Teaching- any other jobs that make you cry regularly?

[Whosaidthattt]

I quit teaching last year, after years in a negative, toxic environment, which I thought was my fault.
Most days, I cried on the way to work, at lunchtime in a cupboard or driving home. I now see that this was the culture rather than me. It took changing a 20 year career to see this.
Is there any other job out there that has staff regularly crying before/during/after work? It's so wrong!

To be entirely fair, when I had urinary incontinence, due to bladder damage arising from a botched birth my GP refused to refer me on the NHS - 30 years ago.

A urinary specialist assessed the damage, recommended specialist physio until my family was complete (which helped enormously) and when I had finished breastfeeding my dd I had a surgical repair. The NHS didn't give a stuff, even though the issue was caused by an incompetent NHS midwife and as far as I am concerned the NHS shoukd have taken responsibility and should have rectifies the damage caused by a member of its staff. But they'd have had to have admitted fault for that. We didn't complain at the time BTW.

I appreciate the situation you are in. I appreciate my issue was not life threatening. What I don't appreciate is the lack of transparency and the tendency to blame the last government by doctors and NHS staff. Things weren't fab 30 years ago, they weren't fab under Blair (far from it except for the PFI's and shiny buildings).

PR. Marketing. Management. Public affairs. It was all the people elements that made me cry on the regular - from a couple of bullying managers, to the enormous stress I felt every time I had to chair a meeting or lead a discussion, to the constant feeling of not knowing the rules when interacting with pretty much anyone in a corporate context.

Funny enough all my colleagues seemed to think I was highly capable, tactful and socially skilled. Meanwhile I felt total inexplicable panic most days. I am pretty sure I'm autistic and do a lot of masking, but haven't sought a diagnosis.

I now have an outdoor job where I'm mostly solo (with some pleasant, non-complex social contact with others too) and it's been an absolute revelation in how much better it suits me.

Foster carer. Dealing daily with traumatised children with not always the help available is soul destroying!

Hospitality and retail makes you hate humanity.
Now on the admin side of our overly stretched NHS and m not much better. The entitlement of some individuals is shocking.

They’ve now sent their kids to boarding school ( for the very BEST education) because neither parent has time during the week to do any kid stuff, even with a housekeeper and nanny to hand.

Why on earth are we allowing this to happen? Highly trained professionals in tears, addicted, suicidal, sacrificing their children's young years and their happiness to meet the demands of selfish, money-hungry clients/bosses/politicians/bureaucrats with ice in their veins?
Many years ago I was a house parent and teacher in a "posh" boys' boarding school. My flat was the sanctuary for so many unhappy young men, a warm kitchen where they could get a cup of hot chocolate, a home-made biscuit, an icing bowl to scrape out, and could pour out their troubles. Some of the richest, best-connected and most famous would squirm if they knew what their sons had told me all those years ago about life at home. One, however, son of a highly regarded child psychiatrist, asked if I could adopt him. His parents had no time for him, and the holidays at their mansion, despite the tennis courts and swimming pools, were torture until he could come back to school.

Retail - have to deal with rude entitled people daily

I used to work for a high street bank. Worst job I’ve ever had. Customers were vile. We were made by law to ask where money had come from, and to check were it was going to ensure they weren’t being scammed and it ended up in daily abuse. We then also had drug addicts and homeless on benefits who would come in and hurl abuse, throw chairs around, threaten to kill you because their benefits hadn’t come in or they had spent it all and we couldn’t give them more money.

I know people get really irritated when people in banks ask where there money is going and the usual response is ‘it’s my money, it’s none of your business’, but I would plead with anyone reading this, if you have that attitude please don’t take it out on the people working in the bank. We don’t want to ask you these questions, just as much as you don’t want to answer them, but we have to because we can be held legally responsible if we are deemed to have not taken steps to stop money laundering etc.

healthcare work. Carers, nurses, done both jobs and honestly the hardest job ever.

I had an office job that made me cry every night. I sat opposite this dreadful loud and aggrsssive woman who was a complete bully. She was on a hair trigger, ranting and raving every day. She was super confident, very attractive looking, and so had the ( mostly male ) workforce wrapped round her finger.

