u/FkUp_Panic_Repeat

I have a bachelors in nursing that I earned 13 years ago. The theory part kind of made sense to me, but the hands on skills and critical thinking I could not handle at all.

I worked for various eye doctors for about a decade, but they eliminated my position and I couldn’t handle the fast pace and precision required for the other positions available.

I’ve tried front desk - it’s too fast paced, too much multitasking, and I’m not good with attention to detail.

I’ve tried caregiving - I’m too slow and uncoordinated.

I even tried fast food and couldn’t handle it.

I’m currently passing out medications as a technician - too many errors with documentation, I’m too slow, I can’t handle the executive functioning, and it’s a supervisory position and I have trouble setting boundaries and making decisions quickly.

I’ve always had good grades in school, but when I try to do an actual job I always fail. I become overwhelmed, anxious, overstimulated, fearful of my peers/supervisors perceptions of me, and everything requires a fast pace, multitasking, and high levels of executive functioning.

Being a cashier and grocery bagger was ok, but it doesn’t pay enough. Same with stocking shelves, except I had trouble unloading the trucks. I need a “real” job, but I can’t seem to function well enough to stick around anywhere. I enjoy learning about psychology, but my mental health isn’t good enough to help others. I’m at a loss for what I can do for work.

I’m 35 and I can’t seem to get myself together.

I’m a medication technician. I pass meds to residents at an elder care facility. I’ve been making a lot of errors lately, but many of them were because I was told by the experienced techs to do things that way. I also cannot keep up with the demands, and management thinks I’m incompetent. But the truth is the other technicians aren’t performing well either. They just hide their mistakes and/or incompetence so that it seems they’re doing their jobs correctly.

I’m neurodivergent. Diagnosed adhd and it’s been suggested I’m autistic. Although I excel in school, the executive functioning required in the real world is something I struggle with greatly. I also have CPTSD and social/generalized anxiety. I can’t ask for accommodations because the only things that help me work aren’t feasible in my workplace.

I told my boss in my interview that I need clear instructions, clearly outlined protocols, and structured learning to be successful. I’ve received none of that. I understand that’s not really realistic in most workplaces, but it is really what I need. I have 3 different coworkers telling me to do one task three different ways. When I reach out to management for guidance, I get no response or a very delayed response. Then I’m reprimanded for doing what my coworkers advised me to do.

I’m not sure what to do. I can’t leave this job because my resume already looks pretty poor. I’m also in school currently and need the 12 hour shifts to have time for my school work. I have a bachelors degree in a medical science field, but I graduated over a decade ago and struggled with the program. I’m kind of pigeonholed into this profession until I finish my masters degree in a different field.

At my last job, I had multiple hostile coworkers who made my workplace a toxic nightmare. I’m afraid that if I tell my boss the truth, my coworkers will retaliate and I’ll wind up facing the same hostility again.

So how can I explain this to my boss? I get the impression that she thinks I’m “dumb,” but I’m not. I have disabilities and am receiving poor guidance.

I get it. I suck. But I ask them questions to try to clarify how to do things correctly and get no response. Is this a me problem, or a deeper systemic issue?

My husband was fired twice in the past 6 or so months, and his most recent employer just straight up closed down one day. It’s looking like I might be next on the chopping block, though I deserve it. I’m not cut out for employment.

I can take care of mine and my husband’s home like a boss. Bills paid on time, appointments scheduled and never missed, house spotless, dinner made. But if I had a real job that required those exact same responsibilities, I just can’t do it for some reason. Anyone else struggling to perform?

I currently live in a city where tattoos and piercings are very popular. My only piercings are in my ears, but I’m working on stretching my earlobes to about 1/2-3/4 inch. I have 9 tattoos thus far, but plan on getting a full arm sleeve that would be visible. I also have dreadlocks, and I prefer to keep them neat.

I’m not sure where I’m going to move yet, but my husband and I are looking at more liberal cities (Charlottesville, Staunton, Richmond, Roanoke, Newport News, Norfolk, etc).

I’m nearing the end of my masters program, and haven’t started my internship yet so I don’t know what my specialty will be. I’m leaning towards couples counseling, helping familial caregivers, or working in a medical setting.

