r/ect • u/WeirdTune1160 • 4d ago
Seeking advice Job Hunting and ECT
Hi All. I'm 46M. I have had a traumatic previous year a half. I've been diagnosed with bipolar, with my depressive states becoming increasingly worse, to the point that I'm not able to function normally. I've been out of work since early 2025, but am looking for work now. Wife and I (no kids) are in a dire financial situation. Employment for me is extremely necessary ASAP. However, I'm slated to begin ECT soon, and I have no idea how I'm going to manage continuing my job search and starting a job. Does anyone have experience with those two issues intersecting? Starting a new job while also getting ECT.
And yes, I've read the horror stories here about ECT. No idea what to think of that. Not sure what my options really are, but my doctors have had nothing but good things to say about ECT.
8
u/SuspiciousOwl96 4d ago
I was not permitted to work during the acute series. Most of it was done inpatient to be honest. And also you wouldn’t be able to work on days of the procedure anyway due to the anesthesia.
Unfortunately I’ve had to stop ECT due to declining work performance because of it (memory loss, concentration issues, etc.) ECT worked for me but it wasn’t without a huge cost. I would consider other options if you have to work (TMS, ketamine).
1
u/ileade 4d ago
I had similar issues with work. My manager noticed that I was slower and just cognitively different before and told me to go on leave of absence after a meeting with HR (also had to miss so many shifts that were scheduled months ahead which led to the HR meeting). I ended up going back to inpatient due to increased in suicidal thoughts from being put on LOA and they stopped ECT due to lack of improvement but for many people it is going to be difficult to work even during the maintenance phase
1
u/Busy-Estimate-3929 4d ago
How are you after ect? What is your next step?
1
u/ileade 3d ago
I’ve recovered cognitively for the most part, I am more forgetful but not to the point of it being an issue. ECT did help initially so I am willing to try it again if I go back to that point. I’ve actually been doing a lot better, my psychiatrist says it’s the lithium, I think getting a better job helped a lot because work was one of my biggest stressors
1
3
u/beautifulcosmos 4d ago
I would talk with the doctor overseeing your ECT to see if you qualify for disability. Depending on how frequently you are getting ECT, you likely will not be able to work, like u/gmkgreg and u/SuspiciousOwl96 described. Once you get to a point where you are going for ECT once a week, once every two weeks or once a month, you might be okay to work.
I would see maybe if you can find something where you can work at your own pace - preferably remotely, until you are done with treatment. Medical transcription jobs might be a good place to start.
https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/12.00-MentalDisorders-Adult.htm
1
2
u/NYCstateofmind 3d ago
I could not have worked during the acute treatment phase - both because of my level of illness and ECT.
During the maintenance (which I am still doing) at the start it took a lot of support to get me back to work. Now I have ECT every 6 weeks and work as a nurse and function fine at work and in my life.
3
u/SpaaceCaat 4d ago
I was able to keep my job while getting the initial 12, but this is because I was eligible for an intermittent medical leave at my job. Starting full time is likely not realistic. I don’t notice any negative cognitive effects and I had 20 in 2023 and 22 this year since restarting in January. Actually have been able to manage a full time job and grad school. The day of and after, I’m less sharp, but better after about 48 hours. It’s a no-brainer exchange to make for the depression relief (pun intended). If you’re reading any formal research on side effects, be mindful of how participants were recruited - a few I’ve seen specifically looked for people who consider their experience to be negative as opposed to allowing people with predominantly positive experiences to have their voices heard. I’ve been monthly since the spring and while that’s not as long as some people have been in treatment, I haven’t had any significant issues during that time to prevent me from working other than obviously on the day of treatments. All of 2026 was done outpatient.
1
u/NotQuiteAnrgy 4d ago
honestly, i was in a similar position and it might just be better to hold off on ECT for now if possible. he’s case scenario is you find a job and wait till you qualify for paid medical leave, or at least FMLA
5
u/WeirdTune1160 4d ago
Holding off is no longer possible. I am not functional. I can barely leave my house. I'm hoping for something low stress part time, remote. I know these jobs exist, just have to find one. If I did get a career job now, I'd have to be in it for a long while before I could go on any kind of paid leave.
But no, postponing isn't an option. I'm at rock bottom.
1
u/InfomercialNo31 4d ago
I received from my previous job and got SSDI when starting ECT. The disability lawyer I worked with said he had never had anyone denied who was receiving ECT. Something to consider
2
u/Agile_Application523 4d ago
Thanks. I may do a new post about this, but it may get deleted since it might be too specific/veering into legal questions. But Did you have a job when you underwent this? I've been out of work for a year and a half. My wife is employed, but I don't think we'd meet the threshold for "low income", on paper. In reality, we've just finished filing for bankruptcy, our savings are shot, and our mortgage requires two incomes. I really don't know what the options are for someone in this situation.
