discrimination?

[Chilling__Echo]

i can't help but feel really upset right now. i just got back from urgent care b/c i had to get a physical for my new temporary job working with children.

i was filling out the paperwork and everything and one of the questions was if i had a family history of mental illness.

when the doc came in, he puts the clip board with the paperwork in front of me and says (sternly) "don't do that again"

i was so stunned, i said "excuse me?"

"you put down you have a family history of mental illness"

"i do"

"you're a very honest person. don't do that anymore."

then i asked why and he said it was because employers might not hire me.

at first i was enraged at this man, how dare he question my competency b/c of me being mentally ill and being susceptable - and he was a doctor!

but then i started thinking, he's right. there's a stigma against mentally ill people. they hear you're taking anti-depressants and all of a sudden you're crazy.

i got in my car to leave and i just cried. i went from being so absorbed into getting awareness out about mental illness and stomping out those stereotypes, but now i don't even want to associate myself with even having it.

i'm giong to try to get off the paxil anyway. i wish i hadn't put down that i even take paxil. that's a very personal and painful part of my life that anyone can delve into....

 

[Chilling__Echo]

no, get help. there's no way for anyone else to find out you're getting it unless you tell them.

if you're put on medication, you're not obligated to tell them why. it's just important to say what medication you're on so that if something happens to you, there won't be any reactions when they treat you.

other than that, it's completely confidential. i could have just put down that i take paxil and if they ask, just to say anxiety and that would have been it.

now i know i guess. employers are just worried about employees going off the deep end.

so basically lie about it later. like i say, there's no universal record of you that all docs have access to. other doctors only know what you tell them and psyciatrists can't give out information on you without your consent.

if you need help, don't hesitate to get it. it's well worth it and i can't stress it enough - completely confidential! sorry for the confussion, i hope i didn't discouage you for life 8O

 

[Chilling__Echo]

oh god, i can't believe i forgot this too, when i was applying for the job two days ago, i was supposed to put down was medications i was taking and i had paxil on there, and the lady goes

"was that from high school or something?"

as if it were some fucking teen angst shit going on, or it was just some phase - AFTER i told her that i took it for anxiety and depression.

uggggh. i'm deffinately getting off this. i HATE taking it anyway...

 

[lostboi]

I'm sorry your having to deal with this kind of crap Chilling. It's rediculous that mental illness or depression has to be this big elephant that everyone tiptoes around. whats really fucked up is half the country is on prozac or zoloft anyway. Weather they admit it in an application or not. It sucks that you HAVE to be penalized for being honest. When everyone else is just hiding the truth.

 

[Bexi]

URGH!!!!!!!!!!!! Is all I can say! That man calls himself a doctor?? Now thats Scary

I really am amazed at some peoples assumptions of us lot who have depression, like we are axe murderers, who have to keep this "dirty little secret". It's ridiculous, i'm glad you were angry, after initial shock, and I'm real sorry there are such numbskull docs and people about :roll:

Will this hinder your application now??

 

[Chilling__Echo]

yeah, it's really sad, if no one will admit it, people aren't going to get help either!

argh... thanks for the support lostboi

 

[young]

at first i was enraged at this man, how dare he question my competency b/c of me being mentally ill and being susceptable - and he was a doctor!

actually the doctor wasn't questioning your competency. he was informing that others would. just an fyi, or a heads up, if you will. The sad fact is that he was 100% accurate. That people get sterotyped this day and age. Especially in the states. Which is where your from. The only problem is that lying on an application is a federal offense.

 

[The_9th_passenger]

When I entered the Spanish Army lots and lots of years ago when i was 19 or so, I was forced to fill up a questionary where I was asked my religion. I new the Spanish Constitution forbids anyone to force you to declare your religion or political tendencies and therefore I told so to the officer right there and he told me to shut up and end it up and -in a lower voice- he told me to declare myself as Catholic bc in Spain it has always been the "official" religion, so I followed his advice.
What a shit! Nobody can force you telling any private data concerning private affairs which are no one bussiness but yours! It's a human right!

The thing is... discrimination! o yeah! sure it is! Or even whorse! What if they put you in a list with "Depressed, SAers,comunists, freakies & other disgracefull people"? :lol:
so if you don't want to get discriminated... I advise you to do what I did: say just what they want to hear. Tell them what it's supposed to be "what's right". If you're squizo don't be stupid to tell them. So when they ask you if you are mentally fucked up, just write a "No, sir".

 

[The_9th_passenger]

When I entered the Spanish Army lots and lots of years ago when i was 19 or so, I was forced to fill up a questionary where I was asked my religion. I new the Spanish Constitution forbids anyone to force you to declare your religion or political tendencies and therefore I told so to the officer right there and he told me to shut up and end it up and -in a lower voice- he told me to declare myself as Catholic bc in Spain it has always been the "official" religion, so I followed his advice.
What a shit! Nobody can force you telling any private data concerning private affairs which are no one bussiness but yours! It's a human right!

The thing is... discrimination! o yeah! sure it is! Or even whorse! What if they put you in a list with "Depressed, SAers,comunists, freakies & other disgracefull people"? :lol:
so if you don't want to get discriminated... I advise you to do what I did: say just what they want to hear. Tell them what it's supposed to be "what's right". If you're squizo don't be stupid to tell them. So when they ask you if you are mentally fucked up, just write a "No, sir".

