Work and Depression

LegacyUser

Bit of a long story but here goes.

A few months back I was unhappy in my current section, lets call it section A. So i put in a request to be transferred to section B (where I used to work). Now a few weeks ago two people from section C got transferred to section B ahead of me and they had only handed in their requests the previous week, one didn't even use a request.

So I went to my union they said they'd look into it went to management who said I'd need to wait four weeks while they try and fill other vacancies. I waited two and was off the last two weeks. Went to the doctor he said I was depressed and most possibly as a result of the events of work.

I am now due back in work in the morning and dreading every second of it. My emotions of the section A are anger hatefilled and a lot more I won't go into. Now what else should/could I do ?

I was thinking of going back to the doctor and getting him to recommend me staying off untill the whole situation is resolved, as the thought of me working while the other two are already where I should be really is offputting to say the least.

Thanks.

Emboss

You went to the doc angry about work and he thinks your depressed.

well shock bleedin horror.

christ.

why not become a doc ? they seem to be making a killing.

Sleipnir

You want to get a cert to stay off work for an indefinate period because "you just don't like the section you're in"?
If the rest of us who don't like where they work (e.g. me) went around like that, our bills wouldn't get paid.

Do you think you should be transferred to the section you want JUST because you want to?
Some doctors think handing out pills will solve any problem and depression covers most emotional problems.

I'd imagine you work in the civil service or Eircom.

bandraoi

any chance that the people who did get transferred to Section B had skills that were immediately required in Section B that you don't?

delly

While i think that earlier responses are a little harsh, i don't think that getting a cert would help the matter. Most people can relate to having a depressing feeling about a bad work situation, but is there anybody else other than your union rep who you can discuss the problem with? How about talking to your own supervisor or boss?

Depression is a pretty serious illness imho, do you or your doctor think that this is the case, or is it that your've just had enough in your current section and think that transferring is the only answer?

leeroybrown

Sorry to hear you hate your job. Considering quitting every 20 minutes isn't fun...

Conversely, have you considered the possibility that in order to move you to "Section B" management must first find a way to replace you in "Section A". Unless there is some specific reason that management don't want to let you move (is there?) you should get to "Section B". Just be careful not to be associated with the word 'troublemaker' in your efforts to speed up the move.

As for a depression related medical cert, they're the kind of thing you get from your doctor as a last resort in order to protect you from being sacked.

Hello Kitty

bandraoi wrote:

any chance that the people who did get transferred to Section B had skills that were immediately required in Section B that you don't?

He said he used to work in 'section B, which means he must have the skills required for it.

You should talk to someone where you work and tell them that your unhappy in your section and ask can you be moved.

Do you not like the section your in because of the people there or just the actual work your doing??

leeroybrown

Hello Kitty wrote:

He said he used to work in 'section B, which means he must have the skills required for it.

Not necessarily. A person might have the requisite skills for some jobs in a 'section' at work, but might not necessarily be the best qualified for the roles that have openings.

A question for depressed@work:
Are the two people who moved to "Section B" in roles that you would have been able to fill equally well?

LegacyUser

I found I couldn't face it today and will have to go back to the doctors later today.
I could have easily filled the roles that the other two got. And I've been told I am a better worker than the other two.
As for not liking the section it's because of the people and the work.

Emboss

well, why not get a new job ? try something different ? do a night course.

do petty things to piss people off and amuse yourself all day.

yada yada.

Stark

Jobs aren't all that easy to come by, especially good ones. He says he's been happy in Section B before. His request for transfer sounded pretty simple. It's a pity managers have to be so stubborn in these regards. It's simple reasoning that a round peg will work better in a round hole so it would be advantageous to transfer him. I've been in the situation where I wanted to quit my job every 20mins for a whole year, it's not pleasant in the slightest. Any time I explained to my manager how unhappy I was and asked could she be more flexible in regards to the work I was doing she simply fobbed me off with "scheduling" excuses which simply meant she couldn't be arsed doing anything.

Hagar

If you really hate the job and you are getting no support from management re an internal transfer apply for an external transfer, if in the public service or large private company. Otherwise swallow it down while you look for another job.

Swarfboy

Speakin' as someone who suffered for years of work related depression in London and was forced to seek out help by my girl as she thought I was about to top meself at any moment, I went to the doc who put me on Prozac which brought me right up but then right down again. The best thing for me was 1) a change of job totally.... 2) started doing some exercise... Definately the later was my recovery more than the drugs, more than the counselling and more than changin jobs. Burnin energy even hitting a bag can be a release...
Also now think that the doctor should have just said "NEXT"....

seamus

depressed@work wrote:

went to management who said I'd need to wait four weeks while they try and fill other vacancies.

