[malika138]

My t has suggested that I request accommodations from my employer due to mental illness. She has expertise in assessing learning abilities and is familiar with writing requests for accommodations for students. I work in academia and don't believe there can be any accommodation for faculty members or that any reasonable accommodation will make life better. At the end of the day, I am still depressed, anxious, and living only a fraction of the life that I could.

Has anyone received an accommodation that helped with depression, either in academia or beyond? I cannot just take days off because I have teaching obligations. I already have requested a teaching schedule that permits me to get to the therapist and pdoc offices. I don't see the accommodations as providing any help. Then again, being depressed is about feeling hopeless and helpless.

sigh.

[Nike007]

Originally Posted by malika138

My t has suggested that I request accommodations from my employer due to mental illness. She has expertise in assessing learning abilities and is familiar with writing requests for accommodations for students. I work in academia and don't believe there can be any accommodation for faculty members or that any reasonable accommodation will make life better. At the end of the day, I am still depressed, anxious, and living only a fraction of the life that I could.


Has anyone received an accommodation that helped with depression, either in academia or beyond? I cannot just take days off because I have teaching obligations. I already have requested a teaching schedule that permits me to get to the therapist and pdoc offices. I don't see the accommodations as providing any help. Then again, being depressed is about feeling hopeless and helpless.


sigh.

I have accommodations at my university. I don’t have workplace accommodations though.

For me, a lot of my accommodations are regarding tests. I do have one where I may miss class due to disability, but I tend to miss too many classes for this to count enough.

Like I know of having environmental accommodations for people in the workplace (like working in a less noisy area).

I’m sorry though that I don’t have much help. I mean I can tell you all my accommodations but I don’t think any could help you, most likely.

[malika138]

Thanks Nike
I'm glad you have accommodations. I wish I had accommodations in college but that kind of thing didn't exist 20 years old. That could be why it is so hard to comprehend accommodations now. And while I think academia recognizes mental illness in students I don't think any of my colleague would acknowledge mental illness in a faculty member. I feel like I am being negative to your supporting post - which speaks to my depression now. I am thankful to hear from you.

I wish I could take a day off when the depression gets bad but the reality is that at the college level, there are no "substitute" professors.

[marvin_pa]

Your T may have some ideas as to what workplace accommodations may be available/feasible - do you have any professional organizations/union who may have pertinent information available for what I imagine can be a high-stress line of work? Depending on where you are, there may be some legal support for provision of accommodations under local disability law.

There may be some resources here, though the one that caught my eye seems to be UK based: Depressed Academics: Resources and Links (Academia)