Category: workplace

PTSD ~ Are you the Black Sheep of your family? I know I sure am

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That was me, the black sheep in our family of four. There was only my brother and me. He was treated like gold, the golden child, while I….you get the picture. My brother and I were having lunch one day, and these words stung “I don’t know why you have problems with Mom. We must have lived in different houses because I saw none of this”.

On their PsychCentral.com blog, this article, written by Jonice Webb, Ph.D., explains:

I’ve met many Black Sheep. It’s my job.

In a recent post called Black Sheep, I talked about some common myths and how Black Sheep are not what they appear to be. They are simply a product of family dynamics.

But today, Black Sheep, I have three messages just for you:

1. Research Supports You Continue reading PTSD ~ Are you the Black Sheep of your family? I know I sure am

Should My Boss Know About My Depression?

For nine years I struggled with depression, resulting in repeated hospitalizations, and scraping by on disability. Life was bleak and meaningless, but long story short, I recovered enough to return to the workplace.

I worked at a call center in a large bank, and although battling depression off-and-on, I performed my duties and worked there for six years. I managed not to divulge my “mental illness” secret to anyone, including my supervisor or close colleagues. (This was in the late 2000s when major stigma was still prevalent in the working world, and although companies were attempting to change their rules and attitudes toward mental health acceptance, I didn’t trust their sudden acceptance or empathy).

It’s a personal decision, one that you may feel secure revealing, but what about the person you confide in? Can they be trusted, will they empathize, do they have “loose lips” and spread the word, or will it bite you in the butt for yearly reviews/raise/no raise?

Rewritten and copyrighted by Deb McCarthy (June 2022)