Do people want to hear about mental health issues ?

Hello

For 17 years I was employed in a business and in the last 5 years was a partner. Unfortunately I suffered clinical depression caused by a chemical imbalance of the brain. Mybehaviour became irrational and caused some issues.*

My senior business partner was sympathetic initially and kept telling people that I am unwell. I went on a sabbatical - a rest and recovery period. I experienced hallucinations but was fearful of telling anyone because I feared that I might have schizophrenia. Its a long story but eventually the illness caused me to leave the business.*

When I left and started working for a competitor business the attitude of my former senior partner became different - the firm told people that I had been unwell and there had been interpersonal issues and it was my personality to blame. This is despite my character for the preceding 46 years being of high values and good morals.

My psychiatrist and psychologist have now both said that my psychosis was caused by the clinical depression but also that my problematic behaviour was a result of my hallucinations and delusions and not because of a hidden premorbid personality trait.

My solicitor has written to my former senior business partner and has said that he has been correct in saying that I have been unwell but that there is new information about my illness which confirms that my uncharacteristic behaviour was caused by the illness.

My former senior partner has written to the solicitor saying that none of the partners or staff want to hear anything from or about me.

How would you react to that ?*

He has been told that he was right about me being unwell, but do you think he does not want to receive expert opinions that it was the illness and not my personality which caused my uncharacteristic behaviour in the past few years ?*

Or is there another possible reason I have not considered ?

I would like to thank anyone in hopeful anticipation of a reply.*

Hello Gareth,

I would think that your former business partner is concerned that you will claim some sort of damages having received a letter from a solicitor. I mean, a solicitor is usually involved in in the law so you former partner is going to react this way, he's not going to accept any blame whatsoever for it. It does not sound like he was a friend to you back then, nor now and is only interested in the business. What happened to you was an illness, not a personality issue, I'm glad you can see that now.

"When I left and started working for a competitor business the attitude of my former senior partner became different - the firm told people that I had been unwell and there had been interpersonal issues and it was my personality to blame."

I think that is the motivation for your senior partner to do what he is doing. Also, so few people really understand issues with mental health - very sad but very true.

I agree with the other responses above. This is a very specific context, and you'd probably be best to just shrug it off and move on.