You'll understand that better if I tell you I'm 100% atheist so I just can't help believing in any kind of god or such things.
But as I was forced to declare my religion and the officer told me "declare yourself as catholic and you'll never have any problems"... and so I did lie just to avoid problems.
When My mother was a child many people were killed in Spain just because they were atheist or comunist or just bc they were intellectual so there's a kind os fear about telling your politic beliefs and such things (not among young people though).

 

[4myself]

Thats terrible Chilling!. Its exactly what people dont want to hear, that they will be discriminated against because of something they cant help.
I hope you get the job and you kick-ass at it and one day you will be a rich and famous CEO who will write a book about sa and deppression to tell people that anyone can succeed in life if they have a good attitude.

 

[young]

When I entered the Spanish Army lots and lots of years ago when i was 19 or so, I was forced to fill up a questionary where I was asked my religion. I new the Spanish Constitution forbids anyone to force you to declare your religion or political tendencies and therefore I told so to the officer right there and he told me to shut up and end it up and -in a lower voice- he told me to declare myself as Catholic bc in Spain it has always been the "official" religion, so I followed his advice.
What a shit! Nobody can force you telling any private data concerning private affairs which are no one bussiness but yours! It's a human right!

The thing is... discrimination! o yeah! sure it is! Or even whorse! What if they put you in a list with "Depressed, SAers,comunists, freakies & other disgracefull people"? :lol:
so if you don't want to get discriminated... I advise you to do what I did: say just what they want to hear. Tell them what it's supposed to be "what's right". If you're squizo don't be stupid to tell them. So when they ask you if you are mentally fucked up, just write a "No, sir".

you may think it suckled (typo but it makes me laugh :lol: ) that he asked your religion. or told you what you should put. You should be thankfull that he did tell you. Yea it's a lie. And not what you believe. But sometimes sticking up for what you believe. can cause you a life time of pain and suffering.

 

[silverwolf]

Chilling echo I think this discrimination is normal I know I wouldn't want to employ someone who had a mental illness such as depression because it affects your work, motivation, attitude e.t.c

 

[young]

that as it might. But you'd have to be an equal opportunity employer.

 

[Chilling__Echo]

Will this hinder your application now??

i don't think so bexi, i think it's just on file at the urgent care, it wasn't on the form i have to turn in at the daycare

sorry to hear about all that The_9th_Passenger, that seems like a little much, and even less to do with your work performance, that's pretty bad. it's harsh when they tell you to lie, and to tell them what they want to hear. this country and world even is making small small but true steps to stomp out discrimination and move towards an equal opportunity place, but then this happens and you realize how far we still have to go...

thanks 4myself and i have to agree with HereAndNow - i want our voices to be heard!! i can agree with what silverwolf said, sometimes are relevant to know in order to be hired - for instance, if you suffered from severe depression, it could affect your work performance. it's a tough situation but i think if they were applying for a job, they should be given the benifit of a doubt. we are not incompetent! we just have a handicap like every other person on this planet does in some way shape or form!

also thanks Mcshy and young for the support as well - i just hate that in order for my voice to get out and be heard, i have to get over my being uncomfortable with people knowing i have SA and depression. i have to be willing to sacrifice my privacy. but dammit, we need changes!

just hoping... still hoping... we're getting there, slowly but surely. you can bet from now on i'm keeping my mouth shut - but all you ignorant closed-minded pricks that don't see mental illness as something devastating, or the ones that see us all as crazy can just wait for when i graduate college and get my degree (whatever it may end up being) in psychology - there will be a reckoning! and a new face on the name of the mentally ill!

until then, i'll keep hiding my paxil bottle :lol:

 

[Horatio]

thats terrible Chilling, but Im not surprised

I think its a sign of our times... mental illness is one of the few things that really has a stigma attached to it. People with physical disabilities are readily accepted into the workforce, people of all races, short people, tall people and even women (joke) can work but to say you suffer from a mental disability is unfortunately a bit of a no no when trying to obtain employment.

here in NZ there has recently been a huge television advertising campaign to try to help the situation, with ads featuring famous people who have suffered from some form of mental illness and statistics advertising that 1 in 4 people suffer from depression at some stage in their life and slogans like "People with mental disabilities can do great things with their lives, but with your help and understanding they can do even more"

It takes a lot to change society's misconceptions but I think at last people are tackling the issue and perhaps in ten years it won't be a problem for people like us who already have a lot to deal with on our plates. Maybe even in 20 years people will look back and admire people like us who went on to do great things with our lives despite the daily struggle... you know like that legless guy who climbed Mt Everest... maybe one day people will have that same respect for a socialphobic who succesfully initiates and maintains a healthy relationship and an active social life as well as a successful career despite his/her condition

(although personally I better fancy my chances climbing Mt Everest)

In summary Chilling, be proud of who you are and never feel ashamed of mental illness or any medication you take. Society is getting better at understanding mental illnesses and we can all look forward to a day when there is no or very little discrimination but in the meantime we sometimes have to use our discretion regarding who we tell, especially when it comes to potential employers.

 

[Chilling__Echo]

thanks for your very kind words! i'm glad to hear about the campaigns in New Zeland - that makes me very very happy

and you're right, we've got but a few more steps to go, but we're getting there, maybe we'll soon have the stigma stamped out for mental illness...

i just want to be apart of that, to say i helped that cause