How has your workplace handled your MH issues?

[bluetongue]

Last year I was put in a position where I felt it was in my best interests to disclose my mental health issues. I feel as though my workplace has handled the whole thing incredibly badly and probably made my condtione worse.

Firstly I was brought in for a meeting and berated for falling behind in my work. Not asked if there were any issues just attacked. Even though I was in tears and had explained that I suffered from depression and was taking medication the attacks continued. I remember thinking during this that if I was someone considering suicide (I wasn't) that it would be enought to send me over the edge. Even worse I was told the whole thing was 'for my own good.' After this tratment I left the office in tears and had to call in sick the next day as I was completely distraught.

At times I've HR staff laugh at my concerns with my job. Completely uprofessional.

Is such bad treatment common. I'm still working at the same place but my self esteem is at Rock bottom and the whole experience hasleft me bitter and angry.

www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/mental-health-and-disability-discrimination-act-ddaFrom NI direct...

Mental health and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

Many people think a physical or sensory impairment is a disability and a mental impairment is not. If you have a mental health problem, you may be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act.

The Disability Discrimination Act

If your mental illness has a substantial, adverse and long-term effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, it is likely you are covered by the Disability Discrimination Act. The act also covers people who had a disability in the past.

The act doesn't impairments that are covered, but considers the effects of an impairment on a person.

For example, someone with a mild form of depression with only minor effects may not be covered, while someone with severe depression with substantial effects on their daily life is likely to be considered as having a disability under the act.

You may like to print that out and show it to them.

Some workplaces are better than others…some staff are better than others.

We are covered under the Equalities act but unfortunately people will find other ways of being discriminatory…there is a massive heap of stigma about mental health problems, and famous people coming out and talking about it and nice 'lets talk about it' campaigns seems to be doing jack shit to change that.

You did the right thing to disclose that you were being treated for depression in that circumstance. Their continued attack, with that knowledge, in my eyes is clearly discriminatory as no one in their right mind would continue with a tirade with that knowledge. Even if you didn't have MH issues, the way they attacked you sounds more like workplace bullying rather than performance management. HR attitude makes it sound like your work has a culture of being not particularly nice. Are you a member of a union? If you are not, I would heartily recommend joining one.

No I'm not a Member of a union. The thing is they did try and say some of the right things such as 'we treat this just the same as if you had a broken leg' but they didn't follow through on that in their actions.

I plan on leaving when I can get anew job but am single with a mortgage so no other choice but to keep working. Work wise I'm now back on track but I feel that I now have a target on my back and they are waiting for me to mess up again. My self esteem is in pieces.

The main instigator of the shocking behaviour is not well liked in the office. One good thing is that I flat out refused to deal with her after her attack on me and they found another HR person for meetings.

Yes…saying one thing and then doing another is unfortunately a common thing. I have seen others treated disgracefully and have experienced it myself from so-called inclusive employers. I'm glad that at least you don't have to deal with that HR person again. I do wonder how people like that manage to hang on to their jobs as surely people skills should be fairly high up on the list of essential requirements

Glad the work is back on track, but I'm not surprised your self esteem is in pieces. Do you know you can join a union even if your work does not have one? I only say this as I worked in places where being a member was essential in order to avoid being screwed over, and also a close friend with disabilities was being targeted by her employer…they were trying to constructively dismiss her. No-one in her workplace was a member of a union (retail), her husband got her to seek one out and join and they came with her to meetings and helped sort her situation out. Now lots of people in her work want to join! Sometimes, especially if you have issues, it's helpful to have someone in your corner.

That is as you say, completely unprofessional. You felt confident enough to disclose personal information and they basically threw it back in your face. It seems to me that they have handled the whole situation pretty poorly. My experience goes as such: I take AD and have attended counselling for my depression. A situation arose at work which upset me and my manager took me aside. I explained my personal situation: I wouldn't say I got told off but she did moan at me for not telling her sooner. I didn't feel like this was something I was comfortable discussing, and in fact, still to this day, I feel like I was forced to tell her. I didn't want to be treated any differently or to feel like people were walking on egg shells around me, but sadly that's exactly how it feels now. Things have calmed down but I still feel like they are just waiting for the next time I burst into tears.

I'm sorry you have had such a bad experience. I'm lucky that my work are really supportive. Our occupational health department provides unlimited councelling sessions via self referal and are also providing me with psychology. I've been off sick for 6 weeks, have a sick note for another 4 and am being told not to rush back after that by my manager. I've already been offered a phased return for when I do go back with a combinaton of reduced hours and duties initially. They also altered my duties for the 2 months prior to me going off sick to try to help me stay in work, but it didnt stop me needing to go off sick in the end.

Just to let you know there are some good employers out there. I think it helps that I have worked in the same place for 12 years and have a good sickness record aswell.

Your work sounds great Anxiouscarer. I have an excellent sick record too. Truth be told I'm my own worse enemy. My depression was so bad that after being at work all day I was so exhausted that I didn't even have the energy to watch TV. Just lie in bed until I eventually fell asleep. I was also having anxiety / panic attacks at work. Yet I continued to still drag myself into work every day.

My sick leave accrues, so all up I had over six months fully paid sick leave up my sleeve! Eventually a GP basically ordered me to get signed off but I only took 4 days. So stubborn and stupid but I guess it's not always easy to have insight into your condition when you're so unwell.

Definately relate to pushing myself into work when I'm probably not fit to be there. If it wasn't for having such a supportive manager who's been clear she doesn't want me back till I'm fit then I probably would have pushed myself back too. As work are not being supportive in enabling you to perform at work I'd be tempted to go off again for a bit longer and get yourself to a place where you are better able to help. Also it depends on your workplace sickness policy. Mine goes on number of episodes not length, so being off for a few days 3 times is seen as worse than going off once for a few months