Triggered by my neighbour

bluefox

My neighbour completely minimised the impact on mental health on working and employment. She was like well when I was depressed, I worked. This made me feel awful even though I have severe anxiety and seizures too preventing my capability to work. 

But her comments have minimised my condition in some way now. Or at least I feel like that. 

How many people lose their jobs due to mental health?

Cartini

Hi Bluefox,

That`s not only outrageous, it`s completely ignorant.

I haven`t lost a job due to mental health (depression in this context), but I did lose my marriage.

Over a period of months I was withdrawing at work and getting more irritable (classic depression signs, unfortunately I wasn`t as aware of depression then as I am now).

I woke up one morning and thought "I`ve had enough".  Not because my wife was a bad wife, because she wasn`t, she was a very good wife.  I just thought my feelings had changed and I`d had enough of "living a lie".

So I moved out.

Shortly after that I had a breakdown and was diagnosed as depressed by my Dr, who then signed me off for 3 months; I attended counselling and took a whole array of medication to help me sleep, which didn`t help (but I did like the taste of temazepam).  By the time I`d finished counselling the damage was done.  This is why I now live on my own.

bluefox

Cartini said:

Hi Bluefox,

That`s not only outrageous, it`s completely ignorant.

I haven`t lost a job due to mental health (depression in this context), but I did lose my marriage.

Over a period of months I was withdrawing at work and getting more irritable (classic depression signs, unfortunately I wasn`t as aware of depression then as I am now).

I woke up one morning and thought "I`ve had enough".  Not because my wife was a bad wife, because she wasn`t, she was a very good wife.  I just thought my feelings had changed and I`d had enough of "living a lie".

So I moved out.

Shortly after that I had a breakdown and was diagnosed as depressed by my Dr, who then signed me off for 3 months; I attended counselling and took a whole array of medication to help me sleep, which didn`t help (but I did like the taste of temazepam).  By the time I`d finished counselling the damage was done.  This is why I now live on my own.

I’m sorry to hear that, Cartini. 

Nobody should ever have to feel their mental health problem is minimised by someone else. 

But yeah withdrawing from things like family, friends, work and hobbies are classic signs. 

I guess you managed to keep your employment in the end then? I’m also curious as to how many others have lost their jobs due to mental health. I read on BBC that up to 300,000 people a year lose their jobs due to mental health. 

Cartini

bluefox said:

Cartini said:

Hi Bluefox,

That`s not only outrageous, it`s completely ignorant.

I haven`t lost a job due to mental health (depression in this context), but I did lose my marriage.

Over a period of months I was withdrawing at work and getting more irritable (classic depression signs, unfortunately I wasn`t as aware of depression then as I am now).

I woke up one morning and thought "I`ve had enough".  Not because my wife was a bad wife, because she wasn`t, she was a very good wife.  I just thought my feelings had changed and I`d had enough of "living a lie".

So I moved out.

Shortly after that I had a breakdown and was diagnosed as depressed by my Dr, who then signed me off for 3 months; I attended counselling and took a whole array of medication to help me sleep, which didn`t help (but I did like the taste of temazepam).  By the time I`d finished counselling the damage was done.  This is why I now live on my own.

I’m sorry to hear that, Cartini. 

Nobody should ever have to feel their mental health problem is minimised by someone else. 

But yeah withdrawing from things like family, friends, work and hobbies are classic signs. 

I guess you managed to keep your employment in the end then? I’m also curious as to how many others have lost their jobs due to mental health. I read on BBC that up to 300,000 people a year lose their jobs due to mental health. 

Thank you and yes, I did a phased return to work.

300,000 people losing their job because of mental health says, to me, that employers don`t understand (or, which is probably more likely, don`t care).

bluefox

Cartini said:

bluefox said:

Cartini said:

Hi Bluefox,

That`s not only outrageous, it`s completely ignorant.

I haven`t lost a job due to mental health (depression in this context), but I did lose my marriage.

