Depression, Gluten, And Work: Connection?

[Ashley]

Hi!

I work at Maggie Moos, an ice cream shop. I absolutely love my job and my employers! They have been so nice and patient with me, especially with recurring sicknesses [from a freak allergic reaction from an unknown source to calling out sick for two weeks because constant pain on the right side of my stomach, originally thought to be gallbladder failure, but I guess it just extreme Celiac pain...anyway...]

Lately, I've been feeling the side effects of working in an environment laced with gluten. I constantly wash my hands, at least 20 times in an hour. But, the smell of the waffle cones cooking make feel horrible. I've recently began to develop migranes at work. I've become very frustrated and impatient, which is unusual. I went into work yesterday just dreading it---I didn't want to be there, I was so depressed.

I talked to my boss, and she doesn't want me to quit. By the end of the month, I will be fully trained and promoted to a shift manager. They've done so much for me, entrusting me with a lot of things. I'm so blessed to be 17 and making $7.00 an hour. She said they wanted to work with me, where the gluten exposure was cut down to a minimum.

There's an internal conflict within myself, because there are times I want to quit because I become so miserable physically and suffer depression from it, causing me to lose sleep at night. And then, I don't want to quit because I've worked there since we opened last spring break. I know everyone there and I'm comfortable around everyone.

-Ash.

[darlindeb25]

This is a decision that only you can make. The working conditions are not going to change, they can't stop making the waffle cones there. You are always going to have to smell them baking. I too, have a very difficult time with some odors, it's not that we get glutened by the odor, it's that we can't handle the odors themselves. Somewhat of an intolerance to odors. This intolerance, so to speak, causes headaches in me too, but also at times, causes asthma attacks, which I never had before. My problems are more with non food scents, like Glade plug-ins, Carpet Fresh (the worst for me), exhaust, laundry detergent isles, candle stores, etc.

My daughter and I drove past a carnival, with all of the rides going--I was overcome by the fumes from the rides, she didn't smell anything but popcorn, I didn't smell popcorn at all.

So, you will have to decide if you can handle this. Your body may decide it for you. Sometimes, we have no choice. If you are good at this job, you will be good at another job, maybe you should start looking. I'm sure your boss will give you a great recommendation!

[RiceGuy]

As was said, it's not a decision which anyone else can really make for you. But with regard to gluten being breathed in, I am sure it happens. All smells are made of molecules, so we obviously are breathing in stuff from whatever we smell.

However, if it were me, I'd see only two possibilities. Either start a gluten-free ice cream shop, or quit. It's not like you've spent decades building a career on this job. I guess I'd ask myself where I'd like to be ten years down the road. If the ice cream business was something I truly wanted to stick with, then the gluten-free shop would be where'd I'd be looking.

[ShayFL]

I had a really great job in my early 20's. 20K a year with full benefits. And this was over 15 years ago. 2 weeks vacation paid every year. I liked all of the other employees. I got to meet interesting people all of the time and I got tons of overtime money during tax season (CPA firm). I worked there for over 3 years. The only problem is one of my bosses kept trying for "favors". I got really good at avoiding his come ons most of the time. But some times it was impossible (when he would call me into his office and ask me to close the door). It made me extremely uncomfortable to say the least. And I actually started to get fearful that he might force himself on me cuz I kept telling him no. This is a different kind of discomfort and fear than you have, but it was still discomfort and fear. So I made the decision that life was too short to live like that. And if I had to take a lower paying job I would. I gave 2 weeks notice and had not found a job when my time was up. It took me 4 months, but I found a BETTER paying job, right next to my apt. for more money and NO male bosses. I was so pleased.

Think positive and you might just find that something BETTER is waiting for you. No regrets. You are young and sounds like a very good employee. Other employers will WANT YOU.

[jparsick84]

I agree with what everyone else has said. Ultimately it's your decision, but being so young, it would be easier for you to change jobs. If it were just the hands washing issue, you could probably get away with wearing gloves at work, but if the smell of the waffle cones is giving you a headache...you can't really take an oxygen tank to work. (Well, you could but I think it would be pretty awkward)

Having already been in the food industry, you might want to look into retail or personal assistant type jobs. One of the best paying jobs I had as a teen was personal assistant to a realtor. (Plus it looks REALLY good on your resume).

If you want to stay in food, you could maybe waitress somewhere, but I know that's a tough job. Or maybe hostess at a restaurant - that would be best, as your gluten exposure would be minimal.

Liking the people you work with can make all the difference in the world, and it can be hard to give that up. But if your health is suffering (and it sounds like it is) then you should probably think really hard if it's what's best for you.

Good luck!