Is your dept understaffed? You're not really giving us much to go on here. If your dept hasn't enough staff, but Dept C does, then obviously they're going to get transferred first. There are also numerous other reasons why you wouldn't be transferred immediately. Did you ask your manager for a reason? Did you discuss the transfer with anyone, or did you just stick in a request and say nothing to anybody? Did anybody approach you to discuss the transfer after you put the request in?

I waited two and was off the last two weeks. Went to the doctor he said I was depressed and most possibly as a result of the events of work.

Have to agree with Emboss here. It's quite probable that you're stressed about work, but if you go to the doctor expecting him to say, "I think you're stressed about work", then that's what he'll say, because you'll make sure he does.
Did you have an actual reason to go to the doctor, or were you looking for antidepressants? Although doctors tend not to put the health of a patient at risk, if you turn up on his doorstep, tell him you want drug x because you have symptoms y, then 9 times out of 10 he'll prescribe the medication.

TBH, shying out of work on health grounds won't do you any good whatsoever. If you think you're depressed now, wait till you find yourself waking up at 12pm every day, eating crap lunches and watching ****e daytime TV. Nobody will be ringing you because they're all in work, and you'll begin to feel useless and lazy.

Go into work, spruce up your CV, get yourself some new clothes, and start applying for jobs. Being in a job you hate is awful, we've all been there, waking up and thinking that you couldn't care less if you went into to work or not, feeling your soul being sucked out by the work and your co-workers. The solution? Move. There's nothing else for it.

Beruthiel

seamus wrote:

Go into work, spruce up your CV, get yourself some new clothes, and start applying for jobs. Being in a job you hate is awful, we've all been there, waking up and thinking that you couldn't care less if you went into to work or not, feeling your soul being sucked out by the work and your co-workers. The solution? Move. There's nothing else for it.

couldn't agree more with all of the above, I have moved jobs myself because I wasn't happy in them - you won't feel right in yourself until you find a job you are happy in, why hang around some place that makes you that miserable? it's just not worth it.

frodi

I couldn't agree more with Beruthiel. If you are not happy there and this is not likely to change then be pro-active, go looking for another job. I've done it several times and have had three jobs totalling more than 14 years that I enjoyed. Plus three lasting less than 5 years that I hated/disliked. (one job only lasted one month before I decided to get out.)
Looking for a new job will give you something to concentrate on and help take your mind off your workplace. Also you will have at the back of your mind "I'll only have to put up with crap X weeks longer"

LegacyUser

I was in a similar situation as you were about 11 years ago. It took me a whole year to get out. I did evening courses to improve my lot - in the belief I would get out. I did I just had doubts in the meantime. Just have faith in yourself.

I started with GP and anti-depressants - then psychiatrist once/week.
It dawned on me with about week 3 of psychiatrist this was going no where... I started to dress-up every day. Every week. I would disappear to psychiatrist on Wednesdays - about week 6 I cut the psychiatrist and plugged in interviews at the same time.

Then there were the odd moments where I just needed to disappear- on every day of week towards end - no one asked funnily enough!

I also must have done about 50 interviews. And read at least 10 books on the subject - you need to do this (the interviews - maybe not 50) - eat the humiliation until you get into a interviewing groove - where you have a certain confidence and the right level of arrogance - I can do anything attitude. The interviews were conducted as follows:

I got nowhere with anti-depressants - these wasted at least 3 months of my life - maybe more - just don't know what the side effects will be when I'm 60 - just don't trust them.

Since then I've had 7 employers, well 6 different ones anyhow. Liked it (better) and came back. I've only been ever been "sacked" once. And that was asked to resign as soon as my replacement was clued in... I still have no regrets. Arrogance has served me mainly well. Just don't get too arrogant and you'll be okay.

Never become a bully - just be justifiably arrogant and you'll be fine.

You also need someone who knows CVs and how to massage them. As I'm anon here I just hope someone will find it in their heart to invite a PM so they can do this for you.

I was in a big organisation then and only think it deserved this kind of treatement by an employee - sounds like you are in a similar boat as I was then.

Arrogance (justifiable) not timidity is your only answer. But above all else hang in there; it can only get better than this!