Guys with OCD/Anxiety disorders/Depression, how is the work pressure at big tech?

New
XdEC63

New

XdEC63
Apr 28 25 Comments

I suffer from moderate to severe OCD and I sometimes wonder if I'm in the right field. Guys having similar conditions, how are you managing the pressure at FAANG and other big tech? What steps do you take to keep going ?

Yoe: 3

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TOP 25 Comments
  • Amazon
    rjCe25

    Go to company page Amazon

    rjCe25
    Big-tech is like walking into a giant dictionary and learning tons of relevant medical terminologies before you walk out.
    Apr 28 0
  • Amazon / IT
    poche

    Go to company page Amazon IT

    poche
    I have moderate OCD but haven’t felt much issues in day to day work. Though it wastes about an hour or two in redundant activities but I have accepted this fact now.

    I have been particularly more anxious while giving interviews as they can kill my performance but so far I have managed to sail through.

    What challenges do you face in your day to day work?
    Apr 28 4
  • Stripe
    CKSK35

    Go to company page Stripe

    CKSK35
    Have you been evaluated by a professional psychologist?

    I ask because there is a big difference between someone who likes her code formatted in a certain way (and says she might have OCD) and someone who can't leave the house because her actual OCD makes her unable to think about anything but the possibility that the oven is on. "Anxiety" is a second serious problem that some use as a badge of honor by lowering the threshold on symptoms to the point where most people meet the criteria.

    All human beings have moments where they feel worried, unmotivated, socially uncomfortable, etc. If you can get past these feelings to do a job, that is good. If you can't, consider talking to a professional to see what might help you. But don't avoid trying to get a job you want because you sometimes feel something that internet self help gurus claim is an illness.

    I have found that most of the pressure in programming jobs (at stripe snd a FAANG) is self-inflicted. If you are not pushing to get promoted, and not on-call for something revenue-critical, then you will not be under much pressure.
    Apr 28 2
    • New
      XdEC63

      New

      XdEC63
      OP
      Thank you. I'm actually talking about the clinical case, though the symptoms vary.
      Apr 28
    • Stripe
      CKSK35

      Go to company page Stripe

      CKSK35
      In any large company, there will be variations in teams. Some teams will be high-stress, some will not.

      If you are flexible about what team you are on, you can probably find a low stress team. But it may be hard to tell what team you land on as you join, so the first year on that team may be stressful.

      Avoid joining a small office of a company that insists people work in the same place: you may find that there are no teams to transfer to in that tiny office.

      When speaking to a manager about a role, ask about the on-call burden. How often are people on-call, how often are they paged, and how quickly do they need to respond? If the answer shows pride in 100% uptime at any cost, there will be stress.

      When you get an offer, ask for names of people on the team who are not managers who you can chat with. Call them. Ask them directly about the last crunch time they did. Say that you believe people do their best technical work when they are working hard but not crashing deadlines, and you want to make sure you are joining a team with a scheduling process that lets people do their best work. It is possible that the team likes panic, and the offer will be withdrawn because you said that. If so, you dodged a bullet!

      When I feel stressed at work, I remind myself that the worst they can do is fire me, and I can easily find a job as a programmer. Keep your skills sharp (both being able to do work and being able to pass interviews), and you will be fine even if you have to change jobs many times due to stress (or any other reason).
      Apr 28
  • Over time anxiety symptoms have diminished as I’ve gotten used to tech work. My first team at a tech company (bloomberg) was incredibly toxic and I had almost daily panic attacks. But since I left that team it’s been pretty good
    Apr 28 3
  • Google
    3j39ej

    Go to company page Google

    3j39ej
    What are we talking about here? Actual OCD or "oh no, the trash in this bin is not aligned properly" kind of OCD?
    Apr 28 2
    • Procore
      lwcu77

      Go to company page Procore

      lwcu77
      This. OP can you please elaborate so we can suggest accordingly? I am assuming anxiety related to deadlines?
      Apr 28
    • New
      XdEC63

      New

      XdEC63
      OP
      I'm talking about clinical OCD.
      Apr 28