Just diagnosed with Depression...Advice needed.

[skinback]

Ive just been diagnosed with depression within the last month and started on medication and counselling. Until this week i was still going to work a getting on with day to day things but suffering in silence as well as having a drug and alcohol addiction. I came home sick this week claiming bad guts/unwell ect but really its because i couldnt face work. this absence will lead to a stage 1. Should i now tell them about my condition incase i have future problems? I dont like talking direct with the dom, should i speak to my cwu rep? i dont think im going be off work long term or anything, i want to get back on my feet asap. any advice would be great.

[crazyshrew]

I would say honesty is the best policy, I've been on treatment for mental health problems (including depression) for nearly ten years. Thankfully in the year or so I've been with royal mail I've been OK, however in my previous job I had a very severe "attack". My boss at the time was very understanding, it took me about 6 months before I was anywhere near right again.
The tricky bit is being honest. Not only with management, but with yourself about what you can manage.
We've read too many stories on here about colleagues with depression and other problems ending up in serious trouble because they felt that they were unable to be honest about their problems.

It will be hard, and it does feel embarrassing to have to admit to this kind of problem, but its not one that will go away quickly or easily but it will help if management, and probably your union rep understand that you are ill, not lazy, not dishonest but ILL.

[whisperstar24]

hi
i am not clear if you have returned to work yet or not but if you have the return to work tell them that you have an underlying condition which is really causing the problem. i assume that you will have a rep present.If you have suffered from this for 12 months or more or are likely to carry on suffering with it .The condition should come under the equality act 2010.You should be referred to atos anyway.
i know some people say they had had issues with atos but i have found them to be ok about confirming disabilities .The key is does it affect you on a daily basis and is does it impact on your daily working and home life. Depression is a very serious thing and your employer should deal with it in a sympathetic way but this is royal mail we are talking about.If you declare it now you can consider that it may assist you in the future as you may go onto another stage and it is recorded down that you have dda status

[Himaggen]

If you have been prescribed antidepressants along with counselling it would suggest that your suffering from a relatively severe case of depression and must inform your Manager. Whether you wish to do that through a third party is of course your decision but you must do it.

Just as important however is to ensure that your Manager is fully aware of your drug or alcohol addictions. The fact that these addictions will impact on your treatment for depression means that your Manager will find out about it.

[hantsman]

If you have been prescribed antidepressants along with counselling it would suggest that your suffering from a relatively severe case of depression and must inform your Manager. Whether you wish to do that through a third party is of course your decision but you must do it.

Just as important however is to ensure that your Manager is fully aware of your drug or alcohol addictions. The fact that these addictions will impact on your treatment for depression means that your Manager will find out about it.

If you don't wish your manager to know the reason for absence, you should send your sick/fitness cert to work, to HR/Sheffield.

Lets face it RM managers are not known for keeping things confidential at office DSM level.

[skinback]

hi
i am not clear if you have returned to work yet or not but if you have the return to work tell them that you have an underlying condition which is really causing the problem. i assume that you will have a rep present.If you have suffered from this for 12 months or more or are likely to carry on suffering with it .The condition should come under the equality act 2010.You should be referred to atos anyway.
i know some people say they had had issues with atos but i have found them to be ok about confirming disabilities .The key is does it affect you on a daily basis and is does it impact on your daily working and home life. Depression is a very serious thing and your employer should deal with it in a sympathetic way but this is royal mail we are talking about.If you declare it now you can consider that it may assist you in the future as you may go onto another stage and it is recorded down that you have dda status

thanks everybody for the advice. to the above quote- i havent been having treatment for more than 12 months and ive not been back in employment 12months ( i took a sabbatical for travel,which ended up cut short due to my condition) but id say it has been affecting me for that time. im due to return to work on monday and i will bring it all up in the return to work.

[skinback]

If you have been prescribed antidepressants along with counselling it would suggest that your suffering from a relatively severe case of depression and must inform your Manager. Whether you wish to do that through a third party is of course your decision but you must do it.

Just as important however is to ensure that your Manager is fully aware of your drug or alcohol addictions. The fact that these addictions will impact on your treatment for depression means that your Manager will find out about it.

If you don't wish your manager to know the reason for absence, you should send your sick/fitness cert to work, to HR/Sheffield.

Lets face it RM managers are not known for keeping things confidential at office DSM level.

i will return to work on monday, as i feel i need to try and carry on to help me get better quicker, i would like to make them aware, i think its for the best.
Our revision only kicks in on monday, i hope this doesn't worsen how im feeling

[Himaggen]

Don't believe that informing someone higher up the RM food chain will bypass your Manager. Your Manager is responsible for your health safety and welfare and as such will be provided with all information necessary in order to manage with regard to that responsibility.

