HOW DO I TELL THE BOSS I'M BI-POLAR?

Hey @INSIDEOUT

My friend was telling me about a course they did in Cruicial conversations. I guess the crux of it was that cruicial conversations occur to help an organisation run effectively, for its memebers to be safe and for ensuring the best possible outcomes on issues.

I guess this is a cuicial conversation you need to have with your boss which might cause anxiety for you

😞 But it needs to happen 😉

I prepare for crucial conversations beforehand by visualising myself in the meeting being cool, calm and collected, wearing something special or I feel good in and having a plan of what I might say.

Breathing and some quick lessons in mindfulness help too.

I'm reading a book on mindfulness, published in 2015, and there are a few good ways to reduce anxiety in it, this one might help.

Three Sighs

"The excercise goes like this. You sigh three times. The first big in-breath unlocks the tight chest. You then let the breath go without forcing it, and wait in the space until you really need to breathe again.

On the second sigh, it is good to have a fake yawn, and don't be suprised if it triggers a real one. A yawn slows down the breathing considerably by lengthening the out-breath. Don't foget to wait at the bottom of the out-breath for as long as it is comfortable. This is what puts the brakes on. On the thrid sigh, focus on relaxing the breath completely and wainting at the end, until the next breath comes of its own accord."

There is a whole rationale in the book about why and how this helps.

Let me know if you'd like more info on it.

Good luck!

@Rosie They are great tips for any difficult conversation!

@INSIDEOUT Disclosure can be a scary experience, regardless of who it is. Have you got a Dr's certificate, which could help to start the conversation?

I think nearly all of us here have had to disclose at some point (whether that be to a boss, colleague, friend of family member) - Are there other members out there who want to share how they have managed to disclose their MI?

@INSIDEOUT When are you having the meeting?

My recommendation. Don't do it.

I totally regret telling my boss about my depression. Not because his response was bad. It was the impact it had in my own paranoid mind.

Hi @INSIDEOUT

Just wondering how your meeting went? Are you OK??

I was also thinking about you when I saw this thread about telling others

I hope it went well...

take care

Fancy_Pants