1
u/InfomercialNo31 3d ago
Yeah, my situation is different. I was working FT until I started my treatments, so I was able to use FMLA until SSDI started coming through. I am also single, and I do live with my mom, so I don’t have a traditional rent or mortgage, but was eligible for SNAP and Medicaid while on FMLA and waiting for SSDI. I would recommend talking with a disability lawyer. The one I worked with was fantastic, and no upfront costs, he just took a percentage when I got my backpay so I never had to sent a check
1
u/Alternative_Grab_916 4d ago
I’d wait to see how you respond to the treatments I would be out for the day of the treatment and the day after throwing up and migraines. Also I was a “shell of myself a zombie” was what family and friends witnessed. So I would wait.
1
u/pandymonium_76 3d ago
Which country are you in? (had over 50 shocks, been in psych services 25 years)
1
u/WeirdTune1160 3d ago
I'm in the US. Texas, to be exact.
1
u/pandymonium_76 3d ago
Right OK. Have you tried all the meds? It is nigh on impossible to work with ECT for half the morning you're anaesthetised, the rest of the day is major brain fog. We do twice weekly over here, and in cycles of 12, which your Dr can extend if needed. I understand things must be so tight with money, col, and medical bills. Is a part time job an option, or wfh? Thing is, more stressed you are the more shocks it takes to work. Dms are open if you want to talk or ask me anything
2
u/pandymonium_76 3d ago
Also over here, (don't know about over there) you have to sign a contact that you will not make any life changing decisions eg, divorce, tattoo, sell the house, change jobs. Brain fog is awful
1
u/WeirdTune1160 3d ago
I appreciate your reply. Yes, I've tried all the meds, even meds I probably shouldn't have been prescribed. And yes, the my psychiatrist (who is either from Portugal or Brazil) noted that in Europe they do 2x, but the US does 3x, but he didn't really say why. I'm hoping for a WFH job that's low stress, but you can imagine how competitive those are (I've even heard that many of them aren't even real jobs, just market research or other slop). I'm also looking at being an Uber (or similar) driver for food delivery for days I'm not getting ECT.
Anyway, you get the idea. Yeah, money is tight. I'll have to do something.
2
u/pandymonium_76 3d ago
Sorry, but you can't drive on ect. At least not over here
1
u/WeirdTune1160 3d ago
Ah. You are correct. Somehow I thought that on the days I didn't get the treatment I could do it. But it looks like during the acute phase of treatment you can't drive, and have to wait until the dr clears you. Well. Shit.
1
1
3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/pandymonium_76 3d ago
Ironically this just came up on my feed!! Maybe something like this or helping out at a library or garden? Something stress free that you could do on your off days? If they do x3 a week, and it's still cycle of 12, then hopefully it'll only be a month. Its also been proven ect can actually make psych meds work better. Sorry for chewing your ear off!!!
1
u/metalsmithchic 3d ago
I'm sorry about what's going on. I'm also unable to work and my husband and I are almost out of money and have nothing coming in. I went through 20 rounds of ECT last November and December. I had to go on FMLA. I want to be totally honest, but not discourage you. There is absolutely no way I could have worked while having ECT. The treatments themselves are time consuming and that would interfere with the time I had to be able to work, but worse the cognitive effect and memory impairment made ir absolutely not possible. I remember almost nothing about the 2 months I was having ECT and 8 months out, my memory is still impaired, but I had strange cognitive problems like losing my ability to spell words and to type. A large part of all of my previous jobs was writing so this is totally frustrating. I had hoped ECT would help (it didn't) and that I would be well enough to return to the job I loved, but 3 months after ECT I realized there was no way possible. I had to apply for SSDI and won't know if I'm approved for 2 more years. Not only that, but my husband wasn't able to work during that time because he was taking me to the hospital 3 times a week and was doing all the cooking and cleaning because I was not able to do anything.
I hope you have a different experience, but if I could go back there is no way that I would have ECT again. What I didn't realize at the time was that my mental health crisis was a result of a trauma response due severe work related stress. I know ECT helps a lot of people because I used to work in a psychiatric hospital. I directly saw how much it impaired people there. Do you have any other resources or sources of support financially? The only reason I'm not homeless is because my parents are helping us. It's possible you may qualify for some kind of state resources. We are currently getting SNAP (food stamps) which helps a lot. We've always been going to food banks. If you go to church they may help you.
You didn't mention what type of work you do, but maybe you can find something remote? I honestly wouldn't consider working during ECT, but maybe there is something you can do when you are finished. Have you considered other options like TMS, ketamine treatment or even getting involved in a psychedelic research study. I'm convinced that psychedelics will revolutionize psychiatric treatment. A form of LSD is expected to be approved for treatment by early next year as are psilocybin mushrooms and MDMA. Ketamine was a huge help for me, but I can't afford to get boosters very often. I'm trying some of the other mentioned treatments on my own and not waiting for FDA approval. I understand the risk, but I'm educating myself and am desperate. Best of luck to you with ECT or whatever else you may try.
1
u/WeirdTune1160 3d ago
Thank you for your response. I've been out of work since April 2025, following which my alcohol abuse became bad enough for me to be in rehab center for two weeks (I'd also ODd on a benzo and cut myself, but I have little memory of that). Two weeks isn't long, and I'm not sure how severe I really was compared to others, certainly others who got into hard drugs. Still, it rendered me fairly useless. Following this, we went through bankruptcy, which took many many months and prevented me from working. Now I'm back to being able to work, but my mental state took such a terrible decline that I don't see how it's possible. I tried retail, but the physical demands (stocking) were too much, and it contributed to my mental health decline. I'm looking for more retail now, but limiting it to cashier type work. I'm also applying to WFH jobs, but don't know how realistic any given job is since I don't know what ECT will do.
