u/depressedleafeater

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to reach out to see what people in the community have found for themselves in terms of figuring out if depression makes their fibromyalgia worse, or if their fibromyalgia makes their depression worse?

I'm doing a good mental health journey right now and working hard on things, including a new medication and I was feeling so good the past 4 days until today when at work I crashed, face and neck got hot and red, and then my mental state just absolutely plummeted.

This whole journey is just awful and I feel like I declined more after I got an official diagnosis. Originally I was thinking I had widespread arthritis, or lupus or hashimotos. I never would have suspected fibromyalgia. Been in widespread pain since I was 16, I think it stems from a bad horseback riding accident I had when I was 13 which left a permanent kink in my neck, then spurred further by a car accident.

Anyways, just wanted to ask to see other's experience. Thank you and rock on fellow asskickers 💁‍♀️

So long story short, I've been working in a school system for about 8 years on and off. Ive been a school social worker for 3 years and I don't know if this is what I want to continue doing.

I am feeling so lost. I love the interpersonal relationships, building rapport with kids and their families, and I know a lot about the school system, pbis, tier systems of interventions, and special education. I feel like I have a good grasp on things but I'm still not happy. I have been in 3 different districts and I feel disappointed and disgruntled with the special education system, getting resources for families, as well as just overall shitty and shady leadership.

What I'm most worried about is changing my career path to like therapy or outpatient hospital work and finding myself in the same spot. In the past 3 years I have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, hospitalized once for 3 days, and have had to play around and switch medications and therapy for myself to feel and stay afloat.

Has anyone else been in this boat? Do you think I should stick it out longer in this role or search elsewhere? I know everywhere has its ups and downs. I'm scared I'm going to feel stuck like this forever. I have such a big passion and drive for learning more, it just feels smothered right now and I feel overall hopeless for being able to make a change or feel important.