Over a period of months I was withdrawing at work and getting more irritable (classic depression signs, unfortunately I wasn`t as aware of depression then as I am now).

I woke up one morning and thought "I`ve had enough".  Not because my wife was a bad wife, because she wasn`t, she was a very good wife.  I just thought my feelings had changed and I`d had enough of "living a lie".

So I moved out.

Shortly after that I had a breakdown and was diagnosed as depressed by my Dr, who then signed me off for 3 months; I attended counselling and took a whole array of medication to help me sleep, which didn`t help (but I did like the taste of temazepam).  By the time I`d finished counselling the damage was done.  This is why I now live on my own.

I’m sorry to hear that, Cartini. 

Nobody should ever have to feel their mental health problem is minimised by someone else. 

But yeah withdrawing from things like family, friends, work and hobbies are classic signs. 

I guess you managed to keep your employment in the end then? I’m also curious as to how many others have lost their jobs due to mental health. I read on BBC that up to 300,000 people a year lose their jobs due to mental health. 

Thank you and yes, I did a phased return to work.

300,000 people losing their job because of mental health says, to me, that employers don`t understand (or, which is probably more likely, don`t care).

I guess everyone’s experience is different when it comes to mental health. We are all affected differently and it can also depend on the nature of the business, as to whether you can continue with your employment or give up paid work to recover. 

leeCal

My penultimate employer tried to sack me but I resigned, they wanted me to work all hours under the sun including weekends and I just wasn’t prepared to sell my soul.
my final employer gave me a poisoned chalice of a job to do and I just couldn’t stand the pressure so I resigned from that too. He said I couldn’t resign, but I showed him how easy it is sometimes to just walk away. He didn’t pay me £1200 which he owed me in wages and fuel costs just prior to Christmas so he got his own back. 
Then I retired, thank God I don’t have the pressure or to have to put up with idiots and megalomaniac employers anymore. Bless their cotton socks. 😏

bluefox

I’m not brave enough to resign. In fact, I’m very scared of being unemployed. 

leeCal

I can’t say I blame you @bluefox, I had some savings to fall back on at the time. Of course savings don’t last forever but I’ve never really chased the big bucks, I value freedom over money personally. 

bluefox

leeCal said:

I can’t say I blame you @bluefox, I had some savings to fall back on at the time. Of course savings don’t last forever but I’ve never really chased the big bucks, I value freedom over money personally. 

But there’s a very strong chance that soon I will be unemployed. So I guess I’ll have to face my fears. 

leeCal

Have you looked at what you may be entitled to, https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
that might help a bit. 

poppy123456

leeCal said:

Have you looked at what you may be entitled to, https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
that might help a bit. 

Bluefox which used to use the name sierrafox is already claiming all the benefits they are entitled to. New style ESA, UC with LCWRA and PIP.

bluefox

leeCal said:

Have you looked at what you may be entitled to, https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
that might help a bit. 

Poppy is correct. 

Though this doesn’t soften the blow of the experience of unemployment. Well certainly not mentally anyway. 

bg844

I value freedom over money personally. 

Same here!

bluefox

bg844 said:

I value freedom over money personally. 

Same here!

How do you achieve freedom without money?

Tori_Scope

I'm sorry to hear that your neighbour made those comments @bluefox These sorts of views often come from a place of a lack of understanding of what it's like to live with mental illness. 

If you do find yourself unemployed, but wanting to secure some suitable work, you could look at accessing one of our friendly and supportive employment services. 

Losing your job can definitely be a mental blow, so it's worth bearing in mind that your value as a person doesn't lie in your employment status. 

OverlyAnxious

Aren't the best things in life supposed to be free?  Too bad it costs a grand a month just to exist! 

I'm not sure if other people have similar issues to myself but cope with them better, or if their issues were less severe in the first place...but I've often had this sort of response from people that I would've expected to have more understanding.

