I have a real pet peeve that I ran into again this morning. It's people assuming that just because I'm an alcoholic and have mental illnesses that I'm not capable of working. I've had a job since I was 15, except for 2007 when I really was too sick to work. As an adult I have always worked full time, again except for 2007. I have held very senior positions.

Yet I keep running into people who think I'm not capable of working.

Last April, I was out visiting my brother for Easter and we went to family friends for Easter dinner. My brother had obviously been sharing my ongoing challenges with them, because the wife says to me casually over dinner. "So I understand you're volunteering, that's great, are you also able to work part-time." She had the good grace to be embarrassed when I explained that I was holding down a full time job.

Then this past summer when I was just about to get out of IP, I was talking to my IP pdoc, and said I wasn't looking forward to job hunting. She said, "well if you can find something part-time, it won't interfere with your treatment." I told her I was looking for full time and in fact was applying for controller and finance director jobs. She was genuinely shocked.

Then this morning, I ran into a woman at the hospital when I went in to take my meds, who I used to be in a group with a couple of years ago. She dropped out because the group conflicted with her schedule, but I was working full time when we were in the group together. She asked how things were going overall, and I said great thanks. I just found a new job that starts in January. She then asked if it was a volunteer job. I said no it's a full time job at Sick Kids. She then looked genuinely puzzled and asked, what are you going to be doing there? I told her I was going in as a senior financial analyst and she was genuinely shocked, but wished me well.

I do realize a lot of people can't work because of their illness, and that's fine, but there are also lots of alcoholics who hold down responsible jobs, and lots of people with mental illnesses who with proper treatment are able to work full time or with some accomodation.

It just really pisses me off when people make negative assumptions about me.

--splitimage