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Challenge the stigma of mental health at work
Posted Wednesday 18 May 2011
This guest blog from Bernadette is part of our series on mental health at work and Mind's Taking care of business campaign.
Coming from a family where both sides have experienced mental distress ranging from severe depression to dementia, psychosis and suicide. It could be argued that it was inevitable that I could succumb to some form of mental distress in my life. This is indeed what happened.
What I refused to accept was the debilitating affect that this could have on my life and career. Now aged 46 my first diagnosed experience of depression was at 17. By 34 my episodes had developed into a dual diagnosis of depressive psychosis. Three separate medical teams, family and friends told me that I should give up my Human Resources profession.
Given my family background and vulnerability to mental distress, 11 years ago, with the support of my husband, I set out to learn as much as I could about my condition: what preventative actions I could take, how I could apply the strengths of what I manage, and what were the physical and mental triggers to look out for.
My NHS medical team: GP, mental health nurse and psychiatrist were excellent. Talking therapy, reading materials and research helped to increase my knowledge. I began to understand the boundaries of my health so that my condition became a positive to manage.
Regular health checks continued to occur. To my surprise in March 2010 I was psychiatrically discharged by my GP and psychiatrist, something I thought would never happen because I manage a life-long condition. My condition is now referred to as bi-polar.
With 30 years business and Human Resources experience, 20 years at a global level, and as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development with a Master’s degree in Business Administration I can relate to the fact that “right now, 1 in 6 workers is experiencing depression, anxiety or stress” (Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2009).
I grew up with the stigma of mental illness. From 2007 I have confided in family, friends and colleagues that I trust. This honest approach has enabled people to either discuss their own experience or share an experience of someone close to them.
Mental distress can affect anyone in work no matter what class or social background we are from. It is not limited to genetic factors alone and first or second time episodes can occur without warning. We can all take small, simple and practical steps to make our workplaces more mentally healthy. An example includes taking time to have lunch or a break away from your place of work/desk even if it is for 10-20 minutes. A healthy diet and regular exercise also helps me.
Creating a mentally healthy workplace which does not necessarily mean incurring high investment costs will save organisations money. I have worked with Mind on a voluntary basis for 6 years and they are experts in mental health. They can help you to create a mentally healthy workplace.
Let's start taking care of business.
Bernadette O’Brien*
*Not my real name
Read Mind's information and advice on work, whether it's how to stay well at work, dealing with stress or workplace bullying.
11 Comments
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I agree with what you say, but when organisations are looking for people to make redundant not sure how safe it is to be too open at work to be honest.
I know the factors at my workplace which cause me and others stress, I know what needs to happen to make it a lot better but, its never going to happen! You raise the issues, and are then labelled as someone who is not coping, rather than as someone working within a "sick" organisation. Am not sure what the ways round that are.
Full credit to people like Ruby Wax who have gone public. Even Alistair Campbell. But many of us are just cogs at the bottom of organisations that dont want to admit they have problems, and are very ready to blame us.
I have taken measures over several years to help me manage stress at work, but though I have worked I have also lost out in many ways.
I would love to be more open but like the person blogging dont feel able to use my own name, what does that say really about where we are now in terms of mental health issues being seen as OK, normal, etc. ? -
I think the evidence is pretty clear it's not safe to speak of mental health in the workplace unless you're a celebrity whose circumstances don't typically compare with the rest of us so I don't find it helpful, but they get lots of award for it..
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Mindreader is so right. It can be career limiting to admit you're experiencing stress at work. I did, and I doubt I would have experienced worse treatment from HR and from colleagues if I had confessed to some heinous crime.
Some colleagues saw it as a sign of weakness and used it as an excuse to progress their own careers further. Meanwhile, having been sent on enforced gardening leave (for "health and safety reasons"), I scrutinised the HR policy and discovered it to have more holes than a piece of Swiss cheese. HR's fall back was that the policy was non-contractual and just a guideline.
When I left there, I realised there were actually more important things to worry about and now feel a huge sense of contentment with life. Admitting stress led to bullying, and people in the know were completely clueless to help address it. Not what you would expect in a government department, but it can happen anywhere.
The message is - no-one should let work ruin their lives. Celebrate your own achievements and don't let let anyone take them away from you.
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It is true that there are many people with depression/bipolar depression in the workplace. I too have reoccurring depression which requires constant treatment, and can hold down a job despite what others may think. It means we are stronger as we cope with a lot. I am also very lucky to be open about it at work.
