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Anyone in this position?

Anyone in this position?

J

jaybeegee

Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
31
Hi all,
Nobber since the plastic pitch, born in Walton-le-Dale now living in Cardiff.
Have been working as a printer for 30 years and am having a breakdown due to the fact that when I started we had fifteen staff and it came down to three with me taking on the old responsibilities and all the new technological responsibilities as well. After 30 years of this I turned to drink just in the evenings at first - I worked stupid hours unpaid, weekends, all through the night and all
 
jaybeegee said:
Hi all,
Nobber since the plastic pitch, born in Walton-le-Dale now living in Cardiff.
Have been working as a printer for 30 years and am having a breakdown due to the fact that when I started we had fifteen staff and it came down to three with me taking on the old responsibilities and all the new technological responsibilities as well. After 30 years of this I turned to drink just in the evenings at first - I worked stupid hours unpaid, weekends, all through the night and all
Click to expand...
Next day.
Deadlines were virtually impossible and I took that stress on as well.
I then began drinking during the day to cope which obviously affected my work and I was rightly let go.
Cardiff GP and other services have been fantastic and so has my partner - I've been totally honest with - and my ex boss and colleague.
Been given a not fit for work letter until January.
Just wanted to ask if anyone's gone through a similar thing.
(Sorry for the split, pressed the wrong button!)
 
jaybeegee said:
Next day.
Deadlines were virtually impossible and I took that stress on as well.
I then began drinking during the day to cope which obviously affected my work and I was rightly let go.
Cardiff GP and other services have been fantastic and so has my partner - I've been totally honest with - and my ex boss and colleague.
Been given a not fit for work letter until January.
Just wanted to ask if anyone's gone through a similar thing.
(Sorry for the split, pressed the wrong button!)
Click to expand...
You’re not alone in this, you’d be surprised how many will be in a similar position. Don’t knock yourself over it, you’ve been honest and that’s a massive first step. You have run yourself into the ground and your employer let you by the sounds of it. Too many employers let their employees do this, it’s no wonder there are mental health and alcohol problems. You get to the point where you are not living, you are existing. Take the time off work to take a deep breath and let your mind heal itself. I’ve said before cognitive behaviour therapy is good for analysing why you are where you are. I wish you well in getting yourself better, you CAN do it. Then new year, fresh start get yourself back out there 👍
 
Thank you Northender0602.
that really helps, I just feel isolated at the moment.
The NHS and charities are excellent down here, can't keep track of my appointments 😄,
Starting to think a move back home may help although I may have to get a season ticket and get more depressed!
Thank you for your kind words and an early Happy Christmas and New Year
 
I can’t much to Northender’s excellent post. And I’ve never been a habitual drinker.

The Welsh NHS fails to meet its targets and gets lambasted by the press and political opponents for being behind England on the metrics. But anecdotally and from personal experience, it’s got a fantastic attitude.
I wonder if it is much better at treating people with real care, rather than pushing them through a sausage machine. The latter approach might be good for statistics of the number of people treated. But imo often not for getting to the root of problems. Great that they have been good with you and that you’re tackling it head on.

Over the last 20 years, the printing industry has gone mad, with a lot more people able to set up in business with great new easy technology - and so margins plummeted, jobs slashed and customer service expectations through the roof. Very stressful for those good enough to retain their job. You need to look after yourself though.
Good luck jaybeejee
 
Hi Jay. Good advice above. A couple of things to add if I may.

There are by far more sufferers than you think. You are not alone.

Stop giving a fuck. You’ve clearly given too many fucks to everything bar yourself. It is not selfish to say fuck it, however is this working for me. Start aiming all the fucks at yourself. Eat healthy, exercise, and start to properly look after yourself. You obviously cared a lot, so aim all the care and attention at yourself.

Put in the work. (On you) Tablets and therapy will not cure anxiety or depression. They help and work alongside you putting a whole lot of effort in, on yourself. It may well be a bumpy road, but don’t give up. If you make a mistake, you’ve not failed. A new day can always be a new start. It’s taken many months to break you and will quite likely take many months to heal you.

Don’t feel guilty! It very much looks like every other fucker around you was guilty, not you. Fuck em!

Talk. Talk. Talk. It helps. Talk to anyone who will listen. Depression is no longer taboo. You are loved and people will rather listen than have you suffer.

Best wishes jay. Fuck it and do what is right for you. And don’t rush anything. If you need another note, tell the doc. Get as many as you need before you go back to any work.
 
prestonmadhouse said:
Hi Jay. Good advice above. A couple of things to add if I may.

There are by far more sufferers than you think. You are not alone.

Stop giving a fuck. You’ve clearly given too many fucks to everything bar yourself. It is not selfish to say fuck it, however is this working for me. Start aiming all the fucks at yourself. Eat healthy, exercise, and start to properly look after yourself. You obviously cared a lot, so aim all the care and attention at yourself.

