Ask HN: How do I explain gap after college due to health/family issues?
I was diagnosed with OCD in 2010, even thought I had been suffering with symptom from 2008,currently I take Fluoxetine daily to control symptoms. Furthermore, I was depressed in 2010 after OCD diagnosis. After graduating college I was trying hard to keep working on my app idea, I have done considerable amount of work, but I kept procrastinating doing other work (volunteering, helping relatives, neighbors, helping my father's farming work), time to time I muster courage to work on my app by summoning my will power, but it only last for about a week, I have read/watch many science based articles./videos for battling procrastinating, but I stil could work for a week by using up willpower. Due to my this chronic procrastination I was blaming myself for years, until this year I decide to learn more about ADHD even though I have heard of it before, after knowing about ADHD, I grasp what is going on with me (executive dis-functioning) which explained by knowing lot and failing execute, time blindness, clouded mind, distractability etc. So I went to meet my psychiatrist, and he prescribed me Atomoxitine, in the first days Atomoxitine regardless of its strong side effects, I felt my mind was clam, I was able to very quickly (ex: tasks that took me a day were done in hour), this remembered me what my mind was used to be like a decade ago, which was quiet and how much benefit those neurotypicals had over me all those years, with medication I was hopeful. After the use of Atomoxitine for first two days quietness of the mind reduced, but I have the ability to keep on working regularly on my projects with Atomoxitine (do not have to use up my will power all the time) which was quite useful, I am thinking of trying other stimulant medication in the future.
During those years I had work on some small freelance projects for friends in React and Android and currently working fully fledge ecommerce site for my cousin as business partners.
I have to keep eye on my parents since my mom is suffering from Parkinson's for years, she needs help with daily activities, sometimes get delusional and suicidal, dad also have high blood pressure time to time, issue in prostate (getting ready for operation later this year). My dad is farmer since he is old and have health issues sometimes I have to look into his farming duties.
So now to my question, recent months I was thinking for applying for job as SE, since I am having hard time with economic crisis and structured environment like company help me to work/learn easily, in the meantime gain career capital. But I do not know how could I explain my 6-year gap of unemployment, whether they will hire me due to my health conditions?
Any advice highly appreciated!