I did lose my job due to MH issues.  But at the time I worked with 3 other people who had MH issues as well.  They all had short periods of time off to recover though, whereas I just bottled mine up until the cap eventually exploded and I was never even able to enter the building again.  So maybe that's something...

I will add that it's not just MH issues.  I often find people suggesting that others, in completely different circumstances/situations to themselves, do exactly as they do, when it's completely inappropriate, and of no help to their situation whatsoever. 

bluefox

OverlyAnxious said:

Aren't the best things in life supposed to be free?  Too bad it costs a grand a month just to exist! 

I'm not sure if other people have similar issues to myself but cope with them better, or if their issues were less severe in the first place...but I've often had this sort of response from people that I would've expected to have more understanding.

I did lose my job due to MH issues.  But at the time I worked with 3 other people who had MH issues as well.  They all had short periods of time off to recover though, whereas I just bottled mine up until the cap eventually exploded and I was never even able to enter the building again.  So maybe that's something...

I will add that it's not just MH issues.  I often find people suggesting that others, in completely different circumstances/situations to themselves, do exactly as they do, when it's completely inappropriate, and of no help to their situation whatsoever. 

That’s pretty similar to me. I felt completely burnout but then I started having seizures. I’d always had mental health issues. 

Sorry to hear you lost your job to due to MH issues, @OverlyAnxious

How did you cope after losing your jobs? Did you go back into work or did you take some time to recuperate?

OverlyAnxious

bluefox said:

OverlyAnxious said:

Aren't the best things in life supposed to be free?  Too bad it costs a grand a month just to exist! 

I'm not sure if other people have similar issues to myself but cope with them better, or if their issues were less severe in the first place...but I've often had this sort of response from people that I would've expected to have more understanding.

I did lose my job due to MH issues.  But at the time I worked with 3 other people who had MH issues as well.  They all had short periods of time off to recover though, whereas I just bottled mine up until the cap eventually exploded and I was never even able to enter the building again.  So maybe that's something...

I will add that it's not just MH issues.  I often find people suggesting that others, in completely different circumstances/situations to themselves, do exactly as they do, when it's completely inappropriate, and of no help to their situation whatsoever. 

That’s pretty similar to me. I felt completely burnout but then I started having seizures. I’d always had mental health issues. 

Sorry to hear you lost your job to due to MH issues, @OverlyAnxious

How did you cope after losing your jobs? Did you go back into work or did you take some time to recuperate?

That was over 10 years ago.  I haven't been able to work since.  I did try a few different self-employment ideas but they didn't work out either.  

Now with a decline in physical health as well, I honestly can't imagine being able to work again, but never say never...

bluefox

OverlyAnxious said:

bluefox said:

OverlyAnxious said:

Aren't the best things in life supposed to be free?  Too bad it costs a grand a month just to exist! 

I'm not sure if other people have similar issues to myself but cope with them better, or if their issues were less severe in the first place...but I've often had this sort of response from people that I would've expected to have more understanding.

I did lose my job due to MH issues.  But at the time I worked with 3 other people who had MH issues as well.  They all had short periods of time off to recover though, whereas I just bottled mine up until the cap eventually exploded and I was never even able to enter the building again.  So maybe that's something...

I will add that it's not just MH issues.  I often find people suggesting that others, in completely different circumstances/situations to themselves, do exactly as they do, when it's completely inappropriate, and of no help to their situation whatsoever. 

That’s pretty similar to me. I felt completely burnout but then I started having seizures. I’d always had mental health issues. 

Sorry to hear you lost your job to due to MH issues, @OverlyAnxious

How did you cope after losing your jobs? Did you go back into work or did you take some time to recuperate?

That was over 10 years ago.  I haven't been able to work since.  I did try a few different self-employment ideas but they didn't work out either.  

Now with a decline in physical health as well, I honestly can't imagine being able to work again, but never say never...

I’m sorry to hear about your struggles. 

I have ambitions to work again but not sure in what field tbh

L_Volunteer

It is ok not to know what field @bluefox!