Put in the work. (On you) Tablets and therapy will not cure anxiety or depression. They help and work alongside you putting a whole lot of effort in, on yourself. It may well be a bumpy road, but don’t give up. If you make a mistake, you’ve not failed. A new day can always be a new start. It’s taken many months to break you and will quite likely take many months to heal you.

Don’t feel guilty! It very much looks like every other fucker around you was guilty, not you. Fuck em!

Talk. Talk. Talk. It helps. Talk to anyone who will listen. Depression is no longer taboo. You are loved and people will rather listen than have you suffer.

Best wishes jay. Fuck it and do what is right for you. And don’t rush anything. If you need another note, tell the doc. Get as many as you need before you go back to any work.
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Not giving a F**k was the tuning point for me. One Day I just thought F**k it I don’t give a shit anymore. I learned to concentrate on the stuff that REALLY mattered.
 
Sincere thanks to you all, it's been a great help reading your messages. Yes, talking helps, it's not easy for me as I'm a child of the seventies when everything was bottled up, but I'm learning to do it and it's starting to help. Hoping the boys give me something to smile about tonight, but not overly optimistic. Currently sat in a park watching the sen set after a four mile walk - nice but cold.
Take care all and thank you
 
As all above advice pal. I have no experience of alcohol addiction however those who have will give you honest advice on here. Hope you get things going in the right direction soon. Keep us updated and reach out if you need it. We are all one big melting pot of challenges on here. Take care buddy 👍❤️
 
jaybeegee said:
Many thanks beagle man, means so much to me that strangers give a shit about me
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Nothing worse than being taken for granted mate especially when you know that you're doing a great job and going above and beyond... When you finally realise that you were probably flogging a dead horse it's a proper kick in the knackers ( I've been there )....... I can only concur with the advise above about looking after yourself and family and maybe being a bit selfish .... I'll guarantee you one thing, you never know what's around the next corner and in the majority of cases these things eventually turn out for the better.... Best of luck fella and never give up. 👍
 
Used to be a printer myself at cca stationery off new hall lane then eastway. Bloody long hours and repetitive... understand how it could get you down....👍
 
Thanks again beagleman, yes printing is a shit business to be in these days. Stupid deadlines, stock ordering-then being told off for ordering stock, out-sourcing, delivering, putting up with customers with a scrap of paper wanting bespoke design with no real guidelines, maintaining machines, helping with quotes/invoicing.
I used to have jobs sent to us for 1400+ A4 letters and trifold DL leaflets printed folded and packed by hand to be posted the same day which put everything else on hold resulting in a back load of work in the next few days.
were you litho or digit? I was digital myself
Thanks J
 
All the best @jaybeegee , can't say much that is already said, but when the time comes to looking for work, there are usually some good support services out there. I know of a couple in Blackpool called Connect2work and Work Well (I think PNEFCCT also runs Work Well). These are good advice services to help people move back to work. Hopefully there is something similar in Cardiff.

They are only as good as the work you are able to do as well. But they should have connections, help with CV's, job applications etc.

But the most important thing is to take this time and relax a bit so you return when you are good and ready.

Take care
 
jaybeegee said:
Thanks again beagleman, yes printing is a shit business to be in these days. Stupid deadlines, stock ordering-then being told off for ordering stock, out-sourcing, delivering, putting up with customers with a scrap of paper wanting bespoke design with no real guidelines, maintaining machines, helping with quotes/invoicing.
I used to have jobs sent to us for 1400+ A4 letters and trifold DL leaflets printed folded and packed by hand to be posted the same day which put everything else on hold resulting in a back load of work in the next few days.
were you litho or digit? I was digital myself
Thanks J
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Small offset....it was the way forwards in the early 80s....😆
 
jaybeegee said:
Thanks again beagleman, yes printing is a shit business to be in these days. Stupid deadlines, stock ordering-then being told off for ordering stock, out-sourcing, delivering, putting up with customers with a scrap of paper wanting bespoke design with no real guidelines, maintaining machines, helping with quotes/invoicing.
I used to have jobs sent to us for 1400+ A4 letters and trifold DL leaflets printed folded and packed by hand to be posted the same day which put everything else on hold resulting in a back load of work in the next few days.
were you litho or digit? I was digital myself
Thanks J
Click to expand...
Get AI to make you the designs. That's the first thing id be doing when I got back.. it's not hard to do with AI.
 
beagleman said:
Used to be a printer myself at cca stationery off new hall lane then eastway. Bloody long hours and repetitive... understand how it could get you down....👍
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Both my parents worked there - Geoffrey Street from memory - and I’ll always remember the absolutely outstanding Christmas cards they’d produce in the early 70s.
 
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