I’m a black woman in my mid 30’s, though I’m told I look about 25. I love the mental health field and have wanted to work in it since childhood. I’m kind and considerate, and try to respect everyone I meet. I can come across as intimidating upon first appearances, but once people get to know me they often tell me I’m one of the nicest people they’ve ever met.

I understand Christianity to be big in the state, and I’m spiritual but not religious. I wouldn’t share that with my clients, and I’d be happy to bow my head with them if they want to pray. I pray “to the universe,” and deceased loved ones, so I’m sincere when I join others in prayer (even if it’s not necessarily to their chosen God).

when I visited Staunton and Charlottesville last year, I only saw one person who was heavily tattooed and pierced. No one seemed to be staring at her, but she did kind of look out of place.

So I’m wondering how I might be received in these parts of Virginia. Do you think many people would even give me a chance, based on my appearance?

I have a husband who loves me. I try to be grateful for him, and not get so bogged down in how friendless I am. But I’m not really close with my family, and I lost all my childhood friends in my 20’s after a falling out (I’m 35 now). My childhood friends weren’t all that great of friends, so aside from one person I don’t really miss any of them. The one friend I do kind of miss has at least two kids now and we wouldn’t have much in common these days anyway, since I’m childfree.

I don’t have any interests, nor any interesting traits that would afford me any interest from potential friends. I’m a high masking neurodivergent individual with CPTSD and a high fawning response. I can’t unmask around anyone besides my husband. He’s my best and, at this point, only friend. But again, one good friend is a lot more than a lot of us have. So I hate to sound ungrateful.

It’s just hard because I feel so isolated sometimes. Not nearly as bad as when I was single, but I still feel kind of empty sometimes. Work is the only place I interact regularly with people outside of my family and I get so tired of them. I’d like to have a friend, but feel like my standards aren’t realistic. Plus, I have a hard time not being attracted to the friends I enjoy most, regardless of their gender. I’m a monogomous person, so I’d never want to entertain that type of relationship with anyone outside of my husband.

I’m not sure what to do. I want to find even just one friend that I can unmask around and enjoy time with outside of my husband. But I can’t unmask enough around anyone to find someone who’s compatible with the “real me.” I also don’t want to develop feelings for someone who’s meant to be a platonic friend…

This might be a very specific-to-me problem to have. But if you’ve ever experienced this conundrum, or similar, how did you deal with it?

We had math, science, social studies, and language arts. Each class was divided into verbal learners and nonverbal learners. Anyone else? Can anyone explain why they’d have done it this way? Like, how would a nonverbal learner learn language arts, for example?

I screwed up pretty bad, twice this week. Like, could have been really bad and I still don’t know how bad it might be until I get to work tomorrow. Might not have a job by the end of the day, and might not even be hirable in the future for this position kinda bad.

What’s been your biggest screw up, and how bad did it turn out for you/the patient?

We’re a couple in our mid 30’s (35 F, 33 M) coming from Arizona. I’m getting my masters degree in the mental health field, but currently work as a caregiver/medication technician in senior living communities. My husband does repair service and warehouse type jobs.

I’m black, he’s white. No kids, non-religious, and liberal/left leaning (though we try to be respectful of other people’s beliefs). We’re mostly homebodies, but enjoy going for walks outside/in nature/downtown, to farmers markets, out for drinks/food on occasion, etc.

We visited Staunton and Charlottesville last year and really liked it there, but we haven’t found many apartments in our budget. Blacksburg and Roanoke seem to have more affordable costs of living, and my google search said racism isn’t a huge problem out there (big concern for me). I know it exists everywhere, but I’ve read some towns are pretty bad out there.

So what do you think about these two cities? Pros/cons? Crime rates? Cost of living? Recommended neighborhoods? Neighborhoods/towns we should avoid? How to respect the local “culture?” Any advice is welcome.

My artists tried to talk me out of a finger tattoo.

It’s my body. If I’m aware of the risks, why can’t I have it done? I’ll sign a form acknowledging this. Just take my money.