
Ask HN: Advice?  Engineer until (in hindsight) too sick, then "overqualified" - throwaway1107
What should one do if: Engineer until too sick, then &quot;overqualified.&quot;<p>After employee stock options vested, net ~500K USD, resigned because had felt fatigued or burned out, progressively for 8 yrs, had had energy for only one of {work, social life, hobbies}. Now for time for the latter two and easier jobs; career change may cure malaise?<p>But over years, burned through the money, trying alt careers, experiments to reduce burn rate, volunteering, self-employment, hiking, camping. Manual labor possible before a spinal injury.  During attempt at grad school, uni&#x27;s &quot;learning center&quot; suggested an integrative MD, who diagnosed some alt diagnoses but didn&#x27;t refer to conventional specialists, thus other doctors were dismissive.  Latter didn&#x27;t offer treatments that helped as alt med did. But payment for alt med = out of pocket =&gt; less affordable. Now after 15 yrs, broke &amp; then some!<p>Now &#x2F;conditionally&#x2F; able to work, w&#x2F; expensive uninsured treatments. Haven&#x27;t done great work in software engg in many years, if ever.  Lower-paying jobs will not pay for the meds I need to endure the stress of working.  Applications do result in interviews, iff I apply for software engineer jobs, which now (esp. w&#x2F;o adequate treatment) I feel quite unable to do well.<p>Perhaps am &quot;Disabled.&quot; Relative works for large insurer, says I&#x27;m as disabled as most qualifying.  But don&#x27;t covet label &quot;Disabled&quot; &amp; don&#x27;t know how to sustain self during the (&gt;=2yrs) for diagnosis and approval. Feel worse on cheaper food. Eat a lot; perhaps my gut doesn&#x27;t absorb well. Have little medical documentation. Maybe should&#x27;ve been examined by a neurologist, but when I requested referral, got none.  MDs pushed antidepressants, which hadn&#x27;t helped during multiple academic years.  Also, more than once, waited 4-6 months for appointment with specialist before latter informed me my insurer does not cover...
======
blahfight
HN is not the place for this, you need to talk to a therapist or counsellor

