Posted by NikkiT2 on November 5, 2003, at 11:01:44
In reply to Who knows you're in therapy?, posted by Poet on November 5, 2003, at 10:23:24
The friends I talk to regularly know, and my mum and one brother.. none of my husbands family know (they know nothing.. think I work full time still (I've not worked for over 2 years!!!) and am happy little bunny!!) Though am dying to say somethiing since our last visit and I found a box of paxil in a kitchen cabinet while puttiing clean dishes away!!).. and my other brother thinks mental illness is all rubbish and doesn't exist so he knows nothing..
As for other people.. it depends on how I'm feeling. If I'm drunk I tell anyone and everyone (one of the reasons I don't drink really anymore), but the rest of the time I kind of go on instinct as to whether I should say anything.
I guess, because of the agorophobia, the vast majority of the friends I speak to with any regularity are online friends, its easier for me to open up to them about it.. Though I very very rarely actually talk about my feelings outside of PB and a yahoo group I use for people with BPD (and not there anymore actually.. so, PB it is!)I think the whole work thing is very tough. I broke down and told my boss I was suffering, and he was great about it.. but 3 months later I was transferred to another team, and though I told my boss there everything, and he did seem understanding, HR got involved and they never even tried to understand. I was given a final written warning on sick days on Christmas eve of all days (ie, if I took anymore I was sacked, and I was to sign a statement saying I wouldn't take any more days.. I refused saying I couldn't promise that, but I did it outside the 5 working days allowance to appeal, as I had gone away for christmas!!).. It turned into a total utter nightmare, they weren't willing to work with me at all..
It all ended with them saying that they were putting me on permanent sick leave, as then I would qualify for sickness payment (60% of salary) from an insurance policy I'd paid into via work.. so I accepted this.. turned out I didn't qualify for payments for a year *sighs* but they do pay me now.I honestly believe that is someone hasn't been where we are, they will never understand. And though they may pay lip service to it, there are very few employers that do actually care.
I saw this story yesterday.. and though it doesn't deal with Mental health, it did amaze me.. A guy went mountain climbing on the weekend, and got trapped on the Mountain. He survived for 5 days eating nothing but snow before he was rescued. While in hospital he received a letter from his employer sacking him for this unaothorized absence!!!
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_835359.html?menu=news.quirkies
Sorry.. I've gone off on a total tangent!! *lol*
Nikki x
poster:NikkiT2
thread:276804
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031030/msgs/276820.html