Re: Would you?
 

JS:

- there is free/low-cost mental health treatment available in your area. It might not be one-on-one DBT that you wish you could get, but it's there.

- There are also jobs available in your local area for which you DO have skills/experience, or which you could do without skills/experience (which btw you DO have).

I feel like a broken record :(. Mental health problems are a biatch :(

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Too longer commute mate. Don't do it.

I did it in my early 20's for a job because I needed the experience and couldn't afford to rent in the area.

The problem is I think it's bad for your health and mental well being. I also think that it could be a little dangerous because you'll find you are driving tired a lot.

Also the price of fuel I think will move up eventually.

Just my two pence.

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I haven't been offered any low cost DBT locally or even found any. The therapist I was seeing over the summer is DBT trained and does groups for child services, but she was not aware of any adult programs. (only reason I stopped seeing the therapist is due to cost, just couldn't afford it twice a month.)

I have gone to generic mental health groups, haven't found them very helpful though, which is why accessing DBT is so vital, it has been shown in studies to improve the lives of borderline patients and likely my only chance at any improvement in life. The cognitive behavioral groups I have been through have not really helped much. I have learned some things but overall I haven't in the years of doing CBT based therapies found much relief in symptoms or learned the skills necessary to regulate emotions, and the emotional up's ans downs are what do me in every time.

I do what I can with what I can get, but it's not always the appropriate treatment for the issues at hand.

Yes there are jobs locally, however I never get interviews locally, I do apply for jobs locally though. I even applied at Costco 30 mins away.

It is what it is.

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So. How did this go. I have been waiting to hear.

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I have my appointment tomorrow with the case worker. My wife had hers last week, the case worker she had said they don't really have funding options for retraining but can help with resumes, be your cheer leader and offer some workshops and other services like online access for job searching, printer and fax access and so on. My wife was assessed as needing upgrading in skills/training to be competitive in the job market. My wife has more useful work experience and education, so I am sure I would be assessed pretty much the same.

Some workshops are things like:

Self Esteem, Disclosing disabilities, resumes, personality dimensions. (Those are the ones offered in December anyhow. In November they had the same, but also had one on interview skills.

Looks like each workshop is 2-3 hours in length with one being 7 hours and one 4 hours.

I'll go to some of the workshops if offered to me as well, some sound helpful.

But I will know more tomorrow when I have my appointment with a different case manager.

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There actually help available...but you have to access it...and nobody will guide you or hold your hand.

If you sit there constantly bemoaning you're plight you can complain as for as long as you like...do something! I like you Jsmith I always have, but...you don't seem to understand that there are quite a number of us on here who aren't having the life that we thought we might have...numbers of us on here are struggling....you aren't on your own...but...please recognize that whilst we wish you every success we are struggling too!

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I have been trying to see DBT since 2012, there is simply little to no resources and help for borderline disorder, this is a well known issue in BC.


I am aware others have issues, that does not mean my issues are no less important.


I have gone to the ER and sent home within an hour to be told to get therapy.

My GP has no idea how to help.

Psychiatrists tell me to seek DBT and long term therapy.

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Ok folks.

I think we are getting a little off track now & going over old ground with each other. It's unhelpful to everyone , not least to jsmth321 who likely felt rubbish anyway coming back from a holiday to the same old same old with the onset of winter and Christmas approaching.

Here is a little wisdom I know. When one has too much time on one's hands it can get spent on things not very productive or even enjoyable really. It plays havoc with the sense of well-being & it allows for overthinking & worrying. Condenses the mood and emotion.

Let's try and look at what there is rather than what there is not.

My wish for you mate is that you and your wife try living in the USA - if she agrees of course - you train & become a phlebotomist .She trains through work, perhaps in the care sector.

As for MH and treatment. If there is none where you are in your opinion then there is not much to lose by moving on.

Good luck with tomorrow jsmth321.

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:goodpost::goodpost:

Good luck with the appointment today, JS.

