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"It's Your Illness...Isn't It"
I went through three types of medications to stablize my last year episode. It was a really rought year but I made it. I feel fine now thanks to Saphris but I noticed that I'm not as talkative as I use to be. My manic highs are gone and depressive psychosis went away. I'm not drug out or anything. I just feel even keel. I'm also getting a good night sleep every night. Because I'm not yapping away like I use to a friend said "It's your illness isn't it." I didn't answer back because I was dumbfounded that a person could come up with a stupid comment.
If you are requesting reasonable accommodations under the ADA you have to disclose your disability at that time directly to the supervisor you are requesting them for. You don't have to disclose your disability to anyone else and that information must be kept confidential. A person has to be able to do the "essential function" (basic aspects of) of the specific job but they can request a reasonable accommodation ( as long as it would not create an "undue burden" (that is create needless difficulties or costs for the workplace). If you want more information on this or the ADA in general go to ADA.gov.
I went to my pdoc and social worker to get reasonable accommodation.for my bp. I was worried about losing my job with my erratic behavior at that time. If I didn't disclose my illness then the school could of fire me according to Americans with Disabilities Act. I asked for light duty sub jobs until my med's start to kick in.
On the most part the school has been very helpful accommodating during my last episode. The other teachers were very supportive and helpful. I give them a A+ for what they did for me. I'm very grateful for that but unfortunately we live in a world where confidentality does not exist. People can talk all they want but at least I'm holding down a job. I did not quit during my episode which I did many times when I was younger. When things got tough...I would walk out blaming the world. The substitute teaching job is the longest job I ever held in my adult life. So I feel grateful.
On the most part the school has been very helpful accommodating during my last episode. The other teachers were very supportive and helpful. I give them a A+ for what they did for me. I'm very grateful for that but unfortunately we live in a world where confidentality does not exist. People can talk all they want but at least I'm holding down a job. I did not quit during my episode which I did many times when I was younger. When things got tough...I would walk out blaming the world. The substitute teaching job is the longest job I ever held in my adult life. So I feel grateful.
Well, you're right to drop that woman as a friend.
I hope the HR department isn't who told her about you being bipolar. That is a serious problem if they are sharing personal information. But, maybe she just thought maybe you were bipolar and then you confirmed it? Maybe, but from what you say doubtful. Like you say there is a lot of gossip in the work place, so someone must have let it slip.
I hope the HR department isn't who told her about you being bipolar. That is a serious problem if they are sharing personal information. But, maybe she just thought maybe you were bipolar and then you confirmed it? Maybe, but from what you say doubtful. Like you say there is a lot of gossip in the work place, so someone must have let it slip.
The person should of said...."It's my recovery...isn't it?" That would make me feel real good about myself but I guess she is too ignorant to know any better.
Before the "It's your Illness...Isn't It" incident she was distressed over her brother in law. They live in the same town. The family found out he was an alcoholic after he accidently push his accelerator of his car and backed out of his garage. He sped down the driveway and smashed into the neighbors garage door across the street. He was hospitalized to start recovery and they put him on anti-depressants. We live in a society where substance abuse and recovery is quite common but she was totally shocked and denial that her brother in law was in the hospital.. I told her not to worry about the recovery & the anti-depressants because I told her I was bipolar....I understand. He will get better. She told me in a aggitated voice she already knew I was bipolar but the problem is I never told her I was that way. I have told only people who had a need to know three years ago like my HR department and my boss but I never told her about my condition. When I was going through all my problems last year adjusting to new med's she thought all my difficulities was due to family problems. She even told my co-workers I was distress over my mother. I was dumbfounded my co-workers were hovering over me and mentioned my mother all the time. I said my mother is doing fine...thanks but my mother wasn't going through anything serious except age related illnesses.
I dropped the relationship with this woman because we don't have anything in common except talk around the water cooler. She was the one trying to impose the friendship but inviting me to women groups. She is retired and a substitute teacher. I think she took on substitute teaching to keep her occupied three times a week and be in the know in the gossip. I wonder how she got the information I was bipolar? I guess nothing is secret is a workplace. I thought she would be more open minded being a educated teacher but I guess not.
I have since then hooked up with another older woman to hang around with who is outside the school. She likes sewing and gardening which I also like to do. She has no problems with my bipolar because her grandchilden suffer from epilepsy. I understand that it's a brain disorder which has nothing to do with family upbringing but genetics.
Before the "It's your Illness...Isn't It" incident she was distressed over her brother in law. They live in the same town. The family found out he was an alcoholic after he accidently push his accelerator of his car and backed out of his garage. He sped down the driveway and smashed into the neighbors garage door across the street. He was hospitalized to start recovery and they put him on anti-depressants. We live in a society where substance abuse and recovery is quite common but she was totally shocked and denial that her brother in law was in the hospital.. I told her not to worry about the recovery & the anti-depressants because I told her I was bipolar....I understand. He will get better. She told me in a aggitated voice she already knew I was bipolar but the problem is I never told her I was that way. I have told only people who had a need to know three years ago like my HR department and my boss but I never told her about my condition. When I was going through all my problems last year adjusting to new med's she thought all my difficulities was due to family problems. She even told my co-workers I was distress over my mother. I was dumbfounded my co-workers were hovering over me and mentioned my mother all the time. I said my mother is doing fine...thanks but my mother wasn't going through anything serious except age related illnesses.
I dropped the relationship with this woman because we don't have anything in common except talk around the water cooler. She was the one trying to impose the friendship but inviting me to women groups. She is retired and a substitute teacher. I think she took on substitute teaching to keep her occupied three times a week and be in the know in the gossip. I wonder how she got the information I was bipolar? I guess nothing is secret is a workplace. I thought she would be more open minded being a educated teacher but I guess not.
I have since then hooked up with another older woman to hang around with who is outside the school. She likes sewing and gardening which I also like to do. She has no problems with my bipolar because her grandchilden suffer from epilepsy. I understand that it's a brain disorder which has nothing to do with family upbringing but genetics.
I also think that people don't realize exactly what happens to us and how we're not the person we appear to be. For example, I think that if I was in recovery I would talk a lot less, laugh a lot less, and just be more of an observer than I am. So, it isn't your illness, it's your recovery.
I think people expect us to be things and then when we're no longer those things they just drop us. That's what happened to me with all the people I thought were friends. They didn't care about me, they just cared about what entertainment I could give them. Then when I needed them they abandoned me, but at least I learned the truth.
I think people expect us to be things and then when we're no longer those things they just drop us. That's what happened to me with all the people I thought were friends. They didn't care about me, they just cared about what entertainment I could give them. Then when I needed them they abandoned me, but at least I learned the truth.
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