Mental health in the workplace

[emilyrken]

I need advice on how to deal with my mental health and suicidal thoughts in the workplace.

I work at a major brand supermarket and my boss bullied and manipulates me into working all the time and disregards my mental health because it’s “busy.”

I already had depression before starting there but it has gotten so much worse and I have constant stress, depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

I am on track to say it’s a crisis of my mental health and I don’t know how to proceed in terms of working.

I could apply for annual leave but knowing my boss who has no compassion or understanding for mental health, she will deny my request so she doesn’t have to do the work herself.

has anyone been in this situation?

[Sophie_M]

Dear emilyrken,  

Thank you for sharing your struggle with us today.

We’re really sorry to hear you’re having such a difficult time with your boss and your current workplace, but we’re glad you could share this here & come here looking for support. 

Hopefully you'll hear from the community soon, who may be able to offer you some understanding, and hopefully some ideas for moving forward. 

We’re reaching out to you privately to offer some extra support. If you’re struggling with thoughts or feelings about suicide, please reach out directly either to the professionals who normally care for you (including your GP), or by giving ourselves (ph 1300 22 4636), the Sucide Call Back Service (ph 1300 659 467 ) or Lifeline (ph 13 11 14) a call. If you’re not able to do so, please know that we’re here, and in an emergency the number to call would be 000. 

We also have a suicide safety planning app called 'Beyond Now'. Research has shown having a safety plan can be useful for reducing the intensity of suicidal thoughts and increasing people’s ability to cope with them, so please consider having a look at downloading and completing a plan. You can even complete this on the phone with a counsellor from Lifeline if you like.

Thanks again for your bravery and openness in sharing here.   

Kind regards,   

Sophie M 

[Natty79]

Major supermarket has free help line you can use it's seperate from the chain but offered free eap services I used them when I used to work in a big supermarket a few times 

[therising]

Hi emilyrken

I feel for you so deeply as you face a manager who can't manage to find greater compassion and understanding when it comes to the overwhelming challenges you face.

It's interesting, the way our boss cannot see what is obvious to us. To give you an example, a couple of weeks ago I was in an OH&S meeting at work with fellow staff members. While going over the suggestions made by some of the staff (pulled from the workplace suggestion box), one of the suggestions involved giving greater consideration to the mental and physical health of all staff. How the manager responded to the suggestion blew my mind and enraged me. He suggested each staff member should be taking responsibility for their own mental and physical well being and it was in no way his responsibility. I remained enraged until half an hour after the meeting had ended. Keep in mind I work in an aged care where mental health has been a significant factor over the last few years, with the impact of covid and all the changes and challenges involved in aged care. I approached him with something along the lines of 'Simply putting a memo up in the staff room stating 'If you feel the need to take a break so as to recover your mental and physical health, speak to your supervisor about taking some perhaps much needed leave. Don't run yourself into the ground'. Dis-ease leads to disease if it's not addressed'. He completely fobbed it off. In my opinion, the man's insane. Bosses can be insane. Here was a chance for this guy to lead his devoted hard working staff to become more conscious of their needs and he blew it.

Emilyrken, 'because' can be a powerful word. With it, 'I am sick of work' becomes 'I am sick because of work'. Sick leave doesn't give your boss a choice. If guilt over taking sick leave becomes a factor, I like to think of guilt as a constructive thing. It is always asking me to become more conscious. It is always asking me 'Who do you wish to be? Make a choice'. In your case, 'I choose to be the person who gives me the break I need'. Your boss is paid more than you are. She is paid to manage without you, to manage solutions. If you've reached the absolute peak of your tolerance levels at work, it's time to take a break.

[james1]

Hello emilyrken,

I'm so sorry to hear you don't have a good boss and are struggling with finding a practical way to prioritise your mental health. The others have made some really great suggestions and I don't have much to add just now. But I thought it might be helpful to suggest that you've come hear looking for support and advice, and I think that's always the first step to finding a way to manage long term. It's hard to do anything alone, leaning on others has often enabled me to confront challenges I couldn't do before.

So even if it seems really hard at the moment to balance the practical need of working and keeping a job you already have, with staying mentally healthy, this will become easier as you build up your support system. 

I hope your week is going okay.

James