I don't feel believed.

[NowForTheHardPart]

I've just returned to work after an interrupted 5 weeks of sickness thanks to anxiety/depression.

Unfortunately I'm still in my probationary period at work and they've now said that they're going to demote me, and that I'm lucky that I'm not fired. (They've said it more nicely than that, but you get the idea.)

I don't honestly mind that much. I hate the senior job I have and don't mind at all going back to something less grand.

The part that rankles is this - if they believed that my underperformance was caused by my breakdown (it was: the breakdown has been coming for about a year), surely they wouldn't be doing this. I just feel like they don't believe me, and it burns. God, I wouldn't wish the suicidal thoughts and the misery and the bleak black despair on my worst enemy.

Why wouldn't they believe me? Why wouldn't they understand? :(

Unfortunately mental illness is still not well understood by a lot of people. If the demotion is a direct result of being unwell then its in contravention of the disability discrimination act. If they are suggesting the demotion as a reasonable adjustment to your duties to help reduce your stress I'm not sure where you would stand.

Does your employer have an occupational health department? If so they may be able to help and advise.