She was so nasty to me, can't believe I hung in there tbh. I'd been out of work and temping for over a year and was just so desperate to have a job.

I was a teacher for over 25 years and used to buy tissues every week for the crying rooms - when they ran out we’d use toilet roll. I have cried twice due to work since leaving teaching - over three years ago.

What strikes me, is it’s the public facing roles yet… we ARE the public!

If you’re reading this thread, and you’re a regular moaner, or you speak to your colleagues like crap, or you send tense emails thinking it’s ok. Stop.

Stop with the aggression, passive aggression, condescending, snippy, sarcastic, abrupt, ignorant, communication and just treat people with respect.

Manners and graciousness are a dying form and it’s really sad to see how many people cry regularly due to other people.

This was me. Probably the same sweatshop - Wagamama’s with DH and back to work. Cried all the time and felt constantly stressed and afraid of making a mistake. Had a baby and became a support lawyer part time at another firm. So much happier (especially with the flexible working post-covid).

Vet receptionist. Dealing with abusive people, abused animals, pig-ignorant people who shouldn't have pets, let alone kids, people that don't accept that animal health care costs, and costs a lot, and that it's not our fault that they have animals and don't have money. Dealing with people losing their beloved pets and companions, dealing with animals that have been dropped off to be euthanised by people who don't want to interrupt their day, or possibly be upset, by being with their pets in their final moments.

Being verbally abused, sometimes physically threatened, by irate customers. Having people attempt to abandon their animals at the counter.

Yes. Work in public sector. Every morning I’m terrified to log on, if I’m off a few days I still log on in case the work load builds up (it’s been agreed we have twice the workload we are supposed to have and it’s going to get worse). Constant rude and aggresive clients (I’ve been called all names). Scared I might miss stuff cos there’s just too much. Most days I have tears (my colleagues are the same) and often get the shakes.

Mental health nurse. Tough every day.

I really couldn't do your job. Thank you for what you do.

But they at least get paid more and can afford to leave after 10 years salary in the bank, not lied to that teaching us a profession

Ex PR agency exec/manager/director here. Yes, crying was a thing. Not to the extremes written about previously, but the pressure to keep difficult clients happy within billable hours is tough. Add various recessions where marketing budgets are cut, and the pressure is amplified.
I definitely struggled and knew I should do something else, but it's hard to throw everything in the air and start from scratch. I used to dread the Monday meeting where we had to say whether we were on target or not. Quickly learned how to say a lot without saying anything.
On the plus side, we tended to take care of each other as we all knew the stress was real.
And I also learnt very speedily that when I left the office I had to flick a switch and go back to being mum. Or I thought I did.
I was so glad to leave it all behind (even the fun, creative bits) and was shocked when friends said they were glad to have the real me back.
It seems there are a lot of unhealthy jobs and working expectations out there. I see it in my son and daughter in law who are in marketing and graphic design. The deadlines are endless and unrealistic. Sigh 😔

I’m sure there are plenty. Somehow teachers seem to think they have the hardest job in the entire world and complain constantly

Criminal law. I don’t think I can fully describe or explain it. Panic, fear, misery, overwhelm. I did it for years without regularly feeling those things and was basically fine although it was tough, but there was something about taking on an in-house role, during the pandemic, and after a career break after my third child, which did for me.

In case anyone thinks the money would make up for it, no amount would have done I don’t think, but it was for £40k pro rata. In London. 13 hour days regularly.

Social worker.....regular cry to and from work.

Not sure why teachers always think they have it the worst!

GP. Awful job. Left and started own (totally unrelated) business. So happy I did that.

That is very similar to my story. Not sure if it was having kids or what but something broke. Panic, fear, anxiety constantly. Will never go back to law.

My reaction too!
really?

Allied health professional covering highly complex caseload in special schools across a large county. I struggle with many aspects of the job, have little support from management, and no real friends amongst my colleagues. I don’t trust that senior management would have my back if anything went wrong. I suspect I have ADHD and/or autism and I’m really not coping but I’ve spent a lifetime masking any difficulties and I find myself unable to stop now. I cry and feel deep dread on Sundays. I’m deeply unhappy at work and feel very trapped, not least because I’ve had these feelings to a lesser degree in all my previous jobs. Reading others’ experiences makes me realise the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side.