In parts 1 and 2, I concentrated on the theory that we with mental struggles often miss out on learning the "screening" process when people enter our lives. We don't hesitate to welcome them in and often, such people are not compatible to our personalities and less suitable to tolerate the symptoms of our illness. One of the techniques I offered was to build your fortress and develop such processes. A person enters your life and instead of inviting them straight away into your 3rd floor lounge room you begin with an eye piece at the fortress door, then a foyer, then office and so on until they have passed various ongoing tests which is automatic in most people. The purpose of the fortress of survival is to protect you from people that hurt you, removing them from your life before your feelings are dependent.
The workplace is different. Having had 90 jobs in 15 professions over 41 years and only ending up with two friends of any substance, my feelings are that there are many people like yourself that believe they have friends in the workplace when really those friendships are not friendships of any depth at all.
The workplace is an environment where you have to survive. Your financial welfare depends on it earning an income. Often management know your dependency you have on your job and will use that leverage to get the best out of you often well over your capabilities particularly when ill and not performing at your best.
Make no mistake very few work colleagues and supervisors right to the top will have tolerance for your illness. I'd recommend you not let out information on your illness. However, there could be a manager that you have faith in as he/she has displayed an appreciation of your work ethic and more importantly he/she has shown empathy for your struggle to carry out your work.
Also be wary of any mania you have. Supervisors tend to "flog a willing horse" when distributing a workload. I call it "playing the game" where everyone else goes missing (or goes for a cigarette) when work comes around..you wont ever win against these people so "if you cant beat them join them" meaning- go missing also. If a colleague is filing her nails instead of lifting her phone knowing you will do the work...play the game with the least fanfare. Complain and you'll make enemies. Playing the game means being friendly with everyone but trusting of few if any.
Survive the workplace by being a worker of over average output and remember the fortress of survival
TonyWK
