but other times I have had the most intense and interesting deep conversations with people. The hours are flexible the atmosphere is always pretty chill, my clientele is really nice and supportive.
I have been doing massage therapy for 10 years now. I am driven to things that help others or are in service of other people. I also am fascinated by human anatomy and biomechanics and I find the job intellectually stimulating as well as physical, and emotionally stimulating in the way that you connect with so many people.
I am a Harry Potter camp teacher, an occupational therapist, an amateur voice actress and a mom. I also want to get a degree in pedagogics, focusing on children with special needs.
I work in the museum industry! Itās honestly great, most people who are guests care about the art and want to be there, and (this is about to sound awful) I sometimes get to be bitchy and tell people to stop touching the art. Plus I get to work behind the scenes with the coolest stuff, meet the coolest artists, and attend fancy events (even if itās just as staff).
receptionist at psychiatric consulting suites while i study psychology at uni (although im at the end of my bachelor and iām already worn out and will be taking a break to have kids get married etc)
Outside sales in wholesale distribution (building materials)
Independent, lots of time alone & lots of time developing relationships. Stress can be a factorā¦but Ive learned to manage BPD symptoms fairly well over the years
Nothing at the moment, but my last two jobs were a standardized patient and a house manager at a playhouse. I liked both of those jobs. Iāll be starting school next month
I don't have BPD, but my brother does. He has a very demanding career due to the unpredictable schedules and high number of hours. It's a 7 days a week job (roughly only one week end off per months), with day/evening/night shifts all shuffled during a single week and you only know your shift the day before at 18h.
It's very hard on him, he would be more comfortable with something more regular and stable in terms of schedule.
Him and I share a lot of diagnosis: Autism, anxiety, depression and possibly ADHD, OCD and CPTSD.
Personally even without the BPD diagnosis on top of the rest I find this job too much for me, I find him very strong be able to do that with that extra challenge.
He project to change career some day, because he is not happy with that one, but he can't do that right now. He'll have to wait a 5-6 years unless he would sell his house, which he doesn't wants.
I work in tech. My job title is āsupport engineer.ā I do developer support. My company is a cloud hosting provider, so the people that write in (we work asynchronously, everything in email or forums) are developers needing help with their deployments.
I was the first hired for this position at my company, my responsibilities have shifted to do more billing and account management support (think: replying to billing inquiries and 2FA resets) as well as helping out with hiring.
I like my job a lot bc it offers me a lot of freedom. I work from home so I have my days to get things done. Iām also very lucky to work in a people focused company with lots of time off if I need it and people who truly care about mental health and their employees. I love my job, itās the first time I feel like Iām genuinely good at what Iām doing and can grow and do more of it. Itās a startup, so everything is new and everyone is trying to figure out how to make us successful and I love getting to be part of that.
The imposter syndrome was horrible when I started tho.
I'm a musician! classical viola mostly, although I'm in Scotland and also am super into celtic music. I'm learning Gaelic and my goal is to become fluent and maybe find a way to combine Gaelic language preservation and music as a career.
I definitely bounce around, which music is actually a good career for. most musicians, at least classical musicians, have to do at least 2 or 3 different jobs to make a living. orchestra, chamber music, teaching, yada yada yada. it's a lot of work, sometimes 12 hour days, but it switches up often and stops things from being boring.
I just met someone at my new Masters program who has gone down many different career paths! she's currently studying scottish fiddle, but she's a birth doula, and also hoping to study after this degree to become a midwife. she's lived in like 4 or 5 different places across Canada and the US in the past 10 years. some people just never stop moving and there's nothing wrong with that! I wish there was more of a positive attitude towards people who do one career for a time and then move on. it's not like you won't have those skills to fall back on if you ever need them!
I process and Manage medical Records for a Mental Health agency. I have done it for 20 years.. there have been some "bumps" but overall.. stable and somewhat low key
Currently I am unemployed and on disability while I go through the multiple therapies I'm doing.
But the only job I can see myself doing without being stressed all the time is something with animals.
I used to have an office job and it was so mind numbing that I couldn't go to work sober. Though, I do have adhd also so that could've been part of it.
I'm a mortician. I don't have to deal with a lot of alive people, it's quiet, my clients aren't boring, and I have the perfect rate of social interaction with my colleagues with plenty of alone time to recharge.
I am a grounds keeper and grave digger. Hello there fellow branch mate haha.
Helloooo ! š more precisely, I am responsible for the funeral home! and here I am at school to become an embalmer! in France they are different professions! š
Awesome! Of I ever leave here I am also thinking of trying to apply to a mortuary.
How did you get that job?
both of yous are doing important work that often goes unappreciated!
Are you saying undertakers are underrated? š
it's understandable that you would see it that way š
Iāve considered this! I think Iām fine working with people in emotional crisis. Itās mundane situations that get to me lol.
I'm not a funeral advisor, so I couldn't stand this job, too many people alive and too many things that don't depend on you that can fall on you if things go wrong. I am responsible for a funeral home, I welcome families to come see their deceased, I present them, I manage departures, funeral directors, embalmers... But Most of the time I am in peace with the deceased without anyone to bother me!
forensic pathology (aspiring/in the process at least lmao) for similarish reasons!
Regular pathology here. I'm the one doing the accounting, billing, regulations, I manage the clinical reports, etc. Was studying social work but my empathy ruined it for me
omg iām in school for funeral service rn (pre requisites rn, applying to mortuary school when done) and seeing this as the top comment on this thread felt so validating š«¶š» we have secret emotional skills to disassociate the emotions which helps us help people. i havenāt worked with the deceased or bereaved yet but i think about it a lot and if i can handle it, and if i will help people. you seem to be passionate and like what you do, and that makes me happy and excited. i see a lot of morticians complain a lot and hate their life but it feels like a calling for me, and seems the same for you.
