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[unrestful]

I'm 18 years, trying to finish high school and I'm tired all the time, found out I had narcolepsy at the end of the 16th year.
I take provigil when needed, like going to school.
How do I get enough energy to go find a job,??
Nothing is appealing. I don't want to work in public, where I have to talk to people, because people look at me and they think I'm lazy.
I don't want to work with food.
I love to read and draw.
Can anyone give me some advice?
This is the first time that I have been on here.
I know no one who has narcolepsy and all my friends drive and work And I can't seem to do neither. The all have money and I don't, they all tell me how easy it is to get a job, I've put in some applications and have had one interwiew. But nothing.
I'm very aggervated.and depressed.

[blackmonam]

Hey. When I was 18, I didn't know what was wrong with me. A doctor called me a lazy hypochondriac. It took a few more years before we figured things out. You are ahead of the game because you're going into adult life knowing what's going on with your body. Use that to your advantage. Don't let this disorder control you. Take control of it. Take your medicine regularly for starters. I know when I'm tired and don't take my meds I get depressed and angry and lazy. I hate taking the meds too. But I know that's what I need to do.

Finish up school and get your diploma. Have you thought of college? College helped me figure out what I could handle given my condition. I like to write and design and shoot pics. So I found out that public relations and journalism and theater was good for me. Over the course of college, I learned how to balance social life, work, school and narcolepsy. I took power naps. I worked with the student disabilities office to get my courses spread out. I put myself on a regular sleep and workout schedule (small, regular workouts are like meds). When I wanted to party, I knew I would need to sleep the next day to recover. So party nights were Friday and/or Sat. nights. Sometimes I would take a nap at the party; I had good friends who always looked out for me.

With driving, I knew I could only do short distances unless it was my good time of the day (as much as I hated it, my body is a morning person, so I have to get up when it wants me to. No sleeping in til noon, but man, it feels so nice to have a few hours of natural energy).

If you want a job, you have to have the attitude. You'll get rejected tons of times, no matter who you are. Prepare yourself for that and keep trying. Legally, you don't have to tell them you have narcolepsy until they hire you (and even then, it's only if you need to). Don't tell them in the interview. They won't understand.

Remember. You're only as limited as you let yourself be. It sucks having narcolepsy. It really does. People don't understand. But don't let that stop you from doing as much as you want. I almost let that happen, and I'm so glad I had a good friend smack me around. now, I have a great job; I'm finishing up my master's degree and life is ok. But I still have days where my darker side (I call it my alter ego and nicknamed her Beth) comes out. On occasion I let Beth have her day. But I don't let her run my life anymore. You need to do the same. You can do the same.

Good luck...