Rate your current mental health level out of 10

[Cube Inmate]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

People tell me to keep my head up, and keep fighting through this. I don't know if I have that in me anymore.

Sorry for the vent.

I won't tell you what you don't need to hear... but don't be sorry for the vent. Part of what's great here is you can vent to people who care, but who you're not hurting by venting (like a spouse, etc.)

[Johnny Makarov]

This thread is so eye opening. Thanks to everyone who has shared.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

1-10 hah, I'm below zero right now.

After my contract ended in recruiting 6 months ago because the company I had been working for had blown through money and decided to get rid of contractors, and went into a hiring freeze.

I've had some work but very little. In the last 6 months, I've probably sent out 300 resumes with very little response. Even getting other resume professional's reviewing my resume and covers hasn't changed the depressing lack of results. I get it, I'm older, and older people don't get hired. But I'm feeling unwanted and un valued.

I've done work on the contract side but have taken several kicks in the teeth on that side, and don't have much coming through, and took a severe punch to the gut today, on a contract that I was bidding on that looked really good until one of my partners screwed it up and left me ineligible to bid.

Its tough to stay optimistic. After multiple years of straight hell on the family side, now its straight hell on my side.

After using my savings to get me through it that's coming to an end, I'm about to hit rocks, with no where else to turn.

Part of me doesn't want to be here anymore. I'm just tired out.

People tell me to keep my head up, and keep fighting through this. I don't know if I have that in me anymore.

Sorry for the vent.

You have an amazing mind, as evidenced by your posting here over the years.

Any employer would be lucky to have you, no matter your age.

(Although I know age discrimination is a real thing in the workforce and people at that end of the spectrum are deemed disposable before others, if for no other reason than their vitality and the long term prospect of hiring them)

Experience/knowledge, willingness and a good attitude are markers of a great employee though and from what I can gauge you possess these things.

Optimism is hard to maintain in the face of a lack of evidence, but have faith. There are many ways it can go yet aside from the worst case scenario. Many here wish the best for you and would certainly step in to keep you from hitting rocks.

[GordonBlue]

It's Christmastime and many people at work are going on about all they're doing this holiday season, so it gets me down.
I was chatting with a coworker I'm friendly with about money or the lack thereof, and they offered me some advice. "I see you're down about it, so what you should do to feel better is put money aside every month then go on a nice holiday."

Gee, tell me you didn't listen to a word I said. Yeah the solution for being worried about not having enough money for both bills and Christmas is to put money away for a holiday.

I also recently applied for a job where I have the skills needed and years of experience. The job even said they'd accept work experience in lieu of the diploma or a degree. Would have been about 15K more per year. Didn't even get an interview. I'm sure many of you know the feeling where there is a job that's a perfect fit that you're qualified for and you don't even get a sniff.
Captain crunch, obviously knows. sorry man, I feel your pain.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

It's Christmastime and many people at work are going on about all they're doing this holiday season, so it gets me down.
I was chatting with a coworker I'm friendly with about money or the lack thereof, and they offered me some advice. "I see you're down about it, so what you should do to feel better is put money aside every month then go on a nice holiday."

Gee, tell me you didn't listen to a word I said. Yeah the solution for being worried about not having enough money for both bills and Christmas is to put money away for a holiday.

I also recently applied for a job where I have the skills needed and years of experience. The job even said they'd accept work experience in lieu of the diploma or a degree. Would have been about 15K more per year. Didn't even get an interview. I'm sure many of you know the feeling where there is a job that's a perfect fit that you're qualified for and you don't even get a sniff.
Captain crunch, obviously knows. sorry man, I feel your pain.

Dude...I have been doing my best helping 2 accounting grads try and get jobs for the past ~6 months.

It. Is. Brutal.

Trying to get a job right now is straight-up brutal.

One kid looks like he's going to get hired pretty soon here but the other one didnt put in nearly as much work and he's going to have to keep trying.

But its hard out there in the job scene. So...keep your head up and keep trying.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

1-10 hah, I'm below zero right now.

After my contract ended in recruiting 6 months ago because the company I had been working for had blown through money and decided to get rid of contractors, and went into a hiring freeze.

I've had some work but very little. In the last 6 months, I've probably sent out 300 resumes with very little response. Even getting other resume professional's reviewing my resume and covers hasn't changed the depressing lack of results. I get it, I'm older, and older people don't get hired. But I'm feeling unwanted and un valued.

I've done work on the contract side but have taken several kicks in the teeth on that side, and don't have much coming through, and took a severe punch to the gut today, on a contract that I was bidding on that looked really good until one of my partners screwed it up and left me ineligible to bid.

Its tough to stay optimistic. After multiple years of straight hell on the family side, now its straight hell on my side.

