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I have suffered with depression on and off over most of my adult life, but since changing jobs nearly 5 years ago I have been on the whole happy but over the last few months the dark cloud has been growing. I have tried to hide it from friends, family and colleagues. Over the last 4 weeks my depression has impacted my performance at work. I have been working hard to get this bout of depression under control and I am now starting to feel much more positive and pushing myself to do the things that make me happy (I've hardly been on a bike for 3 months!)
I have asked my manager to meet me tomorrow and I plan to tell them about my depression and how it has affected my performance at work. I fear she will take away a chunk of my workload which I fear will make me feel inadequate and put me back a few weeks. When we meet I'm going to explain that I am now almost back on track but still not feeling as resilient as normal so I will ask that she gives me 3 weeks to get my workload back in order and to cover my back during this period. If after 3 weeks I have not regained my performance then I will accept that the workload should be shared with colleagues.
Part of my concern is that we are currently going through a restructure which could present opportunities that I have been working towards for a while and I worry that telling her about my depression will close those opportunities to me.
I hope she will understand this is a short term blip and that I will be back to my best in the very near future and that I am capable of taking more responsibility as we are restructured.
Am I doing the right thing by telling her? Do you think that by telling her I am commiting career suicide with this employer?
Yes. Tell your employer but don’t put yourself in any undue pressure with giving yourself a timescale. Discuss with them your issue, that you will back to your normal self once you’re sorted. Take time off to escape work, it makes you feel guilty yes but after awhile the benefits outweigh that and you’ll see that it was needed. Your problems can not and should not stop you from taking your chance for the opportunities.
Good luck and well done for approaching them.
Agreed, tell your work, they should be able to assist in some way. Also don't worry about hiding it from friends and family...they can help as well.
Some employers sign up to mental health awareness and support schemes. They might already have the support in place, which helps them and yourself.
Check out https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work/
Also, opportunities coming up at work could help focus your mind with a goal. Though if it's an opportunity with a lot of stress, that may not be something you want right now.
Exercise really does make a difference to a lot of people. Not a gym (in my opinion, though might work for some). Outdoors. Clear the mind, get the endorphins going. Very effective drug. So yeah, getting out on the bike more could help a lot. Maybe work have or could get some activity sessions going. Group work ride (invite the boss! 😀 - or maybe not!)
You should be covered under DDA legislation and you’re entitled to ask for reasonable adjustments at work to enable you to function effectively. Not all employers are aware of this so you may need to be assertive with them.
If you have a letter from a doc etc. this should be registered with HR and your boss. It should not be something that is a mark against you.if it is then it is better for that environment to change..
You need to talk about it so that people who need to know do.
having had a few people who reported to me have issues I could only help them if they were open and honest. I know I had no “right” to know but it really helped making sure work continued and try didn’t get shafted
If you're making progress the reason for telling your employer is because they have noticed a deterioration and you'd like to let them know it was temporary.
Are you sure they're aware of it? If not, don't introduce it.
Just demonstrate your return to previous performance.
Tell your boss if you're comfortable with doing so.
I've told my boss about my depression and he's been really supportive and checks in from time to time to see how I'm doing.
From having been in the manager's position it helps to know and if they're clued up they'll make necessary adjustments.
Now for the most important bit. Find a loved one or a friend and bloody tell them what's going on with you. Don't bottle it up, even if you're getting better just tell someone that. It feels cathartic to get things off your chest
Telling your boss is the best thing you can do imo. Likewise dont hide it from your friends.
Talking from perspective of someone who has been thrown exactly the same thing
Sounds like a good plan OP - as long as you have reason to believe they will be positive. I have been in your position and it’s good idea to get support from a supportive employer.
Sounded like a good plan up until the restructuring bit and you hoping to presumably get a new position, would it have more responsibility/workload? I'm not sure I'd want to volunteer I was struggling in my current role if I was looking for another, at least equally challenging, role in the company.
From my own experience over the last ~25 years of on-off depression, I tend to feel worse and feel less productive when I'm really fatigued. This heatwave, now 6+ weeks old, has played havoc with my sleep. Consequently, after the prolonged Beast Of The East winter, my mind feels far more foggy/woolly than I'd expect it to be in the last week of July... It's often as if my SAD symptoms have not lifted at all this summer.
Trying to move up the ladder in work may makes things more complex, but I've always found it better to tell management of my SAD which includes depression, it's been part of my life more than the years before.
Depression is shit. Well done for starting to do something about it but don't put yourself under any pressure at all. I hope you feel better sooner rather than later 🙂
Tell your boss, you might just find they have the same sort of challenges and will support you.
Thanks for the supportive messages. I spoke to my manager yesterday. The meeting went really well with support being offered and my requests being respected. Last night I slept well for the first time in weeks.
glad it went well OP
I was apprehensive before telling my boss, but it's been a positive experience all told.
Good news mate.
Bloody good news! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