My name is Lorraine, I am 54 years old and work as customer services advisor in Belfast.
A few years ago I found myself battling severe depression – getting through each day was a struggle.
As I needed to continue working I was put in touch with the Workable (NI) programme who helped me cope with the day to day factors of simply getting ready for and being in work every day. I was put in touch with a ‘support officer’ who helped me make a plan for preparing for work and how to cope when a ‘situation’ came up (and there were a few of those). They arranged times and dates of visits to suit my needs and were always available for a chat in between sessions. With their help and that of my supervisor in work I was able to keep my job and now feel much stronger in coping with the issues that arise.
I am currently working without that support but it is good to know that I will be able to return to the programme if necessary.
Lorraine