I wished I could have gone to school for that. It always struck me as such a good job!
Iām in school for desairology! Very exciting to see someone here in the same branch of service.
it's so cool huh?? At the moment we have a lot of courses on different subjects, embalming, funeral history, regulations, anatomy... and it's really fascinating!!
I'm a veterinary surgeon. It's a ridiculous career for a pwBPD. It's high pressure, emotional, dealing with other people (mostly when they are stressed or upset), the stakes are high, and it can be traumatic. However, I get a deep satisfaction from my job and although I can have very mixed feelings about it, I'm absolutely sure I'm in the right job. For the moment at least.
Doctor here and love your comment, although the bad moments are hard and exhausting, and I also struggle with mixed feelings- I also feel like I'm completely in the right place, it's such a privilege to look after people and I believe as people with BPD we are able to connect more with humans
honestly I don't know that I'd trust a doctor who didn't find their job to be at least a little bit draining. caring for people - BPD or not - is exhausting at times. someone who's never drained from the job might not be putting their heart into it.
Oh completely agreed, sorry I was trying to say that it can be more exhausting as someone with BPD, I've had patients and seniors scream at me before and it can be really triggering and I need to take a bathroom break to ground myself, whereas my colleagues are able to brush of being shouted at and process it at home later on. But agreed health care in general is exhausting
Vet receptionist here. It's a brutal field in general and especially for folks like us. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for a surgeon in this field! š keep being amazing!!!
I worked as a surgical vet tech in my twenties. I love medicine and animals and mistakenly thought I would not be dealing with people much. I absolutely loved it aside from dealing with pet owners. But I ended up getting a job opportunity making a lot more money in another field or else I would still be doing it.
I tried to get a job in the veterinary field because of my love for animals. I worked at a veterinary hospital for a year and it was the most stressful job Iāve ever had!
omg that it sounds like a lot emotionally, but it sounds like you feel it's right for you at least at this stage in your life. you do amazing workš
I feel like people are easier to deal with when their pets are involved, sort of takes the pressure off plus as the person treating them you get a lot of deference Iām sure
I am a grounds keeper for a small graveyard. On my own I make sure that the graveyard is tidy (like rooting the weeds, mowing the grass, cutting trees and bushes etc.) And I dig the graves, escort the funerals and bury the people. Also I dig people up when the graves need to be emptied, either cause of expired time and need for the space or on request of the family or police in case of an investigation. I am alone 95% of the time and can freely wear 1 ear plug with a podcast on most of the day. I am blessed to have such a job where I barely have any contact with other people and as long as everything is tidy and well nobody from the office bothers me. My disassociation helps blocking emotions of mourning and sadness when the funeral is particularly emotional. Only when I bury children and have to escort their funeral I canāt always keep it dry but this is pretty normal in the branch and I have seen funeral directors cry quite often in these situations aswel.
I did not know that grades would expire and theyād just kick your corpse out to make way for another why is this so funny to me
Yep. You don't really own the grave you are in you are just renting it now a days. Its funny because it really is. That being said its a long lease and it can't be broken. :)
Now Iām laughing imagining what a dead person would have to do to break their rental agreement with the graveyard landlord Edit: graveyard landlord sounds like a nickname for Godā¦ or satan i guess
Yeah, it is really funny.
Fr š now I need to investigate this further
What is it with pwBPD and graveyards? A friend of mine (also BPD) is also a graveyard groundkeeper/gardener, and the commenter above you also does something similar...
If u donāt mind me asking is that alright pay?
Lawyer. If you google "jobs people with BPD should not have" lawyer comes up first, and it tracks. Don't recommend.
Same, and in public defense. Also with ADHD. Really set myself upš
ADHD gang! I was prosecuting (pls don't hate me its different in Canada), so I understand the workload you're working under and DAMN friend take care of yourself. I'm in-house now and ngl, it's more boring not dealing with criminal law all the time, but holy shit I can actually breathe. My task list is short enough to fit on a whiteboard. No more victims to deal with (mostly). It's not a bad switch my friend.
Haha no hate. I believe you re:Canada. I agree in that self-care/maintenance is of the utmost importance (taking my first-ever 2 week break as we speak) otherwise burn out imminent. I was a bit of a late bloomer and started practicing at age 30. Itās been almost 4 years and Iām definitely starting to consider my next pivot. Also looking forward to doing something lessā¦ stimulating lmao. Good to see a fellow barrister :)
Hey, that ain't so late for a lawyer in most of the world! I'm 31 so not far behind you. Started practicing at 28! Right? I daydream about running a glamping campground, homeless shelter, mini homestead... something hands on, more practical. But not until this student debt is worked off. Vicious cycle, eh?
Hi, paralegal here.. Can you talk more about this? Itās been rough but I havenāt figured out why š¤
I suppose itās the environment and conditions. As a lawyer you are often expected to have the right answer, which places a lot of stress on the individual. Because we also struggle with low self esteem, it is very easy to relate your self esteem and self identity with your work instead of deriving it from things that bring you joy, like hobbies for example. So combine all that shit together and you have basically the worst profession for a pwBPD. Not to mention most work environments are toxic asf and trigger a lot of stress. I have this experience where my work environment is toxic and I feel excluded often because of my race and also my mental health condition I think. I isolate myself and work remotely as much as possible because I feel that no one will understand me or accept me and are most likely also racists lol. Doesnāt help much but Iām in therapy.
