Thank you so much for posting this explanation of just what "work" and "episodic mental illness" is and how the two just don't compute - I'd almost wish the curse of "episodic" mental illness on Kevin Andrews - just so he'd know what the hell he was jabbering on about - except not even I am cruel enough to wish a mental illness on anyone, even someone as patently sociopathic as Kevin Andrews (!) You illustrate beautifully just why people with a mental illness such as yourself and myself just aren't suited to the 9-5, Mon-Fri, 40 hour week that is expected in today's workplace. If I didn't have a mental illness I would be having enough trouble getting work - but just try telling a potential employee you have one - you'll be out the door in no time!
The last 2 jobs I had were back in 2007/2008 and both I basically left before they were about to kick me out anyway. I've got bipolar, but this is exacerbated by having PTSD (which simply was to add insult to injury or is that injury to insult?). So if you have a mental illness and want work - you not only need to be as good as the best other candidate - you have to better than them, way better. Because given the choice of hiring "Miss A" with disability vs. "Miss B" without disability they'll choose Miss B every time. And even though I've always lied in job interviews about there being anything wrong with my health, increasingly over the years it has backfired on me as they quickly find out that I'm a little bit.. quirky... different. Unstable.
Thanks for having the guts to come out and say it as it is in a public forum. As it is I'm simply to scared to speak about this openly.
How is this for irony? When the report came out from Kevin Andrews that he wanted to see people on disability pension with mental illness onto Newstart and "back into work" I was having a major, shall we say "episode" and was in a psychiatric hospital. One of the patients that I made friends with there and bonded over talking about politics with - he actually went to SCHOOL with Kevin Andrews. And yes, he was just the kind of snitching unpopular teacher's pet you would expect. What a surprise.
Anyway, I'm loving reading your "blog" (or whatever you might call this thing) and will devote myself to reading it further. You have a new devoted reader in me :)
In the meantime, I'm just hoping (while intermittently hyperventilating into paper bags and trying all my best self soothing attempts to avoid panic attacks) hoping that the more revolting and punishing parts of this budget do not get passed the Senate and these horrible men are tossed out at the next election. Despite my previous involvement in lots of radical activism, it feels like all that we can do is hope and wait and pray (despite being an atheist and all that) that the Australian public see's reason, that the PUP senators realise populism against the budget plays well and this regressive punitive budget doesn't get passed.
All the best,
The_Pirate_Blues (that's been my handle since the coalition got elected anyway)
P.S. I spent approximately half my life (when I add the time periods up) living in Perth myself. I'm located in Melbourne now - as a progressive and political person - I just love this city!
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timeasmymeasure
The Conversation
Thank you so much for posting this explanation of just what "work" and "episodic mental illness" is and how the two just don't compute - I'd almost wish the curse of "episodic" mental illness on Kevin Andrews - just so he'd know what the hell he was jabbering on about - except not even I am cruel enough to wish a mental illness on anyone, even someone as patently sociopathic as Kevin Andrews (!) You illustrate beautifully just why people with a mental illness such as yourself and myself just aren't suited to the 9-5, Mon-Fri, 40 hour week that is expected in today's workplace. If I didn't have a mental illness I would be having enough trouble getting work - but just try telling a potential employee you have one - you'll be out the door in no time!
The last 2 jobs I had were back in 2007/2008 and both I basically left before they were about to kick me out anyway. I've got bipolar, but this is exacerbated by having PTSD (which simply was to add insult to injury or is that injury to insult?). So if you have a mental illness and want work - you not only need to be as good as the best other candidate - you have to better than them, way better. Because given the choice of hiring "Miss A" with disability vs. "Miss B" without disability they'll choose Miss B every time. And even though I've always lied in job interviews about there being anything wrong with my health, increasingly over the years it has backfired on me as they quickly find out that I'm a little bit.. quirky... different. Unstable.
Thanks for having the guts to come out and say it as it is in a public forum. As it is I'm simply to scared to speak about this openly.
How is this for irony? When the report came out from Kevin Andrews that he wanted to see people on disability pension with mental illness onto Newstart and "back into work" I was having a major, shall we say "episode" and was in a psychiatric hospital. One of the patients that I made friends with there and bonded over talking about politics with - he actually went to SCHOOL with Kevin Andrews. And yes, he was just the kind of snitching unpopular teacher's pet you would expect. What a surprise.
Anyway, I'm loving reading your "blog" (or whatever you might call this thing) and will devote myself to reading it further. You have a new devoted reader in me :)
In the meantime, I'm just hoping (while intermittently hyperventilating into paper bags and trying all my best self soothing attempts to avoid panic attacks) hoping that the more revolting and punishing parts of this budget do not get passed the Senate and these horrible men are tossed out at the next election. Despite my previous involvement in lots of radical activism, it feels like all that we can do is hope and wait and pray (despite being an atheist and all that) that the Australian public see's reason, that the PUP senators realise populism against the budget plays well and this regressive punitive budget doesn't get passed.
All the best,
The_Pirate_Blues (that's been my handle since the coalition got elected anyway)
P.S. I spent approximately half my life (when I add the time periods up) living in Perth myself. I'm located in Melbourne now - as a progressive and political person - I just love this city!