What profession and type of work is most suitable for a person with schizoaffective disorder of the depressive type?

This diagnosis is usually made with a combination of signs of schizophrenia and mood disorders. Another thing is important here. What is the level of competence and intrinsic motivation of the professional who made this conclusion, which you perceive as an oracle's divination and life prescription? Schizophrenia is one of the most mysterious diseases, if any. Even a very good specialist (of which there are few) can be mistaken in his conclusions, moreover, there is no objective data that you really are cuckoo - no analyzes and tests can prove this. You could simply be convinced that you have deviations, since in our world the existence of a doctor presupposes the presence of patients, and the existence of the police presupposes the presence of criminals. On your part, you readily accepted the idea of ​​your mental inferiority, since it saved you from the need to painfully search for answers to the question of why you feel bad, and why you are so different from others. A psychiatric diagnosis usually sticks to the forehead of an unlucky patient for everyone to see, since the label is embedded primarily in his brain. Thinking about how to build your future life, you better resist the thought of your right to be worse than others due to your "illness".

The one that he likes best, in which he has an interest, in which he will feel comfortable, in which he will be satisfied with working conditions and wages - in this sense, he is no different from a healthy person.

Mental disorder is not a factor that determines a person's career preferences or abilities. Of course, it can create some restrictions in a career (for example, it will be difficult or impossible for a person with a severe mental disorder to get a job in certain positions, such as a civil aviation pilot or a nuclear submarine commander), but in general, people with SHAR can be just as different from each other in their abilities and preferences, as well as healthy people: someone will feel comfortable and work productively as a programmer, and someone will be an ameliorator.

There are not so many studies that consider the issues of work adaptation of people with OR. But those that exist do not emphasize the importance of any specific work activity, but such factors as:

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the importance of the work being consistent with the preferences of the person person [1]

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or

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friendly, supportive relationships with colleagues [2 ]

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Thus, not a disease, but a person's personality determines his professional qualities. Here, the question of treatment inevitably arises: correctly selected psycho- and pharmacotherapy significantly reduces the risks of social maladjustment, largely removes the restrictions in professional activity that the disease can impose.

Therefore, it may make sense to think about returning to treatment, going into a state of sustained remission, and looking for your area of ​​professional activity with less regard for the disease.

Literature :

1. T. Mueser, Deborah R. Becker, Rosem, K. (2001). Supported employment, job preferences, job tenure and satisfaction. Journal of Mental Health, 10 (4), 411-417. doi: 10.1080 / 09638230123337

2. Rüesch, P., Graf, J., Meyer, P. C., Rössler, W., & Hell, D. (2004). Occupation, social support and quality of life in persons with schizophrenic or affective disorders. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 39 (9), 686-694. doi: 10.1007 / s00127-004-0812-y