Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian environmen

Blossom

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Does anyone have any tips or advice on coping with a work environment the is very hierarchical and authoritarian. I'm working on changing careers but for now I need to find a way to continue on in my current job. From what I've read of Peat he alludes to the stressful nature of an authoritarian culture being damaging for the individual. Has anyone had any experience with this healing bringing to light the negative effects of their work environment?
 
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Blossom

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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

Wow! I was sure stressed out after work. Please excuse the above typos.
 

charlie

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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

No worries Blossom. :)
 

stressucks

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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

Could you be more specific about what's stressing you out?

Default advice is meditation.
 
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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

It's been close to two months since I originally posted this and things have improved a little. I think when I finally came up with a plan to change careers it helped a lot. To put it bluntly I just don't believe in what I do. I work in the conventional medicine area and I see a lot of sad situations. I know what I do is valuable to some degree but I no longer want to be part of it. I got into this when I was a young single mom and I didn't have time for graduate school. I never imagined medicine would be like it really is. I think it is a sham for the most part. I knew when I was in clinical I had made a mistake. Don't get me wrong I work with some great people and if I were injured severely I'd go to the hospital but otherwise I have had enough of this career. I know the next few month will be challenging but I will be able to finally put this behind me. It was right after I started in the field that I really became sick. I know a lot of it was stress from working 12 hour night shifts in ER, ICU, neonatal ICU etc. I got a body fluid exposure when a life support tube became disconnected and sprayed in my eyes, nose and mouth. So I was running on adrenaline all night, newly married, highly stressed..and ended up with chronic fatigue syndrome from my immune system being overwhelmed I suppose. Then I started on SSRIs at my then doctors recommendation. That was 1999 and I finally started getting well a year and a half ago. I think I stuck with the job because I had to get my daughter through college and I had so much learned helplessness from years on psychiatric meds. I do owe my life to this approach and I think that it finally helped me overcome any residual doubts in myself. It has been so liberating to know that I now have the tools I need to thrive. So it seems the hierarchy and authoritarian personalities really aren't bothering me too much these days.
 
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Blossom

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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

Also the day I posted originally I witness a gentleman die in an excruciating manner just because of someone's arrogance and need to show authority.
 
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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

Blossom said:
Also the day I posted originally I witness a gentleman die in an excruciating manner just because of someone's arrogance and need to show authority.

what?
 
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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

There was a gentleman that had an advance Neuromuscular disease that I had worked with on and off for several months. One day he approached me with a severe problem with his breathing. If he held his head up he would choke on his own saliva and by bending his head forward his airway would be cut off because he was so thin. I assured him that I would talk with his doctor and he would receive the help he needed to breathe comfortably. His main complaint was excessive saliva choking him and not having the strength to hold his head up to breathe effectively. I requested the doctor evaluate him for a patch applied topically to dry secretions so he would not be continually choked. It was apparent he only had a few days left and I was hoping he might be able to spend them comfortably. Needless to say my request was denied and he was found dead in a chair with his head bent forward in a futile effort to breathe. I'm certain he was too weak to lift his head back up and suffocated. I know people die and he was seemingly living on borrowed time but every human deserves dignity and compassion. I just don't see that much in medicine. We have the capability to do better. Maybe when medicine stops being about money and egos we will get somewhere.
 

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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

:(
 
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Blossom

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Re: Meaningful work and surviving in an authoritarian enviro

The patch that I requested for the gentleman mentioned above was scopolamine. That was apparently too dangerous according to his physician. Wow.
 

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