I have suffered from severe anxiety disorders including PTSD since I was 4 years old due to a traumatic event. I have also suffered from chronic major depression on and off since age 15 including suicidal thoughts on the verge of going through with it at extremely difficult times in my life. However with treatment I have been able to live a productive life raising a daughter alone and owning my own home. Unfortunately in 2012 after losing my dear mother, I also lost my 32 year career when my employer found out I was dealing with severe depression. I was age 55 and qualified for retirement. I had confided in a long time work friend who was also a manager that I needed to talk because I was having suicidal thoughts dealing with the loss of mom, my daughter's marriage, and the extremely toxic work environment in my company. My quality of work was never affected even acknowledged by my employer. I rarely took time off and stayed late to get projects done before deadlines. I had a great deal of responsibility in my position that no one else was qualified to do. I did it all alone. I worked with severe depression on and off during my 32 years and no one knew until I confided in a select few in the last few years. The so called manager friend of mine betrayed me. He told our technical director and I was put on EAP even though I was already being treated by my own doctors and psychologist. Even though I successfully completed their EAP, they dragged my time off for 2 additional months until they let me go without a reason in November 2012. They said it had nothing to do with my quality of work. I tried to not let stigmas stop me from voicing my opinions and story once I turned 55, but it cannot be done in most corporations without losing your career or job. My company violated the ADA and were found guilty of it, but that didn't get my job back only a settlement which was less than my annual income or full severance which I qualified for after 32 years. I lost a great deal for "coming out" about mental illness in my workplace. I had to retire to get my medical benefits and an income since I was unable to find another well paid job as a 55 year old female who had to retire from the same company after 32 years. I tried as many other women my age to find other work. They have also experienced similar circumstances in their workplace after their employers found out about their various mental illnesses especially major depression and bipolar. In the real world, no one wants to employ a retired single female and pay them a decent salary which you need when you are still paying a mortgage living on one income. From what I have experienced first hand male employees are not treated like females in major corporations. Male alcoholics, male drug addicts, and men with major anger management issues with threating behavior in my company were put on EAP leave numerous times always returning to work. The male employees were of various ages. None of this is fair or moral. Unless corporations change the stigma against their treatment of employees with mental illnesses especially females, women will continue to lose their jobs and livelihood.
Want to keep Stigma Fighters Anthology in print and online! Proud to be a Stigma Fighter.
I have suffered from severe anxiety disorders including PTSD since I was 4 years old due to a traumatic event. I have also suffered from chronic major depression on and off since age 15 including suicidal thoughts on the verge of going through with it at extremely difficult times in my life. However with treatment I have been able to live a productive life raising a daughter alone and owning my own home. Unfortunately in 2012 after losing my dear mother, I also lost my 32 year career when my employer found out I was dealing with severe depression. I was age 55 and qualified for retirement. I had confided in a long time work friend who was also a manager that I needed to talk because I was having suicidal thoughts dealing with the loss of mom, my daughter's marriage, and the extremely toxic work environment in my company. My quality of work was never affected even acknowledged by my employer. I rarely took time off and stayed late to get projects done before deadlines. I had a great deal of responsibility in my position that no one else was qualified to do. I did it all alone. I worked with severe depression on and off during my 32 years and no one knew until I confided in a select few in the last few years. The so called manager friend of mine betrayed me. He told our technical director and I was put on EAP even though I was already being treated by my own doctors and psychologist. Even though I successfully completed their EAP, they dragged my time off for 2 additional months until they let me go without a reason in November 2012. They said it had nothing to do with my quality of work. I tried to not let stigmas stop me from voicing my opinions and story once I turned 55, but it cannot be done in most corporations without losing your career or job. My company violated the ADA and were found guilty of it, but that didn't get my job back only a settlement which was less than my annual income or full severance which I qualified for after 32 years. I lost a great deal for "coming out" about mental illness in my workplace. I had to retire to get my medical benefits and an income since I was unable to find another well paid job as a 55 year old female who had to retire from the same company after 32 years. I tried as many other women my age to find other work. They have also experienced similar circumstances in their workplace after their employers found out about their various mental illnesses especially major depression and bipolar. In the real world, no one wants to employ a retired single female and pay them a decent salary which you need when you are still paying a mortgage living on one income. From what I have experienced first hand male employees are not treated like females in major corporations. Male alcoholics, male drug addicts, and men with major anger management issues with threating behavior in my company were put on EAP leave numerous times always returning to work. The male employees were of various ages. None of this is fair or moral. Unless corporations change the stigma against their treatment of employees with mental illnesses especially females, women will continue to lose their jobs and livelihood.
Good luck!
@MichelleSedas