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I’m sure some of you will have been in this position:
March 2009 I admitted to hospital for a Major Depressive Episode; the first time I had ever seen a psychiatrist or really tried to tackle what I considered to be depression and been living with for 7 years prior.
In July 2009 I decided I wanted a new job (Personal issues at my old job) and duly started.
I recently (End March 2010) decided to go see a new psychiatrist after being prompted by a number of friends were Bipolar and recognized their own symptoms in me. I also was just not happy with myself and my moods and felt I needed new meds.
Well, this psychiatrist believes I may well be Bipolar and has therefore put me on mood stabilizers, anti depressants and anti-anxiety meds.
I do often battle at work – I tend to get bored easily and start lots of small projects, which I rarely tend to finish. (Not good in my job) I am glad to take on new projects as I know they will capture my concentration for a few minutes, but quickly land up bogged under way toooooooooooo much work.
I recently went through a really depressive episode, where I COULD NOT work and sat behind my desk in tears. I just could not control myself anymore. Now I sit at my desk; luckily in a corner of the office with minimal people snooping around, with my iPod in my ears and go into my own world to while away the hours I’m at workd.
Anyway – the crux of my question – should I have mentioned my depression in my interview? (At the time it wasn’t a big issue in my life and I was coping). Now that I have been here 9 months, and possibly as I’ve just been diagnosed with Bipolar, should I let someone in management know? A few of my colleagues do know.
I unfortunately do not have a line manager, as ours was moved, and report to quite a senior manager. Or do I go to the HR manager? (I work for a big company with thousands of employees around the country – the equivalent of Walmart)
Will it jeopardize my job? Will I be given a bit more space? What else can I expect?
I know in an ideal world psychiatric illness is accepted; but what have your experiences been? Should I rather cope through, get my meds altered until I find one that is 100% and be lucky to have a job?
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