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I agree with you on too much time free. I do what I can to stay busy, and granted it's easier in the summer with the nicer day's and ability to go outside more on longer walks etc. Winter is a bit more difficult due to the rain, mud, and far shorter days. Seems to be dark almost as soon as the day starts.

I do what I can to stay busy, but this town isn't not exactly a place that has a lot to do to begin with.


The US is still a possibility as a medium term goal, for obvious reasons namely immigration it's not something that can be done overnight or quickly, but it's still in consideration for sure.

We have nothing to lose by moving from this city, and we are actively looking around to see if there are any medium sized city's that have 1) rentals available and not in a housing crises 2) Don't have sky high rents.

That has been the tricky parts as even places like Kelowna and Kamloops seem to have high rents, and low vacancy.

Kelowna would be an ideal choice due to a college there offering a program I would like to take, and my wife has a few programs she would like, however doesn't seem to be affordable rentals, 900+ seems the going rate these days from online searches, but I will say we have not yet been able to make a trip there so we haven't checked locally, just craigslist, kijiji and some real estate offices who do rentals.

BC has just become a very difficult place to be a renter. But we haven't ruled these places out, just not at a point where we have decided one way or another.

Ideally Vancouver would be the best place to live, followed by Victoria as most of the mental health services in BC are in those 2 city's, however both have high rents, and we just don't see either being a realistic option due to cost of housing.


And Christmas is indeed a bad time for me, it's just not the same without family around.

end of the year though for me if the worst part of the year, as I don't have high hopes the new year will bring much positive change.

I have been playing phone tag with mental health intake nurse for the last week, so hopefully one day soon we will actually be able to speak, she has called back, but I was in other appointments when she did, and I have called back each time, but just voice mail, but hopefully soon.

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How did you get on with the job/work-related interview today?

Are there any volunteer ops locally?

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Oo. you beat me to it.
Was just wishing to ask the same thing.

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Most likely, I will have to look into it, as I can't think of any of the top of my head, so will need to look around.

Meeting was rescheduled for Friday for the job place. No biggie, Friday works better anyhow in the end.

Did finally talk to mental health, they need to do a phone screen again (3rd time this year.) so can't access anything until then, that is scheduled for next month right before Christmas, so I venture Jan-Feb earliest before I get to see a human, but then we may have moved to a new community and I may need to start over. So will wait and see what happens there.

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Aaaaand huge snip because, again, I got it wrong! Sorry!

Volunteering though is a great way to meet and connect with people, do some good and potentially lead to a job. There's a few for dog lovers too!

:)

:fingerscrossed: that your phone screen goes as hoped.

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And in Chilliwack??!:lol:

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Oh damn, I did it again!!

Sorry...

And in Chilliwack!!

Here's quite a good list http://www.canadian-universities.net...hilliwack.html

:o

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Clearly it is "Gin-O'clock" down in SW Ont ;)

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Why don't you revisit the idea of dog walking?
Plenty of people will pay good money for someone reliable and caring to walk their dog whilst they work
The exercise would be great for your mental health and as would working with dogs. Dogs are known to improve mental health and you are obviously a dog lover.

Having just written a cheque for our dog lady, it made me think of you.
We give her $18.50 /hr because she is reliable, caring and Stinky's mate! Stinky can barely walk now, so his walks are very short but I still pay the hour. Other dog walkers were a similar rate when we were looking previously. Great money for doing something which would make you feel better!!!

Talk to About Community Futures | Community Futures British Columbia about help with any "training"/ set up costs. A letter from your GP may help- I do them all the time to these people and have had good success getting help from them. It basically needs to says you can't do your previous job due to ill health but retraining will be beneficial.

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I participated in a similar scheme in Ontario (Ontario Self Employment Scheme - Bizsmartz) where I got paid to attend classes for a month (and earned a Diploma) - was taught all about business start ups, business plans etc., and then was paid the equivalent of unemployment benefit for a further 8 months whilst I worked on the business. It's a great scheme and sadly has now ended in Ontario. I thoroughly recommend it.