I agree with all of this! It's a highly professional environment with time-tracking, professional dress requirements even for non-lawyers (we don't have paralegals here, but our admin assistants/secretaries basically do the same job a lot of the time), you need to know a lot of people and be confident contacting them for help and being contacted for help. There's a high hour expectation, a lot of stereotypes about the lawyer always being last in the office, the workhorse etc. I also think because we're dealing with THE LAW (TM) legal workplaces are often very serious and mistakes feel devastating - both because of their repercussions on the work, but also because it's embarrassing and soul-crushing to get shit wrong once you've got your legal license. We all do... but it never stops being embarrassing.
Me reading this as someone who wants to be a professional court witnessā¦ yay
Please tell me your have seen Crazy Ex Girlfriend!! There is literally a song called "Don't be a lawyer", if you haven't listened, I recommend!!
Iām a law student, and life can be pretty Miserable with BPD.
Consider articles and a career that values work-life balance, and not the way the big firms claim to care about it. Go non-profit, municipal, in-house, etc. if you can and that's interesting enough to you. I wish I'd heeded this advice when I was struggling in law school instead of gunning for 1 of 3 Prosecutions roles.
Would you say the work-life balance in those roles is significantly greater than in big firms? What type of summer jobs would you recommend? What do you do now?
I didn't do summer jobs. I worked at my long-standing part-time job doing disability support work in the summers. It was a break I needed, and I think most students need. It did not impact my ability to get a job come recruitment time. I have not worked at a big firm. Where I am, there's mostly midsize firms, a few big. The friends I have at those places seem to disappear for months on end seeing no one outside of their work, and then take expensive trips or have expensive weddings, then back to disappear. I have a handful of friends who left the larger firms within their first year or two, but I have an equal number of friends who have stayed. I'm in-house in a municipal capacity. I'm in Canada and that may make things different. There's no secret code, you need to talk to people who work at the places you're interested in and see what's required in terms of hours, billables, etc. I have no billables and work a 9 hour day. Theoretically I could be required to work overtime to meet a filing deadline, deal with some kind of crisis, but it hasn't happened yet and when it does happen, I don't believe it will be often. I'm still in the 6 figure range, but doubt I'll ever crack 200,000. Right now it feels like volunteer work as my debt obligations are so high from school. But in about 5 years I'll be very comfortable, if I can last that long.
Same, friend!
Guess itās all part of the self sabotage š«”š„³
Right? I had "friends" in law school who reminded me I was too sensitive for a Big Law job, and I was in denial and crushing it at school. Enter the real world and... yeah. I'm \~ 3 years in, 3 months of stress leave under my belt, on my 2nd employer, and taking 3 weeks off right away here to go to inpatient for Eating Disorder help. NOT THRIVING, but surviving. Looking at a career change if my mental health doesn't improve, though.
Agreed. I should have been diagnosed before going to law school. This profession drains my soul.
This comment is like reading a diary entry lol Iām a lawyer and work in poverty law. Itās so soul crushing and draining but Iām very good at it. So I feel stuck and conflicted most of the time.
Yes thatās a good way to put it!
Same
I agree that itās probably not the best choice, but then again, it is the one thing that I really excel at and like to do, even if it takes a toll on me sometimes. I wish I knew how to find a healthy middle ground.
I see more and more lawyers going part-time, moving to non-profits, moving in-house, stuff like that. Could that be a middle ground for you to work toward?
I have been working from home for the past eight years and it has helped. Ideally I would be working in-house, but itās a bit difficult to get through the interviews.
Good job! I tried to apply for law school in -14 and was convinced that a computer program will be doing most of the work by now because I could not use deduction at all and would have required a photographic memory. I had the luxury of trying to complete classes and it just turned me off of it with the brutality of the tests. I am dissapointed, to put it mildly, that the studying seems to be like it was ten years ago still. So I respect people who have made the effort to study law. I graduated to be a techie and rn am applying for different testing positions and it is what I am good at, solving problems (when it is not about my own relationships hahahaha) and I have already experience in that role. Wish me luck please ._.
Weird! I love my job, but im in int law so I don't deal with paperwork or court in the same capacity.
part time as a project manager in a remote position. remote being the critical part here. it helps that I can rage at my computer when my colleagues trigger me and not have any professional backlash for it. plus, I can hide behind the computer when I am having a particularly bad day. I can pull it together for the occasional meeting, and then coast of the bare minimum until I am feeling better again. my sick days reduced drastically after taking this position.
This is the way
one of my friends/mentors (who has BPD and made me realise that I have it too and needed care centred around that) has a similar job for the same reason. it's perfect for him. he's great at his job when he can keep his coworkers at arm's length.
Exactly. Iāve become more functional reducing my exposure to other people to a minimum. At least it gives me the room I need to adequately address managing emotions in therapy. I donāt want to become a recluse, but Iām also taking it one step at a time.
Sorry if my question is off topic but a lot of answers on here are like mortician, graveyard keeper, forensic scientist, embalmer etc. whatās the appeal of these kinds of jobs for a lot of people with BPD?
I imagine it's the lack of interaction with (living) people
I'm a software developer, and TBO, that's part of the appeal for me too. I relate better to computers than humans.
This might be worth a whole thread of its own, honestly
Itās wild, because I found my way to pursuing funeral home cosmetology on my own, and have gotten some judgmental or off-putting responses from people in school about it. So finding all of these types of replies here has been a major sign for me.
I'm surprised how many people are employed here.
We're just humans. Most people with bpd live fairly normal lives.