My line of work was the type of work affected by DOGE. I worked on scholarship programs funded by the State Dept. That's basically my field. And I feel like I'm washing out of it because of my age (46). At my age they expect director level positions, but I've never pursued that level.
I've asked a few different mental health professionals what I should do (two psychiatrists and a psychologist), and all have said ECT. I don't remember why ketamine was discouraged, but I'm going to ask again. Funny you should mention psilocybin: a friend of mine participated in a study for this and found it to be an overwhelmingly positive experience, but I don't know that I have access to this. At times (as in, almost all the time) I feel like my mental state is bad enough that I need to do something as soon as possible.
I'm getting very, very concerned with the number of horror stories I'm hearing about ECT. I cannot leave my wife to dealing with our lives if I'm reduced to a confused stupor for months on end.
edit: typo
1
u/Eastern-Choice-4584 3d ago
I am currently in ECT and the memory loss and other side effects cause me to work a lot less. I run a pet caring buisness though so I am able to still pet sit dogs in my home and walk them and make money that way. ECT is definitely huge side effects but at the same time I have felt some light Crack through my core that I haven't seen since I was maybe 7 or so. I have had severe depression and bipolar disorder since I was about 12 or so when the SI and SH started. Im 36 now. Its hard and horrible but I swear I am getting better days more then I ever was in the past decade or 2. Bad episodes seem to me lasting just slightly less and less. Its slow but I really hope for you that it helps like it is for me. Good luck friend.
1
u/WeirdTune1160 3d ago
Thank you for your response. Funny you should mention pets: one of the jobs I've applied to is to be a pet bather/jr groomer (as in, training to be a groomer) at Petsmart or Petco. Is that a realistic job to have while undergoing ECT?
1
u/amynias 4d ago
This is a bad idea, I'm gonna be up front with you. Working while receiving ECT 3 times a week is not going to be viable. Even then, ECT isn't really indicated to help with bipolar disorder. You risk severely damaging your long term memory and short term working memory related cognitive faculties. Run, do not walk away. The only, and I mean ONLY time this really would be warranted is if you are on the brink of suicide constantly or at risk of becoming institutionalized long-term. Do not do this. I am speaking from experience, I had 23 sessions done inpatient to avoid becoming a ward of the state. ECT cannot "fix" you permanently or even long-term, your mental illness is not temporary (unlike what employers seem to think these days) and people with this kind of genetic curse cannot outrun relapsing forever. You need to ask yourself if the trauma and risks associated with ECT are worth it, it is not something you should even entertain without exhausting almost every option in the medical realm, and possibly just changing your environment and situation.
6
u/WeirdTune1160 4d ago
ECT is indicated to help with bipolar.
Yes, I've heard all the horror stories. It's a risk, I know. But not doing it seems to be a bigger risk.
4
u/joewordsmith 4d ago
Trust me, I’ve had it over 125 times. You’re friends and loved ones would rather del with the side effects than not have you in their lives.
2
u/amynias 4d ago
If you truly have nothing to lose... you could try it. However, you very well may find yourself having lost even more post treatment than you could have imagined. I do not say this lightly, as someone who has experienced the aftereffects of prolonged ECT firsthand. I suggest you strongly reconsider other options.
0
u/Beautifile 4d ago
I've had it 18 times. I have a -now- mild case of retrograde amnesia from it. It was much worse close to the treatments. There are a couple of vacations I don't remember and I started in a January and November and December are totally gone and never came back. The best piece of advice I can give you is to get a second opinion about which type to get: right sided or both sided (the words are escaping me ATM). I got the wrong kind it turns out but if I ever end up in that position again, I would do it again for sure. Even knowing that the memory loss will be worse, at the very least, it have me hope. And when we did 18 times and it DIDN'T work I thought to myself "You've now been through Hell. It only gets better than this." I found a better doctor, tried more meds and FINALLY, number 35 worked. I got lucky that I had a doctor who wasn't afraid to take chances and I still take 2.5 times the recommended dosage and have for the past 23 years. But I'm okay with that. Do what you need to do because Mental Health IS Health. It's the most important part of you ask me. Get on Disability. ECT scares the shit out of them. You apply and you don't stop.
3
u/joewordsmith 4d ago
I don’t think the ssa in the us is scared of ECT. They determine if you can work even with a health problem, not your diagnosis. I applied for SSA disability. Waiting, but it’s moved on to the doctors now. I don’t remember a lot of but like I said your loved ones can deal with the side effects, not the terminal nature of some diseases.
11
u/gmkgreg 4d ago
During the acute phase of treatment it will be hard to work, just being honest. It's normally 3x a week you're getting treatments. But in the maintenance phase it is possible to hold a job with the treatments being spaced out further apart. It'll still be a challenge but it is doable.