After using my savings to get me through it that's coming to an end, I'm about to hit rocks, with no where else to turn.

Part of me doesn't want to be here anymore. I'm just tired out.

People tell me to keep my head up, and keep fighting through this. I don't know if I have that in me anymore.

Sorry for the vent.

I can relate. I'm 43 and looking for work again after taking a package from my previous employer. Because it was voluntary, I have the double poison of being off work a month now and also it being voluntary and allowing doubt to creep in my mind. The move to Cape Breton was right for our family in the long run and being close to family is important. I also know that the future at my old company was becoming difficult to see past 5 years. TELUS is busily off shoring work to every developing country in the world, and pocketing the savings to its share holders and lavishing the executives with massive bonuses. It's gross. There's a reason people were taking the package by the thousands, but, still, it was voluntary.

I have a really dark part of my mind that if I cant find work in a reasonable amount of time that I don't know what to do or what I'll do. It's a constant unease in my mind. Men aren't allowed to be unproductive. My value is based, in my mind, around providing for my family.

I'm glad my benefits with the old company end in February. Look, this is going to sound dark and ####ed up but just let me write it without being judged. If my life insurance was still good until May or June, and I was off work for 6 months at that point, I could see myself contemplating faking an accident on the highway to make sure my kids got a good life insurance pay out.

So yeah things are solid 2 for me right now.

[PepsiFree]

Your kids will be better off with you, even if it means financial struggles, than they would be without you even with a bit of money.

Hard times last only as long as they last. There’s always unexpected avenues that could lead you out of them. Losing a parent lasts forever and never gets fully repaired.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

I can relate. I'm 43 and looking for work again after taking a package from my previous employer. Because it was voluntary, I have the double poison of being off work a month now and also it being voluntary and allowing doubt to creep in my mind. The move to Cape Breton was right for our family in the long run and being close to family is important. I also know that the future at my old company was becoming difficult to see past 5 years. TELUS is busily off shoring work to every developing country in the world, and pocketing the savings to its share holders and lavishing the executives with massive bonuses. It's gross. There's a reason people were taking the package by the thousands, but, still, it was voluntary.

I have a really dark part of my mind that if I cant find work in a reasonable amount of time that I don't know what to do or what I'll do. It's a constant unease in my mind. Men aren't allowed to be unproductive. My value is based, in my mind, around providing for my family.

I'm glad my benefits with the old company end in February. Look, this is going to sound dark and ####ed up but just let me write it without being judged. If my life insurance was still good until May or June, and I was off work for 6 months at that point, I could see myself contemplating faking an accident on the highway to make sure my kids got a good life insurance pay out.

So yeah things are solid 2 for me right now.

I grew up poor as #### with a loving mum who could never put much food on the table, not only would I not swap it for the world but it actually set me up in a better place to thrive as an adult, I constantly make better choices because of the poverty I grew up in as a child than my friends that grew up in the comparative luxury of Canada, you, like me, do the best you can for your kids but sometimes your best is to teach them how to cope with the ####ty end of lifes stick by your example

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Your kids will be better off with you, even if it means financial struggles, than they would be without you even with a bit of money.

Hard times last only as long as they last. There’s always unexpected avenues that could lead you out of them. Losing a parent lasts forever and never gets fully repaired.

No, hard times last forever. Once in a while life will give you a glimmer of hope but it's bs, you know something terrible is coming around the corner. I hate Christmas, it's a bunch of retail money hungry bs. I hate that my 12 year old has these expectations for Christmas that his mom will hopefully cover because his father is now always broke as hell and a loser. Ya, I know, not my fault but let's face it, I am just a burden on the system and society. I can accept that. It is what it is.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

No, hard times last forever. Once in a while life will give you a glimmer of hope but it's bs, you know something terrible is coming around the corner. I hate Christmas, it's a bunch of retail money hungry bs. I hate that my 12 year old has these expectations for Christmas that his mom will hopefully cover because his father is now always broke as hell and a loser. Ya, I know, not my fault but let's face it, I am just a burden on the system and society. I can accept that. It is what it is.

Perhaps there's a happy medium here. You're right... hard times do last forever. Every single one of us will endure hardship for as long as we're alive. There's no real finish line where it all works out and we can just kick back.

Thing is, if that's true, the opposite can be also. Good moments happen forever in the same way. They can be harder to see though, and when you're deep in the ****, they can be much harder to see.

You aren't a burden on the system and society... the system and society has failed you. Like you say, it's not your fault. The system rolls along and it doesn't care much for any of us, so sometimes it obliterates an entire job market and pumps up another. It's a brutal, unfortunate turn of events. It doesn't mean you don't have value though, and I bet your kid would probably agree.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Locke

Dude...I have been doing my best helping 2 accounting grads try and get jobs for the past ~6 months.

