I just got an email from the place I previously worked for a couple years back to set up an interview (over phone). I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back. Some days I wish I worked, and others I am grateful I don't have the stress. I'm on disability. I still have episodes though not as frequently and not as severely. It's been a little over 5 months since my last hospitalization.
This job would involve being responsible for others' safety and working either 9 or 13 hour shifts 5 days a week. I can search around for a job less intense, but I do have experience working this position and think catching on wouldn't be that bad.
Also, a little under two years ago

Possible trigger:

I decided to attempt suicide instead of going to work so they called the police to do a wellness check and basically saved my life and I never went back (until possibly now)

I do not know how I would explain that if he brought it up in the interview.
I won't have a chance to talk this over with my T, so maybe I could get some help here?

Well, not to be a Debbie Downer, but I wonder if this seasonal workplace will open later than usual? Things are ramping up and I know that in NY, they are anticipating the number of new COVID-19 cases to finally *start* to decline around May or June, with some places projecting that the virus will be around as late as August.

I'm not trying to scare you, because you're young and you would probably get a mild case if you did catch it (so NBD unless you're near at-risk people in your family), but I think that would prevent this type of place from opening for a while. So financially, I don't know if that will make a difference to you, but I just thought I would point that out.

But anyway, if you do the interview and they ask about your incident, you can say that you weren't in a good place at the time but that you were very grateful for their help. You can also talk about how things are better now and that you hope to be offered a position again because you really enjoy what you do. You can even add that you feel very supported by the team -- that they are like a "family" to you (because they are since they helped you out in that incident). Talk about how much this job means to you, because from my POV, it sounds like you really like it, so why not tell them?

[sophiebunny]

I don't think you ever feel ready. It's a matter of are you committed to going back to work. The ready comes as you gain comfort and competence on the job. That takes experience. When I made the transition in 2006 I was terrified I wasn't ready but I really wanted to go back to work in my field. My psychiatrist promised me his complete support and increased my sessions. I took the plunge. I worked till I retired. Sure, I had relapses but I was so committed to returning to work, my psychiatrist backed me up and back to work I went. Work was like medicine for me. It gave me a sense of purpose, normalcy, competence, and financial independence. No drug my psychiatrist could prescribe would have ever given me that back after having lost it being on disability for almost 15 years.

I guess the question I'd ask is do you have good clinical support. If you don't, that's a huge impediment.

Hi spikes. Whenever I attempted to return to my old job I did so on a part-time basis to slowly work back up to full-time. It sounds like they are really interested in having you back. If you think you could handle part-time better, initially, that could be a bargaining point.

I don't think you necessarily need to explain anything from your past, in terms of health issues. And if you do like the "initial part-time" idea, an explanation need not go beyond "An issue in my life only allows part-time work for a short while, at this time, etc." It would be none of their business what the details are. Just a thought.

[Tucson]

You do not know this until you try. I would start with half days. Less pressure, and nowhere near as tiring. I think jumping directly into a full time job may be a mistake.

Got the job! It's just a seasonal job so it's not really classified as part time/full time. As of now, the plan (subject to change) is weekends in May and nights in June.

Originally Posted by spikes

Got the job! It's just a seasonal job so it's not really classified as part time/full time. As of now, the plan (subject to change) is weekends in May and nights in June.

Congratulations, spikes! I'm happy to read that you are feeling better about the situation and excited.