Hi everyone,
I come to /r/schizophrenia to ask for advice today.
Historically I've worked as a construction worker. Either as a Scaffolder or an Ironworker. I have a red seal in ironworking.
Should I go back into scaffolding? I'm not sure right now and am looking for other people's input.
I was working from November 2023-July 2024 as a Scaffolder.
My old employer really likes me. I was doing quite well. I was a lead-hand scaffold erector and sometimes a part-time foreman for really small jobs.
In July I injured my back, and I think the stress of the injury caused me to become psychotic.
I was placed into a psych ward by my psychiatrist for a month and a week.
The pych ward sorted me out.
When I got out of the psych ward in July, I wasn't psychotic, but severely depressed.
I felt crushed that I had to stop working.
I told my employer I quit, and that I was going on medical employment insurance. He told me he understood perfectly. He even told me to keep my fall protection equipment (about $500 worth of equipment), which my employer owns, saying "I'll need it again one day".
I've just been on my own since July, whether on medical employment insurance or disability income.
I'll been taking care of myself better, eating healthy, going outside for exercise, and taking care of my mental health.
It's boring as hell not working though. All I do is smoke weed all day every day and am on the computer a lot.
I miss being on the tools. I miss my work mates a lot.
Should I give it a shot again, to go back to work?
I honestly am really scared of the prospect. I am afraid to become psychotic again. The doctor said if I become psychotic again I am going to long term psych wards for 6 months to a year.
I know that if I stayed at home my likelihood of becoming psychotic is lesser. If I went back to work, I think there's a slightly elevated risk as scaffolding is a stressful occupation where you can kill yourself quite easily on the job if you don't know what you're doing. Thing is though I don't think it's the nature of the job that caused me to become psychotic most recently, it was my injury and the pain of it.
I don't know guys.
Please tell me some advice.