to feel quite shocked that DH has PTSD from teaching?

[FunnysInLaJardin]

Its feels pretty awful tbh. He has just today received this diagnosis and has been referred for priority EMDR.

He has taught for 25 years in a secondary school, and got out last year due to clinically diagnosed burn out.

I knew it was bad, but I never realised it was this bad.

How can this be allowed to happen?

But there’d be no teachers left in everyone went for plan B

I taught for 27 years. Everyone hated it, everyone wanted to get out. I’d they all left for a plan B that would have been 145 teaching staff to replace. Most teachers hate the stress.

In my department of 13. 8 were on antidepressants. They were known as ‘Teachers little helpers’

But that is not the individuals problem. If more teachers left the government would have to step up.

And meanwhile, in the real world, the remaining teachers would have to pick up the slack.... which is how we got here in the first place.

As I have said, I think you think you're helping. You're actually not.

I have a lot of respect for teachers, unfortunately the system fail both teachers and students. I feel the same for healthcare worker. They are constantly under a lot of stress and their hard work is not appreciated. The government should invest more money in education and healthcare and make a lot of changes

Just because its not helped you it doesn't mean it hasn't helped others. Somebody else on this thread might of thought shes right life is short why am I doing this to myself it doesn't have to be like this, I can make changes before I end up in hospital or dead. Mental illness isn't a game things can get really really bad very quickly if people don't take it seriously. Their are teachers who have left teaching and it's been the best decision of their life. Others have stayed until it's broke them and they've lost everything. And that's not just teaching that is all jobs and not even just jobs relationships to. Sometimes enough is enough and you have to walk away for your own sake. Would you tell someone in an abusive relationship to stay because they need the extra money and have no other choices. Or would you reassure them their are always choices.

It's got significantly more stressful in years since then, Gove as education secretary marked a real downward trend and it hasn't improved since he left.
If Labour hadn't won this election I would have been in despair. I have some hope that they may improve things. It's really hard to leave though as I'm over fifty and have taught since I was 22. I feel it is a privilege to work with some fantastic children and colleagues who really care about thrm. My headteacher is wonderful and cares hugely for her staff. However it is utterly exhausting. I work 55- 60 hours each week. I'm in school at 7.10 a.m. and usually leave at 6.15 pm - sometimes later- to be home in time to eat with DH and my teenagers. With a 20-30 minute lunch that's over 10 hours every single day. After an hour at home to eat I then get the laptop out again to work until 9 pm. I can't go part time as I am the higher earner in our family and one DC is at university and a second will probably go in two years time so we need my salary. I'm hoping that I can hold out until I'm sixty or so in 5-8 years time. But that will include another Ofsted and I dread that, despite the fact that I work in a good school. And I can't claim my pension in full until I'm 68 so I'll have to do something in the interim. I honestly don't know what. Of eight friends who I graduated with and who started teaching at the same time all have left education except one friend who works in a small independent school. Education in general is in a dreadful state.

There's no hypocrisy - when teachers do challenge bad behaviour or bullying there is no support so senior leadership (esp in academies or Ofsted) - so they are reticent to get overly involved and just keep their heads down instead.

I'm not sure Australia is lots better. I have a friend in Melbourne and they have a lot of problem behaviour in class, with no TAs and completely unsympathetic management. It seems even harder to get SEN support there too. Less micromanaging but it sounds a bit like swings and roundabouts. My UK experience was never as bad as her Melbourne school. (Obviously schools differ...)

Multiple people have explained to her why it's not feasible for most teachers to just quit their job without a second thought. It's like the concept of having financial and moral responsibilities in work and at home is alien to her.

And multiple people are pressing the thanks button. It's your life it's your choice you want to stay in a job that makes you miserable then go for it because all I'm hearing is a lot of excuses why you can't leave and no actual reasons. Any job will pay your mortgage you are choosing this. So do not blame others for your unhappiness you control that like you control your life. Part of growing up is taking responsibility for yourself and not blaming your life on other people.

I'm so sorry OP

Hope he is ok

I change my username every day (same account). I value anonymity. I dare say MN will let me know if they have an issue with that.

So how many of the people on here are you

No, multiple people have responsibilities that don't disappear the moment you start having MH difficulties and have tried to explain to you that in the real world you can't just walk out of your job without another job to go to, and that you can't pay your bills or provide for your children with good MH.

I am sorry to hear that your DH is going through this.

I am now 18 months in. I haven’t been able to work since - to be honest I don’t really have a sense of identity anymore and have no idea what I would do.

I have just woken from another nightmare - I still get them a couple of times a week. Came on MN to settle my mind and saw this thread.

I just want to address the conversation about leaving for your MH. The problem is, there was never a clear cross over from the general teaching stress to the total burnout. It was so slow and systematic. Everyone around you is the same so you quickly get used to running at high levels of stress. Mentally, I felt okay and was still organised and proficient but OMG was I unwell! I had terrible gastro issues that I put down to IBS and I gave myself an irregular heartbeat.

It was only when I moved roles and some physical events happened that involved several instances of physical and verbal violence and no protection from SLT that I knew I had to leave. Looking back, my MH must have been awful because I should have got my union involved and taken legal action but I just slinked away and crawled into my hole. However, I now recognise that the new role events made the decision for me but my burnout started years before. Had I not changed roles, who knows if I would still be there.

Just this one. Carry on accusing me, and I will report you.

(((((2egg)))). It's so hard isn't it. I feel broken. I have lost my identity and that feeling of being good at my job /in a career and am finding it so hard to move on and find a new job/a new me.

It is so so so hard. For every teacher that's moved seamlessly into civil service or a charity role there seems to be another 10 just struggling. Often I think it goes under the carpet/unnoticed if it's a second income. It's seriously affecting our family. It's awful. This is happening to thousands and thousands of teachers all over England every year now 😔. It's not just a drop in income but so much is destroyed.

I'm so sorry you've been through that but I'm glad your in a better place now. As someone who was in teaching and had to stop for your mh. Would you now give the advice I'm saying of please don't let it get that far as it really isn't worth it for a job. People are coming at me for saying put your health before a job but when you've truly been at rock bottom you really do realise what's important.

So what do you think happens when you don't make changes and have a breakdown. You still lose your job but because you haven't left before it gets to that point you also no longer have a plan b

@FriendlyRobin, it also varies state to state. The whole of Australia is, like the UK, struggling with teacher recruitment and retainment, but it’s worse in the Eastern states (like where your friend is) than other states, from all the reports I’ve heard.

Firstly I'm not a troll and secondly I will not allow you or anyone else to bully me of this thread

I work in a secondary school. Recently, two teenage boys from a different school (not that they ever attend) snuck in and assaulted a female teacher when she confronted them.
She was back at work the following day.
This isn't a profession where people are well-protected. There needs to be more fire in bellies over this!