Mental Health and Employment

Mental health in the workplace… 

need I say any more??? What a catastrophe it is!

I have been off work for three extended periods in the last three years. Each time has been due to a breakdown of my mental health. Occasionally, a physical health issue has cropped up whilst I’ve been off too, but on the whole it’s all about my messed up brain.

The first two times I was treated ambivalently. Work showed no interest in my health. They got in touch every time sick note was nearly due up asking ‘Are you returning to work this time or what?’ No hint of concern as to whether I was actually recovering, but just a concern that they were one body down when it came to planning the rota.

This changes when I am finally signed as fit to work. The first time I go in to see them to arrange my return to work it’s as though they’ve been very concerned about me. They state that they have a variety of strategies to help me.  This starts well (phased return to work, but using my holiday entitlement), but within days has fizzled away.

The epitome of support I received from my workplace was: They placed my job description in front of me and asked me to tick any criteria that I may struggle with in my job. This was then taken, filed and never spoken of again. A mention of occupational health was bandied about, but nothing constructive.

The cycle then started again; my batteries are recharged, I cope for a while. Then cracks appear; I can’t cope with the hours being worked, I can’t cope with customers moaning about trivial nonsense, I get anxious about speaking with customers,  I get anxious about even getting ready for work…

And now??

So, at the moment I am off work long term sick. Fortunately I now have a new manager who seems to be more interested in supporting me. He has been in touch regularly, just with a text asking ‘Are you ok, feeling any better, any news from the psychiatrist?’ etc.

Ok, I know that he is getting pressure from above, ‘Make sure you find out when she is returning to work.’ ‘Get her to come in for a progress meeting’ but I genuinely believe that he has my best interests, if not at heart, then in consideration.

When I went for the progress meeting, it was illuminating. Every question on the form was practically unanswerable in regards to mental health. Some examples are:

‘When will you be well enough to return to work?’

Well, if I had a broken leg, I could probably give a timescale. 

If I had pneumonia I could probably give you an idea based upon the antibiotics I have left. 

With mental health, how am I supposed to have an idea for myself, never mind one to document officially??

• Each time I see my psychiatrist my medicine is changed. 
• Each time my medicine is changed it takes 4-6 weeks to know what the difference is going to be. 
• Each time a difference is made, it then needs assessing as to how this impacts upon my life.

Also, I have Bipolar disorder. Some days I am so high that I feel so well, I can’t possibly be ill. On a day like that I am more than well enough to work, although I may take some risks. However the next day I could be incapable of getting out of bed. Whilst my mood is so wildly fluctuating, how am I supposed to know when I’ll be well enough to commit to working.

What can we do to help?

Well, you can stop making me feel bad for being unable to sell insurance to every customer. I work in an area where most people don’t insure their car, which is a legal requirement. If they won’t pay compulsory car insurance, how am I to convince them to pay optional insurance on a mobile phone?? And when I don’t manage to pull off a miracle, you threaten my job.

You can make it so my job is that, a job. A PART TIME RETAIL JOB. I am sick to death of taking work home with me; stress over missing targets haunts my sleep. In a career such as teaching or medicine, you’d expect to take the job home with you… selling mobile phones part time, well frankly that should be left at the door.

You can stop expecting that although my contract is 16 hours, I will work 7 day weeks, opening to closing.

You can make reasonable adjustments to the workplace. In our south-facing, glass walled shop you can apply window tints, so as I face a chance of making it through the day without acquiring a migraine. You can provide maintenance to sort out the kitchen. It is dirty as hell, full of insect life and has a toilet in the middle of it, and provokes my anxiety to the point where I barely eat and drink (excellent for a recovering bulimic, providing an excuse to avoid eating).

You can reconsider your actions after my last absence. I was off with a mental breakdown and midway through had to have a lifesaving operation leaving me without most of my abdomen. You decided that this was worthy of a ‘first written warning’ of absence. This is discrimination at its highest level. Discipline those off sporadically with a hangover/convenient headache by all means, but when someone is genuinely ill don’t treat them like a naughty employee who should have been in work regardless of the situation.

You can fulfil the promise made after my first absence, and actually get me help from occupational health. Maybe they can facilitate a way for me to work. Otherwise, I can sense that I will be made unemployed, and how is a girl with a sickness record like mine ever going to find employment again.

Stop asking ‘So?? When are you coming back to work???’. Take it as given that once I’m well enough I shall let you know. 

So what next??

Each and every person you employ comes with a 25% risk of becoming a mental health sufferer. In today's society where there is ever increasing awareness of mental health issues, surely this should be travelling up the hierarchy. 

Mental Health issues shouldn't make you unemployable. However, the lack of support from my employer has contributed to my extended and recurrent leave of absence. I have a degree. At present I am too ill to use this degree. However, I am trying my hardest to continue to be in employment.

The sad thing is, it's likely to be a case of leaving employment to spend time making me better. Why should a part time retail job contribute to making my health worse??? I don't get paid enough for that.....