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I took redundancy after my employers decided after 18 years in my job i could no longer do it. After being bullied by four managers on a daily based for 1 year I had a breakdown. I donot think the four people involved releasied how my depression and IBD effect my everyday life and that I had considered taking my life. Even though I have not been to work for over a year I still suffer with both illnesses and am struggling to see and end to it and getting my life back together. I am lucky I have a lovely partner and supportive parents but still have good and bad days. Depression does not go away but you learn to live with it. My employers did not want to know about my mental health and do not care about anybody with any type of illness. But it is their problem not mine. Maybe if they took the time to listen to people they would have a more productive and reliable work forforce.
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I've suffered with depression on and off since my teens. After my daughter was born I went back to work just before she turned 5 months but because of the kind of hours involved and lack of sleep and for various other reasons, although I loved my job I ended up exhausted, stressed and with PND that dragged on for the next 18months. To try and help I found a job near my parents and in-laws with the local council that had regular hours and relocated the 130miles. Can't remember if I mentioned in the application about my mental health issues but once in the job I continued to struggle and found the work environment very difficult to deal with. I ended up doing less and less of what I was supposed to and spent more and more time hiding online (against work policy). The day I finally spoke to my "team leader" I could barely make eye contact, my hands were shaking and I could just about string a coherent sentence together. She said she'd try and help me (artificial smile, corporate trained).
I couldn't take any more sick leave because I'd used up my quota for my probationary period. What I needed was reduced hours which I could have applied for once my 6 month probationary period was completed. What I got was a 3 month extension to my probationary period because I wasn't doing my job properly (because of my mental health issues) to give me more time to "improve" at my job. Of course, this just increased my level of stress and other problems so I hid more and more online as I couldn't deal with people, answering the phone or focus on work. They let me go at the end of my extended probationary period for not being suitable/capable for the job. At my exit interview I was told of around 3000 employees within the authority I was actually in the top 40 for internet use - I didn't work in IT so from my perspective things had obviously got very very bad! I was asked if I had any reason or excuse, I mumbled and shrugged. I was actually relieved to lose the job by that point.
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What an inspirational article. What a shame that you had to use an alias.
Wouldn't it be nice to like to live in a world where an employee asking their employer if they could go home early, because they were experiencing a psychotic episode would be treated in the same way as somebody asking to leave early because they had a the flu.
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The article was good up to the last line that says "Bernadette O’Brien* Not my real name... Cannot see the point of her contribution if she doesn't give her real name. By remaining anonymous she is just makiing the story less credible and effectively communicating that you have to hide your mental illness away in small, dark corners just in case her employer is looking. Good article, but is not very courageous.
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I wondered if it would be possible for the 'mind' campaign to produce leaflets outlining the causes, symptoms and treatments for mental health illnesses such as depression, available for every g.p to include with a 'fitness for work' certificate to an employer when an employee is first diagnosed? This could help bosses with the management of people who need to take time off due to a mental health problem,as with the right information, they would understand the illness more and realise that it a genuine health problem.
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Dear all, Thank you for your replies and insight. I have reflected on your experiences and would like to build on my own experience which may offer a further example.
With the stigma surrounding my condition it was not easy to talk to my employer(s) and manager(s). When I first experienced severe episodes I could not even tell my employer what I had.
It took 26 years before I fully understood my condition, to find the right words and language and to realise that in order to live the life that I truly wanted I had to begin to confide in people that I felt I could trust. The first time was extremely difficult. However, I was equally surprised that when I confided in my manager and subsequently to other’s there was understanding, even to the extent of sharing their own experiences or experiences of people close to them. I never expected this reaction.
In presenting my condition, as with the support of my medical team, I explained that I what I was managing was similar to any one experiencing cancer or diabetes. Applying this comparison was particularly helpful for my previous manager because whilst she had no experience of mental health conditions her husband did have diabetes. As I continued to explain how I managed my condition: daily medication, managing work, diet, exercise, rest etc she could relate to this. Together we agreed what would help me on the occasions should I need flexibility.
I agree that more needs to be done in the workplace which includes policies, practices, HR and management training and an increased understanding. I am pleased to say that within my HR role and work with Mind I continue to be involved in an advisory capacity which includes participating in focus groups and working with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The feedback that I receive is that I play a valuable role due to my professional and personal experience... -
... With regards to the use of my alias I used my middle name and my mother’s maiden name. Since 2007 I have been more open about my condition and like all of you I am managing how I do this. This was my first blog so I did not know who the readership would involve.
I hope that you can continue to manage your health. Small steps in how you communicate may help and remaining positive is so important.
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