Lived Experience Forum

[NikNik]

Returning to work after mental health issues

Are you contemplating the idea of going back to work after experiencing mental health issues ?

Have you recently returned back to work after experiencing mental health issues?

Have you found it difficult or a relatively easy process?

In this Friday's forum we going to talk about the fears and questions that can arise.

Often a person’s self-esteem and confidence have been affected, and they feel incompetent to do their old job, or worse they are now considered by others incompetent to do the work.

There is the worry about how to cope and may be faced questions such as:

Will the workload be too much?

Will they be discriminated against or will colleagues gossip?

Will things be too much and trigger a relapse, or worsen their condition?

These questions and issues are just the tip of the iceberg for people contemplating the idea of going back to work after experiencing mental health issues.

Actually evidence has demonstrated that most fears are really just that—fears—and though they may seem overwhelming, the reality is there are things that can be done to ensure a smoother transition back into work, and these fears minimized.

Please join us this Friday with @Renstar from 10am AEST to answer these questions and more on Career Chat.

@MishT @Sehnsucht and @Former-Member - just tagging you all because you 'Liked' this thread 🙂

[Renstar]

Good morning and thank you to @NikNik.

Today's forum concerns returning to work when you've been away with mental health issues and the fact that it can be extremely difficult ...

Whether it's because you've been out of work and now looking...

Or you've taken time off from your current job and returning after some time spent away getting well ...

Either way there's no question there will be associated fears and issues.

But what are those issues? What are the fears?

Please share if you can... It's great when contributors share 😊

In the meantime...

Studies show regardless of the fears and issues surrounding returning to work ... Its the best thing you can do for your mental health (providing it's the right environment)

In a research study among working-aged adults, the researchers revealed a beneficial effect of returning to work on health, demonstrating a significant improvement in health after reemployment and/or a significant decline in health attributed to continued un- employment.

They also found evidence for health selection, suggesting that poor health interferes with people’s ability to go back to work.

Some evidence suggested that earlier reemployment may be associated with better health.

They concluded there are beneficial health effects of returning to work have been documented in a variety of populations, times, and settings.

And importantly that return-to-work pro- grams may improve not only financial situations but also health.
So clearly returning to work is the better thing to do and being burdened with mental health issues he is going to affect your work so clearly returning to work is the better thing to do and being burdened with mental health issues he is going to affect your work ...

The best thing to do is take time off but what are the associated problems with doing so what's it like when you return ?

Also ...Have you ever used a return to work program?

Have you ever had an incident occur when returning to work after mental health issue? Either positive or negative ...

Look forward to chatting to some of our contributors today 😊

[Kurra]

Over the years I've had numerous situations of returning to the same workplace after mh woopsies.
I find it interesting that you say the best think is to take time off. It's almost impossible for me to get a certificate from my pdoc or GP except when they've recommended or insisted on time off work. Being at work distracts me and also keeps me safe.

Here I am saying this on a day when I haven't gone to work as a result of some rather consistent inappropriate behaviours from a person in the team. Yep! I'm a wimp looking after me today. However when I messaged my supervisor I briefly indicated why I was taking the day off. I've always been open and honest about my mh diagnosis (bp1) and I'm not going to start being vague (read dishonest in my code for life).

I'm sure a discussion will ensue on Monday but I'll deal with that on Monday. At least it's out in the open.

[Renstar]

I know of at least one contributor to in the past who expressed not only concern but exasperation regarding returning to work after mental illness...

The issue being that there were so many gaps in the resume that it became difficult to avoid talking about and revealing the mental illness issues ... Which of course could've been damaging and used against them ...

So how do we approach the issue?

Firstly it is fair to say that the difficulties can be huge

Especially explaining gaps in a resume ... It is difficult at best and impossible at worst leading to the person on the other side of the desk forming conclusions regarding your capacity or lack of ...