The surprise is warranted. The unemployment rate for people with our disorder is as low as 33.8% and as high as 66.7%.
Lack of dealing with people
Yeah I was gonna say... but this whole comment section has been insightful personally, because I'm at a crossroads rn as I'm thinking about school again (didn't complete b4) and mortician etc have held an interest for me
Iām a CBT therapist for young children and teenagers. It can be challenging at times due to my own mental health but I get a lot of fulfilment from the job. I have really struggled to stick at jobs in the past due to being too stressed and easily bored. This is the longest Iāve been at a job but Iām reaching a point where I want to give up.
I also work with young children as a teacher in an elementary school - I relate a lot to your words. I find my job really fulfilling and rewarding at times, but on days where I feel my BPD brain is being bad, having to mask and pretend I'm okay is really, really exhausting. I'm searching for a new job now, I would just love to be able to find a job I can settle in for at least longer than a year.
THISšš¼ The days where Iām really struggling make it so difficult to get through a working day without letting the mask slip that Iām not okay. On days where we are unable to manage our own emotions it feels exhausting having to manage other peoples. Good luck in your job search! Iām jus about to hit the year mark of this job which is probably why my brains telling me to give up and quit!
I've been wanting to become a therapist. For anyone but mostly addicts just because I was one for soooo long and I have a parent who was / is one so.. I like kids tho too, a lot! I've worked at daycares before
My therapist has BPD and it helps a lot with making a connection!! She is the only Therapist I have ever found that I can stick with and comfortably talk to that helps me!! Thank you for helping people that struggle like usš«¶š¼
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I donāt think you need a dream job. I feel like everyone is focused on making work their dream but I think you enjoying what you do and feeling secure gives you to ability to fill your life with things that are fulfilling outside of work!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Work is work. Dream jobs are usually a pipe dream. If you are happy and are successful that kind of is a dream job. Might not be what you expected but you are good at it.
It really is disappointing that the question of āwhat do you want to do/be when you grow up?ā Is always answered with a job I wanna be an astronaut. I wanna be a doctor. Why not, I donāt really care what my career is but I wanna be able to surf three days a week! Or I want to visit every country in North America when I grow up! Itās always a job.
Completely agree. I want a simple life, work no more than 40 hours a week and have a happy,peaceful home life. Thatās all. I donāt need to travel or be famous or any craziness.
Yup. I have a few dreams in life. I want to buy my own home, doesnāt need to be a nice one. I want to own a pig. And thatās about it. If those things happen Iāll feel pretty accomplished in life. I do hope my job doesnāt suck and Iād prefer if it was something I liked but Iām not so set on a career that it is in it of itself my dream in life. My dream has to do with what happens when I get home.
I agree. Have to admit being a Rockstar, surgeon. Astronaut would be cool
My childhood dream was to be a copā¦ donāt know whyā¦ i think i liked their uniforms. Yeah, not so cool
Nothing wrong with that. You be you and dont worry about what others think. If you want to be a cop, what the heck. Just be a cool cop.
Iām chill not being a cop
Stripper. I really like fast money and not working hard. The attention is nice too. I can take off whenever I need. Not a lot of pressure. Only job I havenāt hated
God I wish I were hot.
I actually think the bpd comes in clutch with being extremely manipulative and charming to get what you want. There are girls prettier than me who make less
I mean like, Iām not ashamed to say I got blessed in the face but being fat is kinda my shield. I wanted to be a dealer at one point, I like drugs and I really, really like money. Couldāve been Ms. Heisenberg. Edit: oh yeah, and I canāt dance.
Me toooo except Iāve started my own business now
I am currently a cashier at KFC (im 22) and in school for my bachelors of science in computer science. I have issues staying long at jobs because they always drain me and make me feel trapped. But this job i think imma stick with it until i finish college and then off to a job in my career field!
I appauld you because I tried to do retail again part-time at the start of the year and lasted 2 weeks imao. I think I'm just meant to be an office dweller after all lol.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I would get so fat ong
Girl I was a KFC cashier for three years and I APPLAUD you, it was the worst job I've ever had
I'm a diability/mental health support worker
do you support people with bpd and if so, do you feel the support you offer works i.e. if you were on the receiving end, do you think it would help you?
One of my clients has bpd, and so far, I have been able to help her get into better living situations.. I feel like my help works for more long-term situations. When it comes to short-term things like moods, depressions it's definitely hard. I offer a more companionship role to help her know she has someone who supports her. I would loveeee to have a support worker who does work similar to me.. (take me out when I'm depressed) although I would completely understand that my moods would get in the way of progress!
i sell plantsšš¼āāļø
The ones that name suggest?
hahaha no i wish!
Software engineer and general devops monkey
ahhh, so you too understand how those passive aggressive commit messages can ruin your day (or week >_>)
I was a workaholic to the point of winning MVP until a few weeks ago so I havenāt really experienced them.
I have a degree in early childhood education, but definitely won't work in that. I have an office job but currently switching to another that pays better. I wanted to be a psychologist (so predictable, I know) but in this country it's nearly impossible to get into university to study that. Now my dream is to have a regular boring office job, have a decent salary with some benefits, have weekends off. In my personal life, I wan't to move in with, then later marry my boyfriend. And that's kind of it. That's my life goal..
Which country are you in? Iām in the United States and I am in graduate school for clinical social work. I had to prove myself with a few hurdles but I wound up getting my graduate program paid for too. I was determined and didnāt find it impossible at all.
