Just saying hello

Hey @Cleo2 ,

I think that's most of us in that we don't cope so well with the downs. I guess if we coped better, we may not call them 'downs'?

Anyway, hope today has been better for you.

Look after yourself.

Hi @tyme . So my week didn't go well. Didn't go well at all. Worse than expected. Will try something else next week. Wish me luck. Ha ha.

Hey @Cleo2 ,

I'm sorry that things didn't go so well. We are here for you.

If you need a chat, please tag us.

I love your spirit in that. you are open to trying something new. This is so important in recovery.

It was great to have your input into tonight's Peer Group Chat. I gained a lot from what you shared.

Hi @tyme @Shift83 @Shaz51 @MJG017 @Andarna . I have a history of anxiety, depression, social anxiety, BPD and psychosis with sprinkles of trauma and paranoia. So I've been out of work for a long time because of a combination of mental and physical illness (And not being able to distinguish between the two for a long time). By some messed up miracle my physical illness has improved greatly in the first half of this year and I have been building up my mental/physical strength and resilience to rejoin the workforce and then the community. That was the plan. However, when I started a job, some co-workers upset me (too easily) because they were gossiping about me and using hate speech towards me and certain customers. I tried to explain a little of my spotty history to them all to clear the air but they didn't understand and I think it made some just want to dig up more of my past. In the end I had to leave, not just because they were digging up my past but for the sake of preventing psychosis and also because some were starting to hate and fear me because they thought I was a 'freak'. I tried volunteering then, but the people there read a lot of things about me online (I don't know where this stuff is at, or what exactly is being said as no one would say it to my face - just to each other) so they began to hate and fear me as well. They made it clear they didn't want me, so I left. I am now officially an outcast by some kind of shared online character assassination that I can't find. Look, I'm no saint (not at all) but I'm not Frankenstein's monster either. Or maybe I am? Last I checked I was very human. Anyway, I'm going to a mental health support group next week for people like me and I'm hoping they don't reject me too. I'm tired of being rejected and misunderstood. Any of you have a similar experience? Any of you have some advice? I would really appreciate it.

On a side note, thanks tyme for your input in yesterday's group chat. I got a lot out of it as well.

Hi there @Cleo2 ,

I can see your resilience @Cleo2 . If only people knew how hard it is to tackle mental health and work, they may think differently.

I'm so impressed with your recovery journey. I can see you are taking every opportunity to better yourself even though it's tough at the moment.

I wonder if those jobs were just not for you?

I hope you find a way to hold your head high and press on.

We are here to support you.

I have BPD, and it's taken time to get to the recovery stage I am at. I have to say, every step was worth it!

Hugs to you @Cleo2

hi @Cleo2. If these people at work were using hate speech to you and to customers then I tend to think you dodged a bit of a bullet there by not working there anymore. Although I completely understand how disheartening it must be. They don't sound like the kind of people an explanation is going to mean anything to. Their reaction proves that I think. It all sounds incredibly immature, cruel, not to mention unprofessional to me.

I would be very concerned about where the people at the volunteer position heard those things about you as well... that's terrible! Again, it doesn't sound like an environment I would want anything to do with.

You have a history of mental health issues, like a lot of us, that is never an excuse to be treated like how you have been, which seems to be on the extreme end of the 'nasty' scale. You definitely deserve to be treated better. "better" doesn't'' even seem to cover it here. Its hard to imagine who a person could be treated worse in a workplace. Even treated like a human being would be an improvement.

I;m sure the mental heal support group will be far, far more supportive... it would be difficult not to be. But I think you'll find it very helpful and find it reassuring to be around people who aren't so... horrible! Let us know how you get on with it. And sorry again for how you were treated in those two positions.