It. Is. Brutal.

Trying to get a job right now is straight-up brutal.

One kid looks like he's going to get hired pretty soon here but the other one didnt put in nearly as much work and he's going to have to keep trying.

But its hard out there in the job scene. So...keep your head up and keep trying.

Kudos for helping others to find jobs in your profession.

I have experienced more ups an downs in Calgary than most here, and you can bet as bad as things may seem now, they will get better.

It occurred to me that when times do improve, along with the job market, employers are going to be asking what your young accountants did with their time during the down times. In this respect, I think they would be adding to their experience and increasing their chance of employment by volunteering for organizations like Community Associations, or by helping people who have inherited small companies with little to no experience in managing company books and affairs. I would guess there are a lot of those situations in Calgary.

I have found that, when you volunteer, you meet a lot of great people, and are paid your wages in many unseen ways.

[shermanator]

During my unemployment this Summer, I interviewed with a company one morning. It was a day I was expecting an offer from another company. The offer didn't come, and I bombed the interview. I had a breakdown that night.

Fast forward to the following Friday at 5:30 and I get an email from the interviewer's manager. She wanted to chat quickly the following Monday as I was a top candidate. I received an offer the next morning. I've been there 2 months and could not be happier. Now that I'm somewhere new, I realize how miserable my previous job made me and how much that affected my mental state every damn day.

Times can get better when you aren't expecting it.

[dissentowner]

Just an update, the holidays always suck for me. Christmas used to be amazing when I was kid, we would head to my grandparents and all the relatives would show up and there would be toys, and laughter, and a giant pile of dogs, and my two little cousins playing Blades Of Steel and fighting. My grandparents both passed in mid 2000's and the big family gatherings stopped. I really miss that around the holidays. So I was feeling pretty down when fellow CP member musth pmed me and asked if he could have my mailing address, he wanted to send me a little something. I was touched that a complete stranger would reach out like that (many of you have and it really makes a difference!) And I gave him my info. The next thing I know musth is at my door here in Ontario with a beautiful Flames jersey! I was expecting something small in the mail and this guy made the trip down here to personally hand me a jersey! I can honestly say that made my holidays, it lifted my spirits and I actually had a great Christmas with my boys and family. One strangers gesture put me from a 1 to about a 6 which is better than I have been in years. I hope everyone else going through hard times had a great holiday and thanks to musth for making a difference in a fellow CPer's life.

[soreshins]

I’m about a 3. Chronic insomnia and other sleep related issues for years has led to a gradual but significant deterioration in my physical and mental well-being. I’m genuinely amazed that I haven’t been fired as I know it would be justified. I’ve also had a close family bereavement before Xmas which has hit me much harder than I expected. I’m lucky to have a very understanding and supportive wife.

However, I’ve been making some positive steps this week to get back into some physical activity that I used to enjoy and I’m hopeful that will get me on an upward trajectory.

One final thing, god bless dogs - they are a wonderful support when you are down. Always happy to see you no matter what.

[Jiggy_12]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Just an update, the holidays always suck for me. Christmas used to be amazing when I was kid, we would head to my grandparents and all the relatives would show up and there would be toys, and laughter, and a giant pile of dogs, and my two little cousins playing Blades Of Steel and fighting. My grandparents both passed in mid 2000's and the big family gatherings stopped. I really miss that around the holidays. So I was feeling pretty down when fellow CP member musth pmed me and asked if he could have my mailing address, he wanted to send me a little something. I was touched that a complete stranger would reach out like that (many of you have and it really makes a difference!) And I gave him my info. The next thing I know musth is at my door here in Ontario with a beautiful Flames jersey! I was expecting something small in the mail and this guy made the trip down here to personally hand me a jersey! I can honestly say that made my holidays, it lifted my spirits and I actually had a great Christmas with my boys and family. One strangers gesture put me from a 1 to about a 6 which is better than I have been in years. I hope everyone else going through hard times had a great holiday and thanks to musth for making a difference in a fellow CPer's life.

I just clued in that he’s the one who started this thread too. For some reason, that makes what he did even cooler.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

I just clued in that he’s the one who started this thread too. For some reason, that makes what he did even cooler.

Even cooler is that he flew all the way from Zambia to deliver it!

[musth]

https://www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/988

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/988.htm

https://988.ca/

[musth]

How Pets Influence Our Mental Health

https://balanceapp.com/blog/how-pets...-mental-health

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by musth

How Pets Influence Our Mental Health

https://balanceapp.com/blog/how-pets...-mental-health

Mine has unfortunately been a huge detriment to mine and the biggest problem of my marriage. So, take caution and make specific choices.

[SportsJunky]

Your pet is the biggest problem in your marriage? What's happening?