Topic Tuesday 11 Nov: What does mental illness even look like!?

Good evening everyone,

To start off I thought I'd add to the video above with this article, which is about how workplaces can contribute to stigma and exacerbate MI.

To Louise's point, what are your thoughts about sharing your diagnosis in the workplace to challenge common conceptions of MI? @ivana @Uggbootdiva @chemonro @Zinoviev @Neb I know that you have had discussions about MI in the workplace, what are your thoughts?

I reckon it really depends on your workplace. In the past, particularly when I was employed casually in a hospitality job there's no way I would have told my managers. Sorry, but some places are not ready to 'be challenged'. That said, in my current job in community services (drugs and alcohol), they are heaps more understanding and I have disclosed my mental health problems. I think my current workplace is more understanding and aware of MI. I guess adding to this I'm employed on a permenant basis so I feel there is more of a commitment on both sides.

@BeHappy,

Thanks for your insights. I see what you mean, it can be tough working in industries that aren't really all that familiar with mental health issuess. I wonder if there is a way to familiarise these workplaces to something that can seem foreign. Without knowledge, it's easy to judge so education needs to start somewhere.

Did you find that your MI impacted on your work in your previous job? And if it did how did you explain that? I'm also curious how you tell your friends? In particular, new friends?

@Loopy @kristin @Maude @kato @kenny66 I'm interested in hearing you're thougths about stigma and MI. What your thoughts about greater media coverage about mental illness, is there shift -even it's slight - in perception and community awareness?

I think BeHappy is onto something. It really does come down to individual organisations.

After years of the matter being known by my boss (and after 6+ years of unblemished performance), it became a stick to beat me last year. Today, I started freelancing for a former workplace: to say I was welcomed back with open arms by my new boss (someone I used to manage!) is no understatement.

Some organisations in the not-for-profit sector talk about it but, when it comes to the crunch, bleat 'Oh, we're an NFP, a small organisation' and would rather go through the same problem time and again than change their attitudes. I think it depends a lot on the personalities in charge. If there's a cult of personality at play where a single person has been CEO for, say, 15 years you're in a lot of trouble.

In my case, as part of the process (I feel like I have been processed, a bit like meat) I made suggestions about what would help if I returned from indefinite leave. They weren't well received.

In NFPs with a health focus, you'd get a better response probably. In many large companies, the HR department is also well informed. Somewhat paradoxically, large law firms are also leaders in this stuff. But a lot depends on your own manager.

The other thing about large modern companies in the information and services sector is that you can bank on the organisation getting restructured after a while so that reporting and admin lines change. So, if you're having a terrible time from your boss, wait a bit and things might change. Unfortunately the same also applies if you have a boss that understands your situation and works with you.

I think the mental health week series lifted awareness temporarily.but that is all. I have mentioned before that I encounter stigmatise behaviour almost everyday. I have observed no shift lng term. With people I meet I tell them all first up. Its up to them whether they are comfortable with it.

My only experience in the workplace was when I told my boss I was schizophrenic and I got fired. I have applied for a lot of jobs this year. As soon as I tell any possible employer I am schizophrenic that is the end of any chance to get a job.

sorry for the late posts-I just cant get used to the time difference to the eastern states

It's ironic but out of things to stigmatise I think mental illness is one of the hardest things to combat, reason for this being is that for a lot of people, separating behavior from the character of the person is tough for many - even myself for times. I care for my partner and I find it hard to see that some ways she behaves is due to her MI. I think these issues become even more complicated in the workplace where productivity and profit impact on how to judge someone.

I do think things are getting better, but it's a long road. Having stuff like these forums really helps. Nice to know that my partner and I aren't the only ones doing it tough.

I really think that some aspects of the medical profession need to look at their attitudes to people with mental illness. Some GPs are actually quite ignorant about it and harbour all of the old stereotypes about us.

I recently changed doctors and needed to see the new one for the first time for scripts. I had a list of my antipsychotics and all the other MI jazz I take. He didnt know much about the stuff and would not engage with me at all about my recent Mental Health ward stays. Said I GPs dont get into mall that stuff.

Also you can see the horrified look on some of their faces when they are actually confronted with what they think is a scary schizophrenic.

Some of the big utilities and service providers have problems dealing but some are good. Dentists sometimwes freak out when you tell them the drugs you are on and what for before they treat you. However there are many kind people out there so I focus on that.

There's still a lot of stigma and lack of awareness about MI. Sounds like a large part of managing it's impact is setting standards for ourselves. @kenny66 telling people upfront and working (or not) with them from there can be helpful in the sense of practicising self-acceptance first, and then expecting no less from others.

@Zinoviev congrats are going back to your old workplace. Sound like they're very supportive, which is quite different from your previous workplace. I agree in my own experience the attitudes of managers can have huge impacts. I was once in place that was pretty toxic, most people where unhappy, some were extremely judgemental, and unsupportive. I don't regret leaving that job, and looking for a place that would treat me with the dignity that I think all people deserve.

If you could do one name one main thing that needed to change to challenge stigma, what would it be? Perhaps it would be a change in national policy? Or perhaps more media campaigns? Are there lessons that we can learn from the past in terms of other social issues?