Chat with Line Manager about Epilepsy, Depression and long term sick leave

iamlucky18

Lol I am working with my LM. This will be the 3rd meeting during sickness absence. So I am maintaining contact with him.

I also voluntarily consented to access to my medical files. They've previously done a lot of occupational health meetings so at the last meeting I said to him look why don't you have a look at my medical files instead of going round in circles and getting the same bog standard oh report. He was very happy with the idea. I've got nothing to hide.

The 40 days was during the first year I was diagnosed with epilepsy which was 3 years ago. I can give you a very long story how I got epilepsy, but you're probably not interested.

Now I have depression and I have been self harming and have considered suicide. I still consider it sometimes. That's why I go to NHS high intensity counselling and on anti depressants. The depression was partly fuelled by a lot of seizures I had suffered just before the sick leave started, but I felt compellled to continue work because of the past formal warning.

Sorry for venting my frustrations and the long story. But you have to appreciate, the more you bottle something up inside, the more susceptible you are to doing something very wrong and you have to vent it all out. Obviously I don't want to physically harm my family, so what I do is release it all on myself by slashing my chest with a razor. And God does it feel good when I do it.

Undervalued

iamlucky18 wrote: »

Lol I am working with my LM. This will be the 3rd meeting during sickness absence. So I am maintaining contact with him.

I also voluntarily consented to access to my medical files. They've previously done a lot of occupational health meetings so at the last meeting I said to him look why don't you have a look at my medical files instead of going round in circles and getting the same bog standard oh report. He was very happy with the idea. I've got nothing to hide.

The 40 days was during the first year I was diagnosed with epilepsy which was 3 years ago. I can give you a very long story how I got epilepsy, but you're probably not interested.

Now I have depression and I have been self harming and have considered suicide. I still consider it sometimes. That's why I go to NHS high intensity counselling and on anti depressants. The depression was partly fuelled by a lot of seizures I had suffered just before the sick leave started, but I felt compellled to continue work because of the past formal warning.

Sorry for venting my frustrations and the long story. But you have to appreciate, the more you bottle something up inside, the more susceptible you are to doing something very wrong and you have to vent it all out. Obviously I don't want to physically harm my family, so what I do is release it all on myself by slashing my chest with a razor. And God does it feel good when I do it.

Yes, I sympathise with all of that, I'm sure everybody here does.

Ultimately your employer is just that - an employer. They are not a charity and have to run a viable business. The vast majority of (particularly larger) employer actually do far more than the minimum the law requires to help employees with disabilities and / or long term health issues. I suspect your does too based on the fact that you are still employed.

But you have to understand that this will only go so far. You need to make it as easy and desirable as possible for them to want to continue to employ you because, to be blunt, you are well past the stage where they could perfectly fairly (in law) dismiss.

When_the_going_gets_tough

Op can I suggest that you seek support and help from your doctor etc n real life. The internet may not be the best place for you while you are feeling so vulnerable. Best wishes for your future.

Tiddlywinks

iamlucky18 - You are coming across as very antagonistic with very little appreciation of your employer's perspective.

I am sorry you have depression, epilepsy etc and I understand that this may make life difficult for you. However, the business requires you to do a job - if your conditions mean you cannot satisfactorily carry out the duties you are paid for then you must understand that they will terminate your employment.

It is not personal - it is business.