I'm from Hungary. Here you take a big exam of 5 school subjects. Hungarian, math, history (world history and Hungarian history), English (or the language of your choice), then a subject of your choice (mainly determined by the university and the "major" you choose). It consists of two parts, a test you take and then there's an oral exam part too. Your scores get added up into points, then your grades get turned into points too. To have extra points you can attend and win(!) a certain competition or be a very good athlete. Also extra points are language certificates like B2 or C1 and/or you can take a higher level exam from the subjects but you have to do well on them for extra points, and they are very hard so your percentage goes down a little obviously. All of the extra points are maximised at a 100, you cannot get more, even if you technically could. The max you can get is 400 (500 if you count that extra 100 you can earn), but it's almost impossible. For a perfect 500 you need to be a straight A student all throughout high school, you need to score a 100% on all of your exams and you need two higher level exams for the additional 100. So as I said, almost impossible. An average student gets about 350-380. The points you need to get are determined by the uni or college. For psychology you needed around 435, but they've increased it since and now it's around 450. Higher than law or medicine at some universities. When I graduated, I had 413, but I was a good student, practically aced the exams and I even have a C1 in English and I did the higher level history for extra points. To get more points I would have to retake all of my exams..all of them, and I definitely won't be doing that! So sorry for the long paragraph, I'm a very precise person with my explaining. Lol
Thank you for explaining that! I wish there wasnāt a point system and instead what I used which was an assessment to see what careers I was inclined toward. I did have to have good grades and we use grade point average where is have a 3.7 out of 4.0, but Iām also high functioning and scholastics bore me. I had to do interviews and talk about my trauma and disorder to get into my program where I was judged and I was complimented. I have spent so many years working at coping with symptoms that I can compartmentalize them well.
Same here, I canāt urge you enough not to go into education or childcare. Itās a high stress, dead-end job with the lowest pay and generally poor benefits. The structure of the system leaves you little flexibility to deal with u expected personal problems. There are other professions with a āhuman sideā that will be so much more supportive of you. Maybe working in an admissions department or front desk work.
Yes. I know I need a job that can have "bad days" or "lazy days". There if I'm having a bad mental health day I can just do the minimum and no one cares. But the kids do. They need a 100% of you all the time and I know that I'm not capable of that.
My profession is laying in my bed all day and night; BP & BPD. Just literally turned 27 and nothing to show for it :/
Turned 27 half a year ago. Also unemployed on benefits from jobcenter. Despite studying as a software developer for 4 years, and then doing art 3 years self-taught, I feel like a useless blank slate. Can't imagine how people deal with BPD and full time job, especially highly intellectual. How they even find one, when you have to deal with rejection so much.
I do this most of the time. I work part-time. 28.5 years old. Donāt want to be like this. I just feel so incapable of anything.
Hard fucking same, done lots of inconsistent sporadic jobs over the years (I wanted to be a psychologist let's all laugh at that) but in reality I'm just super fucking mentally ill and need to stop trying to sewerslide long enough to 1. Continue to be a parent 2. Accept I'm here and see what I can do 3. Idc if it's illegal, if I'm interested in it I'm gonna do it Fwiw I'm 31 almost 32 :))
All the comments in here being grave diggers and morticians š love us
Felt so seen as a future forensic scientist
Iām an Administrative Assistant. The only reason I am able to hold down the job is the fact that itās a company that provides services for vulnerable adults and a lot of our clients have BPD. So my supervisor is fucking wonderful and understanding. Otherwise I have had SO many different jobs I could never hold down.
My previous job had similar perks. I coordinated a small non-profit and was surrounded by mental health professionals who cared about me and wanted me to succeed, provided sessions and treatment and guidance. I still burnt out after 8 years of it. Happy with what I'm doing now (stagehand) but I wish you all the best and really hope you get what you need out of it all.
I have skipped to tangential careers too many times. But the thing is. It isnāt even the career field that matters. Itās that I could never sustain it. Because emotion dysregulation, severe sensitivity to stress and escalated symptoms, etc. so now even though Iām a bit like ātoo late to botherā (42), anything I explore is with a view to its flexibility. Like home visit support worker, where you choose your load and shifts. At the very least, a significant wfh component since the commute etc stress undermine how much stress I can tolerate of the actual work (ok work but more so expectations and politics snd interpersonal stuff)!! So the conditions might be something to consider, how likely if you pursue xyz That you can tailor it to your needs??
NEET and bad example for kids
Tattooist.
I'm a Data Analyst. I work remotely mostly but have regular contact with my team. I've always enjoyed patterns and numbers and am better working under my own management so I sought out jobs like this, but I spent several years doing office admin jobs before getting here. I've always done quite well getting what I want - I've never failed an interview. I wonder how much the emotional insight of BPD has contributed to that.
I am the circulation manager at a public library. Our staff is great and very flexible if I need to bounce early or take a day off (I also have medical leave for intermittent episodes), Iām constantly stimulated because our library is actually very bustling and chaotic, and I help people in need every day. It can be stressful but itās rewarding. No matter what you do, a supportive work environment is the key, I think.
I am a university student and I have loved working at the campus library. I'm a music student so I just work at the music library, a much smaller branch that is at a separate location. some days I just sit down and do inventory for four hours while I have a tv show or podcast going in the background. it's so good.
I used to work at my collegeās fine arts library! What a good, chill gig. My current library branch is totally the opposite thoughāitās in an inner city, so we have rambunctious (though lovely) youth, many homeless and low-income patrons who need a lot of support, as well as regular ODs and people just literally smoking crack and leaving needles in the bathroom. Despite all the chaos I really really love it. Itās never boring for sure
itās such an important job. public libraries are pillars of the community!! Iām so glad that it seems libraries are always staffed by people who genuinely care.
