Work Situation - Advice needed - tell them or not?

[Simon123]

Hi Everyone, I am hoping someone on here might have some sound advice regarding depression and work.

I am on 10mg Prozac at the moment and have just recieved a Final Written Warning at work for saying something about a colleague that I shouldn't, in a way that I shouldn't  but they accept I was forced into a very frustrating situation as the victim is a regular pain in the backside.  I am a line manager.

I suffer from S.A.D so I get depressed around September every year and recover around April/May but also get minor relapses throughout the year which are mostly related to stress and increased workload.  I have had my current job for 6 years.  I have suffered from depression for around 20 years (since 14 years old) but only started proper treatment 4 or 5 years ago.  I have done jobs with more responsability (Manager) in the past without the help of Anti-Depressants. 

Whilst giving me my Final warning, they suggested I needed to be more consistent.  This is something I am going to struggle with as I am one person in the summer and another in the winter. I have spent the last 4 years experimenting with AD's and dosages to get the 2 as close together as I can but there will always be a difference even if it is that I am more pro-active and less withdrawn.  I struggle myself to know who I am at times so how the hell are the people at work going to keep up?

I haven't gone sick from work once in the whole 6 years I have been there.  Should I come clean with them and tell them about my depression, the medication and the likelyhood that I will never be truly consistent throughout the year?  or should I keep quiet, keep my head down and feel like I have a target on my back?

Thanks and I hope you are all well today :-)

[nocaph]

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[Simon123]

I don't trust them.  I therefore think they would try to say I am incapable of the job and demote me. 

Thanks for your help Nocaph :-)

[Simon123]

I also don't want it to affect my future with other companies.  If they don't know then they cant hold it against me.

[mat]

i would agree with you to an extent.

I was the exact same as yourself  debating with my self to tell my work about my depression etc , i eventually told them,  did help in some ways that I was more flexible I could get days off now rather than making up excuses.

But since then something has happened at work and I have been suspended for around a month now and it is always in the back of my mind that they could use my depression as a weapon against me and use it as an excuse if something bad happens.

I will never tell any future work employers about my depression before hand  because lets  be honest  who would you rather hire someone with depression or someone who does not ??

[Simon123]

Ok so you're kind of where I am at then.  Have you been suspended due to your depression?  would you tell them now if they didn't know before?

I don't know why you are suspended but a month is a long time for an investigation on their part so the depression, or the fact they know about it, may be keeping you in a job.

Thanks and sorry to hear about your situation. 

[mat]

I have been suspended due to a false allegation , but I am worried that since I have told them about my depression it can count against me.

I wouldn't tell them if they did not know before because some things have came to light about the management etc since then.


But it ultimately comes down to trust.

[vwone]

Hi, it is a difficult situation I have just been off and did not want depression on fit note so my dr put anxiety. This was true as this led to my depression, I sometimes wish I could be honest and tell them about the AD's I am on but you will be judged depite what anyone says.

[Simon123]

Do you think they are owed an explanation of why I change throughout the year so they can try and understand me or should I just hope they can be cool enough to put up with the variations?

Ultimately, If they aren't cool with it I will lose my job.

[Leo]

When I first went off ill, I didn't want my employer to know why so the doctor put investigations on my line.

After a month I was called into a meeting at work to find out why I was off. I completely broke down, which Is something they had never seen me do. I expected a lot of grief from them but have the opposite. I have no pressure to return to work and they don't call me which stops me stressing that way.

Work in general have talked about redundancies before I went off, and I reckon I'll be first out. However because of my history now they will find that complicated.

I would just go along the lines of the warning and say you would like to explain a few points about it and take it from there.

I kept sleeping in for work all the time, and was pulled aside by a manager to discuss. I told her then I had depression and I don't sleep well. She retorted, walking out the door, wait until you have kids then you will know what tired is.