With so many people having to work long hours, dog walking could be an ideal 'start up' business!

:)

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I have the intake appointment in the morning. It was delayed due to being ill a couple weeks ago, didn't think it wise to go in with a fever and all around sick.

My wife has been going to the office a bit, they did help her with gas to get to an interview as well as some new clothes for a part-time job she got.

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:fingerscrossed:

...and pleased to read that MrsJsmth321 has some work too.

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I have a little devil on one shoulder egging me on while the angel on my other shoulder is telling me to resist.

So here's a compromise picture of Pigpen instead. Taste has triumphed. :lol:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...102f754686.jpg

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She has more valuable work experience/skills, and a more outgoing social personality which helps.

I on the other hand, have a very introverted non-social personality that hurts me at interviews, hard to be social when it's not naturally something you are.

I went to the meeting today, signed up for the workshops they offer, decided to do them all in January instead of spreading them out, gives me something to do next month.

He said if no job within 3-6 months, there might be short term training options, short term being under 6 months in length.


Time will tell, one of the biggest hurdles to long term employment is lack of skills, the things I can do, and experience I have pretty much anyone who has ever worked has, so I don't stand out, and I don't know how to network which hurts, but then I don't know anyone either other then my wife, so how does one network when they don't know anyone, and struggle to even make a friend? lol


As they say it's not what you know but who you know, but when you don't know anyone, it complicates things...lol...After all the good jobs are not really advertised.

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Do you drive? A driving job is ideal for introverts, I'm not talking long distance semi truck drivers, but a small van delivery driver.

One of my favourite jobs when I was younger was driving a Ford Transit all over the south east of the UK, only got out 2-3 times per day and hardly spoke to a soul in between.

Just a thought.

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[As they say it's not what you know but who you know, but when you don't know anyone, it complicates things...lol...After all the good jobs are not really advertised.]

A lot are advertised, but "in house" for a set period of time before they're advertised publicly. This is common in a lot of companies as well as hospitals. There's a "job board" in the hall or lunchroom or right in HR. My hotel porter job came because a waitress in the bar told me there was a job posting on the in house job board and they wanted someone right away so they took my application.

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I still think that Snoop's dog walking idea is ace with you, you love dogs, you are compassionate, it gets you out and about and meeting new faces and gets you exercise which is great for physical and mental health... and looks like it pays pretty well. Win win I would say!:thumbup:

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That is how the airline did it as well, 2 weeks posted in house then open to public. Was rare to hire off the street though at my airport.

The zoo did that as well back when I worked for them, everything posted in house for a week or 2 to try and fill with an existing employee.

We do have some ads up in pet store, as well as facebook and craigslist at times.

I do apply to some local delivery type jobs. I have a clean driving record, but no actual experience driving as a job.

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Keep them up there on line- great idea pets shops, maybe ask at Vet clinics if you can put a little card on their notice board, local corner stores likewise , sometimes supermarkets have notice boards. Once you get a good reputation then things would take off. Its local, you can pick your hours... Maybe we will need to think up a good name for you....:cool:

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Other than "give us a flash doll" :rofl:

I'm assuming it was a white van? :sneaky:

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Things would be so much better if they (powers that be) just made training programs affordable and within reach of people without the need for loans (don't qualify for) or staying unemployed for months trying to find alternative funding.

Lots of job postings for things that require some minimal training, but getting that training when poor is near impossible, who has 5-7,000 just laying around for a 6 month training course?

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Yes it was a white diesel transit. This is me caught on camera back in the 90's.

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You even share the D ;)

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2nd meeting at the job place today, got a few resources like a gas card, and a thumb drive, as well as some aptitude tests to take and return.

My wife found a better job then the one she had that was mentioned earlier in the post, and is on her way to another interview today.