Career Chat // Returning to work // Friday 5 Aug, 10am AEST

Ostara had the best reputation in my area, but that office was shut due to loss of govt. contract some years ago.

Work is one of the stress factors involved in my ongoing battle with depression. I work in government finance area where cuts to budgets & frequent changes to structures and antiquated operating systems have a high toll on employees. There is no such thing as backfill & anyone that has a high functioning work ethics ends up wearing high workloads. My recent time off for depression was caused by my Managers allocating me backfill for another role on top of my already full time position. There were promises of others in my team helping me with the workload but of course that never happened. So I was left to struggle with 2 full time roles and End of Year reporting & auditors. After 3 weeks I gave into my Mental Health team pleading to stop or else face a major breakdown. I felt so guilty & felt like a massive failure. This was compounded that not one of my Managers or Supervisors gave any support to me or my situation. It sent me down so quickly that hospital treatment was the only option. So I returned to work 5 weeks later, a very angry & disillusioned worker... I had given more than 20 years to this organisation; thousands of unpaid hours overtime & most of all 120% work ethics & professionalism. I have been back 3 weeks now, only 1 phonecall from line supervisor; no contact at all from my Managers & still very angry. I have no motivation to do anymore than basic workload, I am not willing to problem solve or assist others like I used too. Inam de-moralsed to the point that my attitude is "this is a job" ; it's the funds I need to cover my high medical costs. I feel like a hampster stuck on a running wheel; I know my work life is negatively affecting my mental health but I need to earn a wage. I can't change jobs because the stress from that will cripple me but knowing the system I work in will never change is also stressing me. I can only see one way to fix it all....

Hi @Kurra. Really glad you've wimped out 😝 to distress and take care of you. By the way you seem to be one of the least wimpiest people I've come across and most true to your values💜😊. I hope Monday works out.

Not sure if I can take things a little possibly off topic but one of the things I struggle with most is trusting myself and being unsure of my 'skill set'. What resources are there apart from things like the Myers Briggs tests to begin to put together any kind of resume together.

Yes Ostara is an organisation I've developed some programs for and one of them was a vocational program which included psychoeducation to help people deal with their mental illness in the workplace and when obtaining work ...

That's unfortunate that they're no longer in your area ...

But that's the type of program you should be looking for to answer your question ... I'm not familiar with the Vinnies and Salvos programs although they do run them ..
Also Mind have an excellent peer support program that helps people at all stages of their mental illness journey including the job search ...

Other than those I'm not aware of any ... @NikNik do you know of a good vocational programs that include information about dealing with barriers?

@Buttertfly this is exactly the 'hamster wheel' trap I'm asking about too. You're not alone 👍🏼

Absolute and total support from HR @Renstar. It's one of the many advantages of having my mh issues out in the open. I declared my diagnosis in my application. Obviously I got an interview and the job.

I haven't managed to speak with HR in relation to the current situation but HR have been exemplary in the way they've supported over the last 4 years and I have every confidence that this will continue. They're amazingly perceptive people. I also regularly forward appropriate research material to them so their knowledge of the mh area will continue to develop. We've certainly had some extremely robust academic discussions!

Re kids issues: I'd be more than happy to email you via SANE with information as it develops further.

I'm not familiar with 'Mind', but I'll check it out. I've tried the other organisations you mention - the staff employed just do not have the skill set/experience to manage mh cases effectively. They have either looked helplessly at me and said 'you're so intelligent and educated but all I have is shelf packing', or 'get a haircut and I can get you shelf packing'. (Apparently layers and no fringe were the disadvantage 🤔).

Horror stories like this aren't helpful, I realise. But right now they are the daily reality that we are dealing with in attempting to find employment.
My pdoc refuses to recommend any program in our area.

I too was terrified of changing roles @Butterfly but t really was the best thing I've ever done for myself. Following my coworkers decision to complete suicide I was left doing 2 full-time jobs. I ended up working a minimum of 65 houur weeks and periodically up to 78. Now I call that insane! When I requested assistance with an urgent task that would take 15 mins and it was refused I contacted HR and told the I needed a transfer yesterday. Within 36 hours a job had been found and releases obtained.

I placed myself in a position that felt extremely vulnerable ask8ng for a tranfer but it has transformed my life.

@Butterfly you are in a situation that needs resolution ... See someone about it there are counsellors who can help and of course you need to ensure your rights are not being compromised

@Former-Member thanks for stopping by, career counsellors are your best bet ... I do career Counselling from time to time and run a Vocational training group where we discuss resumes and how to deal with gaps.
Of course a good career counsellor will also advise you on your skills and strengths ...
Focussing on your transferable skills is really important (organisation, interpersonal skills etc).

@Kurra ... What a fantastic example of a positive outcome! Thank you for sharing ... Must acknowledge your situation is not the norm however

But there's something you've done which I've spoken of before - have a plan based on your needs and keep others informed about your mental illness (sharing articles and research is ideal).

We have a Employee Assistance Program (EAP) you receive 3 free sessions. I used them when the bullying in my office became too bad last year. The result was I was not to bring my emotional side into work & basically become a robot... my emotional side is me going quiet, isolating myself from my co workers & doing my work. To them this was being bitchy & agressive, I would answer questions when spoken too, say hello & basic chat but this seen "as being a drama queen". My Managers are all offsite, I have no team members in my office, just other workers for health. I get no contact from anyone unless its a work related email or phonecall. No one checks I show up for work. I have not showed on a few "down days" without ringing in... no one had contacted me or even noticed until I put the leave form in. I am on a suicide call back register currently because I live alone & my MH team are worried. I have a suicide plan & I know that it would be days before anyone realised I have gone. I know my depression is not my works responsibility but from 8-4 weekdays surely they have some professional ethics to check I am safe. Its not that they don't have any idea what is going on;I have been honest with them. It's just that they don't have the skills to manage it. I just want some recognition that I am human; some positive feedback on my work or really just acknowledge I exist.