Hi everyone

[mrrivers]

Hi. I’m a 62 year old bloke with a chronic mental health condition, I work as a peer support worker for my local adult community mental health team, using my lived experience in supporting others on their journey. I’m no saint, just lucky enough to be able to support my peers. Although at the moment, due to a dip in mood caused by stress, I’m off sick. I’m a biker with the normal selection of working bikes and projects 🙄 this keeps my hands nice and greasy which is how it should be!

[Hidden]

Welcome newbie.. glad ur here with us. I used to ride myself but due to all my med conditions,mentally n physically..I can no longer ride. I think its the best meds!!!Glad u joined us.. hope to hear from ya more.

[Hidden]

Welcome, how can we help, just because you work in a Mental Health Environment does not mean you will not suffer from a mental health concern.

How and what is causing the stress you mention ?. Life concerns can make many on site feel overwhelmed by problems a. Sometimes from an associated peer group the therapist can become overwhelmed and this can affect how you control your own feelings.

Diversions of course will help you so you are lucky the interest in Bikes should be able to take your mind of what is worrying you.

We can all become stale when life gets us down, accept that and confront those stressful sensations you pick up from others. You need to be able to walk away from any negativity you are suffering from

We have a very supportive group on site that may be able to give you support and listen to those stressful concerns you find are onerous so you can move on and help others

BOB

[mrrivers in reply to Hidden]

Hi Bob. The work thing is that I have had real trouble adapting to working within a team, in as much as I can’t deal with office politics, or bullying and harassment, my location is statistically the worst in the country, an honour shared by the trust I work in! I am an open and honest person so challenge these Behaviours, which goes down a treat as you can imagine. But all this bullshit impacts the work, so I get triggered and have to have time away, but now as I’m reasonably new I have run out of sickness entitlement (I’m not a serial sick person, just that the policy is swingeing) so I’m only getting ssp, which just covers the mortgage, just. This triggers a deep plunge in my mental health. so I can’t go back to work and I can’t afford to stay off, leaving nowhere to go but down and out.

[Hidden in reply to mrrivers]

I took Youth and Community Certificate at Durham and I was told then I would become washed out over time with the attitude of many around me. I finished early as I suffered a severe car accident.

My first qualified position, I took over a Youth and Community position, I took over from a Young qualified Woman who initially said would become a partnership with me.

The day I started She put in to Resign with four weeks notice and then went on the sick. Then I was on my own after three weeks of qualifying . The problem was I eventually shown was family break downs and institutional bullying. They closed the place down and after two weeks given a larger club attached to a school and I became responsible for adult night classes, I found out why we did not last long and I stopped operating in that environment. Basically all was put down to bad attitudes in both parts of the centre. I then worked in a Centre attached to the Church, I quickly resigned, by that time I was washed out, it was affecting my full time employement

All I can advise is you look for a different type of Social Care, I went onto a Day Centre and was there for quite a few years until I moved. Sometimes we need to consider different pathways. The problem that used to be the case was lack of support and respect. If we slip once sometimes that can push us down that slipping slope.

You will find a position you will enjoy. Consider your needs and expectations, there is no need to be miserable

BOB

[Suzie40]

Hi it's good to meet you. I come and go, reading and posting as much as I feel able at the time. Look forward to chatting to you some more x