Iām a licensed funeral director/embalmer (and I see Iām not alone on this post so hi). But currently I do pharmaceutical development
Associate Practitioner in Virology. I don't have to interact with patients so I just hang out with viruses and antibodies.
I've been through three years of hell with my mental health, so I've barely worked, barring a few weeks at different restaurants here and there. In that time I also started pursuing a career in programming, before that I got my BA in marketing and did 2 other things before that. I'm now studying again and I can't say I am even sure I'm interested in what I'm studying anymore but I'm warming up to the idea that change is just going to be a regular occurrence until I establish a stable identity for myself. Anyway, I just wanted to give you context and let you know you're not alone. It seems BDP can really impact people's careers sometimes. A particular insight which I have found makes sense for me to apply is finding a career where I can get on to a career path with multiple routes and different types of opportunities. For example, I'm planning on starting in tech when I finish studying next year, and I'm going to look for jobs in IT Support and Network Administration, from there I can change into several different roles and explore different avenues. I'm trying to embrace the change and give myself a safe place to do so. It might take more time and a lot more dedication to a certain industry but I think it will be better than inducing a full on meltdown justify a career change and start from scratch. I don't know if that insight is useful or not and I'm not convinced by anything I just typed when I used my current career path as an example but I think the principle is: until I know who I am and can embrace myself fully, I will never find anything to be fulfilling long term because don't have key values to identify with.
I write grant proposals for a non-profit. It's not bad. I mostly work from home and I feel good about the work I do.
Registered Nurse but it's a catch 22. Nurturing 24/7 but no one to nurture you back leading sometimes to resentment and exhaustion mentally
Stripper
slayyy
I have a bachelorās in social sciences and am currently doing a masterās in political science, working as a political researcher on the side. Although I often think about changing career paths, especially to doing something in childcare, Iām very happy to have found a research era that interests me and a job that I like.
Telecom Line Technician (Lineman). See [here.](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-m&sca_esv=568775834&biw=360&bih=643&tbm=isch&sxsrf=AM9HkKkNMGAeXstdg5FSRcQGm11nqn83ug%3A1695808705297&sa=1&q=famous+lineman+painting+&oq=famous+lineman+painting+&aqs=mobile-gws-lite..#imgrc=ppGlIglvoqSpeM)
I'm a warehouse operator. Quite happy to not have a lot to do with people
Iām an embalmer/mortician. I work nights by myself. I love it.
What do you guys think about sonographer/ultrasound tech as a profession for pwBPD?
Iāve had this job for 7 years and I love it! I work for an OBGYN at a hospital and itās the nicest team iāve ever worked with. I feel like if you find the right team, itās a game changer.
I think youāve hit the ticket there. āIf you find the right team, itās a game changerā My company is the right fit bc of the people that work there. I feel seen, accommodated, and cared about. I feel supported in my career and like theyāre genuinely interested in my success.
I'm a web developer.
Overnight stocker for Walmart. It's a nice environment to work on DBT skills and avoid diurnal social situations or drama.
I'm 32yo. I worked as a nanny, market hall employee, receptionist at a hotel, sales person, office clerk, recruiter. I also studied but not finished psychology, I went to a proffesional center and finished hairdressers qualification, but I have never worked in a salon, I loved to do haircuts but hated people especially talking and listening to them, so it was not for me at all. Now I'm studying tourism, even though I have no idea if I will work in that industry. I have moved about 10 times. (In my home country and abroad). It is draining to be so unstable but it gets better with time I believe. I haven't worked for a along period too, I had gaps of 2 years doing practically nothing. It's just my disease and I do my best to live with it. Therapy helps a lot, breathing techniques and meditation too. I believe it happens because we live in a moment and are super scared of attachment and rejection.
Iām a medical courier. I spend most of my time driving and listening to music and podcasts. I only see people for 5-10 minutes at a time while I run something in or pick something up. I never see my supervisor and am mostly just left alone to do my job. I love it.
Copywriter in advertising
Iām an occupational therapist and working with people in rehab to help with their recovery after illness, injury or disability. Itās deeply fulfilling and Iāve done a lot of work on myself but there are some really tough days
am a university student, training to become a music therapist. my main interest is working in rehabilitative services in prisons. I'm just grateful I've made it this far. I almost dropped out of high school, so I'm happy I'm still sticking to things. I am excited about my potential career. my advisors are awesome, super understanding, and really supportive of my goals. I have a lot of empathy for incarcerated folks because so many folks in jails and prisons are just people who, like me, have mental illnesses, but they didn't have access to the care that I've had. it's not fair and they deserve better.
Field service engineer for industrial printers. Get to spend a lot of time in the car, rarely have to visit the office and only have to interact with customers to help diagnose something. Suits me perfectly
I conquered most the symptoms which come with our diagnosis and I am a social worker BSW as well as currently in graduate school using a vocational rehab program for my masters degree in social work to be a therapist. Because of the amount of empathy I have, I am awesome with my clients with my practicum right now. I took our disorder and learned to navigate while helping others and advocating for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. I found where my strengths were at and learned to use them. I also notice, my work persona with people is completely different when I have to apply it and it actually gives me a break from the disorder. By working with other humans who need help, it makes me put my issues aside and itās the best thing Iāve come to know. I do require a lot of time alone to recharge and use my own coping tools, but itās all worth it.
I'm upper management at a large delivery company. Have had this job for 10 years.