<Edit />
I may have read this wrong but…
If you haven't been having treatment for that long you are either no longer diagnosed with depression, or you are diagnosed and wilfully refusing treatment. In the former case then why bother with the question at all? In the latter case why would Royal Mail take you back and bear the cost of resuming the treatment which would be necessary to keep you gainfully employed within the absence procedure. (I do hope you are also proven clean and alcohol free for the same reason)

[skinback]

Don't believe that informing someone higher up the RM food chain will bypass your Manager. Your Manager is responsible for your health safety and welfare and as such will be provided with all information necessary in order to manage with regard to that responsibility.

<Edit />
I may have read this wrong but…
If you haven't been having treatment for that long you are either no longer diagnosed with depression, or you are diagnosed and wilfully refusing treatment. In the former case then why bother with the question at all? In the latter case why would Royal Mail take you back and bear the cost of resuming the treatment which would be necessary to keep you gainfully employed within the absence procedure. (I do hope you are also proven clean and alcohol free for the same reason)

no i have only just been diagnosed with it after accepting that i do need help, i was just in denial before and using other means of trying to feel better. Im not sure what you read wrong but hope that makes it a little clearer.

[Lincox]

Himmagen, from your responses and previous threads I assume you are managerial grade. With regard to posties who have alcohol problems/addictions, from experience in our office, Royal Mail Managers seem to turn a blind eye to these, until the addict does something wrong or not normal to daily RM activities. I have always found this odd, bearing in mind that anyone with an alcohol problem could create a health and safety problem for those who work with and around them. I assume that RM has procedures for dealing with this, but as normal practice, managers are too weak to use these and prefer the individual to tie a noose round their own neck.

[Himaggen]

skinback, thanks for clearing that up but what about the drug and alcohol addiction you mentioned?

As I stated previously, you need to inform or have informed you Manager of all of these issues.

Whilst Royal Mail can support you using the Occupational Health Service, under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations they must also assess the risks to the health and safety of your colleagues and others you come into contact with as a result of your illnesses.

If it is deemed that you knowingly withheld your health issues you will probably find yourself in a worse position health wise than you are now.

Also in my non professional opinion I'd expect that a counsellor may suggest starting what is effectively a new job, (the revision is a big difference to what you did before), so soon after diagnosis a poor choice of path for you.

[hantsman]

Don't believe that informing someone higher up the RM food chain will bypass your Manager. Your Manager is responsible for your health safety and welfare and as such will be provided with all information necessary in order to manage with regard to that responsibility.

<Edit />
I may have read this wrong but…
If you haven't been having treatment for that long you are either no longer diagnosed with depression, or you are diagnosed and wilfully refusing treatment. In the former case then why bother with the question at all? In the latter case why would Royal Mail take you back and bear the cost of resuming the treatment which would be necessary to keep you gainfully employed within the absence procedure. (I do hope you are also proven clean and alcohol free for the same reason)

The local office manager/DOM will be informed by HR in due process, what that means is that it remains confidential something that managers and alot of staff don't know the meaning of.

[Stella102]

seriously your health is more important than this job, take as long as you want off and don't get bullied into going back. get a doctor note too.

[skinback]

skinback, thanks for clearing that up but what about the drug and alcohol addiction you mentioned?

As I stated previously, you need to inform or have informed you Manager of all of these issues.

Whilst Royal Mail can support you using the Occupational Health Service, under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations they must also assess the risks to the health and safety of your colleagues and others you come into contact with as a result of your illnesses.

If it is deemed that you knowingly withheld your health issues you will probably find yourself in a worse position health wise than you are now.

Also in my non professional opinion I'd expect that a counsellor may suggest starting what is effectively a new job, (the revision is a big difference to what you did before), so soon after diagnosis a poor choice of path for you.

my addictions did not interfere with my job in any way, it was a way of dealing with my problems outside of work. sorry if i seem to have exaggerated that point.
i personally believe now that i have accepted what is happening and receiving treatment, my road to recovery will hopefully be smooth and supported. this may be my naivety to my problem, we will see.
going to work will save me from being home and dwelling on things, but like you say things are going to be alot different. I will find out in due course.
I appreciate everyone's help and opinion.

[Himaggen]

my addictions did not interfere with my job in any way

That is simply your opinion, (strangely the same one made by the person who's only had a few pints but can still drive perfectly). Frankly a drug and alcohol addict suffering from a severe depression is not the person i would trust to base my decisions for the health and safety of those over whom I'm responsible. Inform your Manager of your addictions ASAP, it is the only safe and sensible option.