The truth is
It is not fair
It is not just
There are no other words to say except that once you've had a mental illness and you've left your job and are ready to go back into the workforce it won't be easy

Sometimes you start a career and when thinking of your career, you imagine it is going to look a certain way ...

But then you have mental health issues, leave and return ... Or go on interviews and you encounter setbacks and no one is offering you work ... You realise the reality is it ends up having to look very different ...

An example ...
A client who worked in marketing left after a series of mental health issues

Well she planned to stay on in marketing and specifically with that particular company
But due to her mental health issues she could not stay and had to get out of the company and also out of Marketing altogether ...

She came to a job service agency that I was working with and went through a wellness program which incorporated return to work support.

The result was that she decided to take her marketing experience and apply it within the mental health sector at one of the larger organisations that service mental health consumer groups ... She is now happily working part time for the same mental health consumer group and is very happy.

The reason I'm sharing this story is that sometimes along with the mental health issue comes the realisation that life won't necessarily be the same once you return to work.

It may well be but sometimes it's not ...

You may have to shift your expectations, find a new career sector, move towards casual work, take on a job that you don't necessarily want to but it's a good stepping stone role to build up your references ... These are some of the reality is that I have seen for myself with clients

What have been your realities?
Where have you had to readjust your thinking and refocus your efforts?

[Renstar]

Thanks so much for sharing @Kurra

Firstly I do think it's a good idea to take time off since being in the right place mentally makes you both better at your work and more able to handle the ups and downs ..,

However there is a fine line, I do agree being at work is a great way to distract yourself or focus your thoughts elsewhere, And if that makes you feel better then that's where you need to be ...

You probably already do this but you have to take each incident in context ...sometimes it's better to stay sometimes it's better to take time off ..

Please don't call yourself a wimp!
No you are definitely not a wimp you are a person with a strong desire to feel well and part of your 'feeling well mandate or plan' is that when you need to take time off you do - and as you say you do it overtly 😊😊
You think it will be because it relates to a person within the organisation ... Yet distance is sometimes the answer

I hope you're taking time today to relax your mind to do pleasing activities maybe some meditation or getting together with someone who makes you feel really good!

The worst thing you could do is stew about being away and ruminate about the gossip !

What is it about that other person that triggers you I wonder?

[AJ2]

I'm glad that you say 'it's not fair, it's not just'. There is no vocational assistance that can be usefully offered without recognising the barriers.

[Kurra]

I've worked out the trigger @Renstar. It's reasonably obvious that the aggressive facade is covering low self esteem. This person has also made it clear that they believe the job is below their own capacity. It's way below mine too for that matter but nevertheless it is a critical function in a high volume response area.

Understanding this has certainly helped me but stand over behaviour that also includes exclusion is not OK. I'm very happy to be ultra busy and will continue to perform this job at the highest standards and to the best of my ability plus.

I've been distracting myself today with developing games for young people that will hopefully assist in developing resilience skill sets that may help them deal with tough times in a way that they can still bounce back. It's a great way to exercise my mind both academically and imaginatively.

Wimp? I have a very dry and sometimes rather sarcastic humour. I know I'm no wimp but there are certainly many in society who might choise to think so. Why not? They certainly have no need to look at themselves do they!

[Renstar]

Absolutely @AJ2 the truth is - it's tough !
If you don't acknowledge barriers ... You'Lo set yourself up for disappointment

What experiences have you had?

[Kurra]

However @AJ2 and @Renstar acknowledging those barriers is also the first step to rising above them.

[AJ2]

Could you offer some comment on the types of roles that vocational programs can/cannot access? I've noticed that in regional areas, highly educated people with a mh disability are encouraged towards supermarket/retail roles. This seems to reflect a focus on the 'funding stats' of those delivering programs? Rather than appropriate client outcomes?

It can seem far better to avoid these programs in order to not to be trapped in a low-wage job cycle, (where you can't afford to care for your own health).