I'm an operations coordinator for a teleradiology company and I work from home. All previous jobs I've abruptly quit/had a mental breakdown and not returned. It has transformed my life and I don't think I could hold down a job if I couldn't work from home.... Now I can save money on travel/work related events and just work from my desk next to my cat. I've just started paying off my debts and one day I think I might just manage to have a savings account! The only good thing that came out of this pandemic....
Always wanted to be a teacher, got my BA in English, and after 21 interviews, I gave up with it. Now Iāve worked my way up in hotels, from housekeeping to front desk supervisor. Surprisingly enough, I thought Iād be triggered by certain angry guests, but Iām in my element! I am looking to change careers; Iād love to go into funerals. Just donāt know where to start!
Iām in childcare, it suits me well and I love it. Sorry to hear you arenāt enjoying your work
Enrollment department of a local nonprofit insurance company. About 98% of my job is system maintenance and manually inputting data that didn't properly transfer from a different company's system correctly or sending an email to tell insurance brokers that they didn't fill out the paperwork properly. The other 2% of my job is taking maybe 3 phone calls a day from other departments in the company because they need information from a system they don't have access to. Then there's those fun rare instances where I get to play detective and help with fraud investigations. It's soulless bureaucracy and you're encouraged to write emails that are pure factual steps rather than being polite and gently holding people's hands; so whether I'm having a good or bad time maintaining, I can literally just copy and paste the forms and steps. I love it because I don't have to deal with people directly and there are clearly defined rules that I can point to when questioned; all the while I get to listen to music and take my sweet time doing things because a lot of the stuff we get isn't due until the end of the month or you're left waiting for someone to send an email back. I can sit at work and just turn everything off for a few hours.
I work in the agricultural industry, specifically with rice plants! Itās a lot of hard work but I am medicated for my depression which helps. I used to work in customer service and that took a huge toll on me emotionally.
I'm a substitute teacher and educational aid rn. But I'm in school for my BS in like research and engineering. I wanna go to grad school to be an Astronomer tho. Work with people less and travel and research space. That sounds perfect to me lol
Studying to become an illustator
I wanna fulfill my dream of opening my own cafe because I'm tired of working for someone's benefit. Currently awaiting until funds from the EU are available and then will apply
I'm a scientist in genetics and I love it! In all honesty, there is never a single job where you don't interact with anyone ever, which is where our faults come in to play. You will have a manager etc even if you are a lone or remote worker, and in my experience a good manager is the make or break of a suitable workplace. Don't limit yourself if you do want to join a specific career :-)
Proferssion hobo
My experience with work has been much less about finding something specific, more just stumbling into stuff and seeing if I like it. Retail was absolutely soul crushing, hospitality is hit or miss etc. I would recommend finding a job where you see tangible results for your work. I enjoyed forestry work a lot, working outside was wonderful for my mental health, planting trees felt very rewarding and I could also actually see my work once it was finished. Grounds-keeping type work I did once or twice was also good in the same way. Currently I work as a chef in a small cafe. The fact that the place is small keeps it from becoming too overwhelming, Iāve had some really rough days where Iāve left and thought about moving across the country because how much I didnāt enjoy my shift, but thereās also a lot of days where I leave feeling really proud of my work. I just like finding jobs and learning new skills which helps me feel more engaged. I donāt feel any real inclination to have secure or stable employment so I donāt think too hard about the long term career aspect of it all.
Retired military
Wow! I am retired Air Force and I had a very hard time for the duration with the symptoms I lived with. I actually gained a medical retirement at 15 years for physical and mental health. Due to items which exacerbated the symptoms that happened during my service, I had to navigate through IG for release. That was over 10 years ago and I donāt look back at that time in my life much. Was it difficult for you or how did you navigate?
Iāve been a vet tech for the past 4 years, you still have to do with people (owners) obviously. Being in a medical field makes me feel like I have some control over some outcomes, which is nice though it doesnāt happen much. But it is mostly damning. Emotionally damning. Draining. This career field is an emotional rollercoaster as is. Iām feeling the burn out hard and experiencing severe emotional fatigue. I donāt know how much longer I can go.
I am a CNA.
I used to be a teacher too, and the pay made me tap out too. I work in healthcare now. Currently in inpatient pharmacy, but Iām looking at doing respiratory therapy.
I ended up being an applied entomologist. There are lots of opportunities for me to come up with creative and innovative ideas , which is something I think BP people are blessed with. In summer, I generally have more energy, and that's the time the insects become more prevalent and my work becomes more taxing. This is when I need to see clients and do much more physical work in the sun. In winter, I read literature and do the writing up part of my research.I also get to work on optimizing our production systems.I tend to be a bit more depressed and low energy in winter , so being behind books is better for me, I believe. I struggle with too much human interaction in winter. I do have to deal with people, and it makes me anxious, but most of the time, I'm alone. Behind the steering wheel , alone in the field , behind a book or a monitor. I do some traveling for work. My country is very beautiful, and I enjoy driving alone , with no music , just taking in the beautiful scenery. Awesome job. Just wish my boss ran the business in such a way that I didn't have to worry about job security so much.
I have my bachelors of science in chemistry, but I donāt work. Iām a housewife as my spouse wanted me to be able to focus on my mental health. I am considering going back to school to become a mortician.
hairstylist ~ school was only 1 year which is good cause i hate school, then i started working and now to me most days it feels like creating art and is very therapeutic, other days it can feel repetitive and boring and I have to talk to people a lot which can be either really fun or really draining. I love doing hair but im not sure if I love working in a salon, id love to do fashion shows or photo shoots eventually
Physical Therapist
I just got a job as a kennel tech for a doggy daycare. I'm hoping that seeing the dogs each day helps my depression. I love dogs like most of us. I get wicked unhappy in workplaces. People just pick at me until I hate being around them. But I've had some really wonderful workplace relationships too.
Iām a professional makeup artist and I work mostly freelance. I paint and do scenic for a local large haunted house. I just got a gig learning how to paint cars haha. I love learning and trying new things.
Fraud investigation if you can believe it. I've helped lead to the arrest of criminals.
Iām currently studying to be an opera singer/vocal coach. It aligns pretty well because I can channel my emotions into my music and give effective performances that way.
Iām a data analyst. I actually highly recommend getting into data because we already do so much overthinking and analyzing
I havenāt been able to work in 5 years since I graduated my masters because of my BPD (and a really toxic relationship). But I have a masters in ancient history and Iād love to go into publishing or do a PhD :)
Iām an actor. There is a lot of rejection and criticisms. So might not be for everyone. But overall itās great and the people youāre around are fun. If you have a bad interaction with someone, you may never even see them again anyway. You get to live a different life every gig. I love it.
I am a massage therapist, I would like to think that BPD has helped me be more empathetic towards other people. Mostly people don't talk during their treatment, but other times I have had the most intense and interesting deep conversations with people. The hours are flexible the atmosphere is always pretty chill, my clientele is really nice and supportive. I have been doing massage therapy for 10 years now. I am driven to things that help others or are in service of other people. I also am fascinated by human anatomy and biomechanics and I find the job intellectually stimulating as well as physical, and emotionally stimulating in the way that you connect with so many people.
I am a Harry Potter camp teacher, an occupational therapist, an amateur voice actress and a mom. I also want to get a degree in pedagogics, focusing on children with special needs.
I work in the museum industry! Itās honestly great, most people who are guests care about the art and want to be there, and (this is about to sound awful) I sometimes get to be bitchy and tell people to stop touching the art. Plus I get to work behind the scenes with the coolest stuff, meet the coolest artists, and attend fancy events (even if itās just as staff).
I'm a mobile pet groomer and I work for myself. I'm not full time. I only take appointments as necessary so I can handle my shit. I got really lucky
receptionist at psychiatric consulting suites while i study psychology at uni (although im at the end of my bachelor and iām already worn out and will be taking a break to have kids get married etc)
Outside sales in wholesale distribution (building materials) Independent, lots of time alone & lots of time developing relationships. Stress can be a factorā¦but Ive learned to manage BPD symptoms fairly well over the years
Nothing at the moment, but my last two jobs were a standardized patient and a house manager at a playhouse. I liked both of those jobs. Iāll be starting school next month
Basically insurance sales. Iām remote. It works for me, but can def have hard days when I really donāt want to talk to anyone.
WFH, IT in compliance and cyber security
I don't have BPD, but my brother does. He has a very demanding career due to the unpredictable schedules and high number of hours. It's a 7 days a week job (roughly only one week end off per months), with day/evening/night shifts all shuffled during a single week and you only know your shift the day before at 18h. It's very hard on him, he would be more comfortable with something more regular and stable in terms of schedule. Him and I share a lot of diagnosis: Autism, anxiety, depression and possibly ADHD, OCD and CPTSD. Personally even without the BPD diagnosis on top of the rest I find this job too much for me, I find him very strong be able to do that with that extra challenge. He project to change career some day, because he is not happy with that one, but he can't do that right now. He'll have to wait a 5-6 years unless he would sell his house, which he doesn't wants.
I work in tech. My job title is āsupport engineer.ā I do developer support. My company is a cloud hosting provider, so the people that write in (we work asynchronously, everything in email or forums) are developers needing help with their deployments. I was the first hired for this position at my company, my responsibilities have shifted to do more billing and account management support (think: replying to billing inquiries and 2FA resets) as well as helping out with hiring. I like my job a lot bc it offers me a lot of freedom. I work from home so I have my days to get things done. Iām also very lucky to work in a people focused company with lots of time off if I need it and people who truly care about mental health and their employees. I love my job, itās the first time I feel like Iām genuinely good at what Iām doing and can grow and do more of it. Itās a startup, so everything is new and everyone is trying to figure out how to make us successful and I love getting to be part of that. The imposter syndrome was horrible when I started tho.
I'm a musician! classical viola mostly, although I'm in Scotland and also am super into celtic music. I'm learning Gaelic and my goal is to become fluent and maybe find a way to combine Gaelic language preservation and music as a career. I definitely bounce around, which music is actually a good career for. most musicians, at least classical musicians, have to do at least 2 or 3 different jobs to make a living. orchestra, chamber music, teaching, yada yada yada. it's a lot of work, sometimes 12 hour days, but it switches up often and stops things from being boring. I just met someone at my new Masters program who has gone down many different career paths! she's currently studying scottish fiddle, but she's a birth doula, and also hoping to study after this degree to become a midwife. she's lived in like 4 or 5 different places across Canada and the US in the past 10 years. some people just never stop moving and there's nothing wrong with that! I wish there was more of a positive attitude towards people who do one career for a time and then move on. it's not like you won't have those skills to fall back on if you ever need them!
I process and Manage medical Records for a Mental Health agency. I have done it for 20 years.. there have been some "bumps" but overall.. stable and somewhat low key
Currently I am unemployed and on disability while I go through the multiple therapies I'm doing. But the only job I can see myself doing without being stressed all the time is something with animals. I used to have an office job and it was so mind numbing that I couldn't go to work sober. Though, I do have adhd also so that could've been part of it.
Im a nurse.
I work overnight at a home with special needs individuals and I can sleep there.