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Occupational Health
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
I know I've written a thread about this before, so sorry for repeating, but GAH I JUST CAN'T HANDLE IT ANYMORE.
So I applied for a job because I don't think I can get into uni. I got the job but a woman from occupational health just called me up and :crying:.
The woman on the phone didn't like that I couldn't give her a reason for my depression, she kept pushing and pushing. :no: And because I couldn't give her a reason (she said that if I had said I was depressed because of bullying at school or something it would have been OK) she thinks that that makes it more likely that it will happen again and therefore I have to go and see their doctor otherwise I wouldn't be able to get a "satisfactory occupational health screening". And my job offer is conditional on a satisfactory OH screening.
So now next week I have an appointment on Monday for the uni OH health people, and on Tuesday I have an appoinment for the job OH people. I'm fed up of the way people are talking to me like its my fault. I wish I never got help for any of this, my doctors' surgery was so crap anyway that nothing really came of it, so all I'm left with is a shit medical record, half of which isn't even true.
I understand why OH exists etc, but its just the way whoever I talk to makes me feel so shit about myself, and somehow they make me feel that I'm not capable of doing anything. As if they would just love me to say "Yeah, sorry. I did have depression, that obviously makes me a really unstable person, unsuitable for the job, I'm sorry I wasted your time applying".
So I applied for a job because I don't think I can get into uni. I got the job but a woman from occupational health just called me up and :crying:.
The woman on the phone didn't like that I couldn't give her a reason for my depression, she kept pushing and pushing. :no: And because I couldn't give her a reason (she said that if I had said I was depressed because of bullying at school or something it would have been OK) she thinks that that makes it more likely that it will happen again and therefore I have to go and see their doctor otherwise I wouldn't be able to get a "satisfactory occupational health screening". And my job offer is conditional on a satisfactory OH screening.
So now next week I have an appointment on Monday for the uni OH health people, and on Tuesday I have an appoinment for the job OH people. I'm fed up of the way people are talking to me like its my fault. I wish I never got help for any of this, my doctors' surgery was so crap anyway that nothing really came of it, so all I'm left with is a shit medical record, half of which isn't even true.
I understand why OH exists etc, but its just the way whoever I talk to makes me feel so shit about myself, and somehow they make me feel that I'm not capable of doing anything. As if they would just love me to say "Yeah, sorry. I did have depression, that obviously makes me a really unstable person, unsuitable for the job, I'm sorry I wasted your time applying".
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Comments
How are you feeling about it all now? Sounds like you had a particularly rubbish experience with this woman from occupational health and that your GP has also let you down too - the two combined have left you feeling understandably downhearted.
It's really frustrating when we know there are decent people out their in the field, but still there are also people who's empathy skills leave a lot to be desired!
Having said that, perhaps Monday will be more positive and you'll be able to talk more confidently about your experience of depression and the experiences you've had that show how much you've achieved in recent years. It sounds like there's a difference between the impact on how these meetings and conversations are making you feel about yourself and the reality of how you are as a person and what you're able to cope with and get on with. Also, it’s good to try and remember that people do want you to do well and aren’t willing you to fail in the way it might sometimes seem.
In terms of getting more informed support, the Mind Info lines might be worth a try, there are a few covering different areas.
Hope you’re feeling a little bit better and keep us updated on how it goes from here.
I'm feeling a bit better now, just gonna go into these appointments and tell the truth. Sure I may get ill again - and it may have an impact on me in the future, but surely thats the same with everything? What matters is that right now I can do the job, and having depression or not, doesn't necessarily make a difference to that.
So yeah, will let you know how it all goes
Hope it goes well for you. Good luuck!
I had to see the occupational health a fortnight back to assess my current condition. I went through a full medical only to be told that they'd got my paperwork confused and I'd only really needed to talk to one of the doctors for 5mins, lol.
Still, I got some positives out of it. My eyesight is still very good, considering I'm the only person in my entire family who doesn't wear glasses or contacts and was told at 10yrs old that I'd need glasses by the time I was 12. My hearing is very good, which has always been a concern since I got tinnitus in 2004. And my lung function is pretty damn good despite being a smoker since 14yrs old. So it was worth the trip
Didn't tell the whole truth :rolleyes: but I really don't want self-harm on my medical record, and quite often people hear that and are like :eek: . Meh.
First one was for uni, this second one was for a job as a healthcare assistant.
Will you still be taking the job if you get into uni? Or is the job definitely just a back-up?
Well if I do get into uni (gah I hate saying that ) I'll have to drop the job come end of September, but I may work up till then, or at least up till when they can hire someone else. I really didn't want to mess them around, but I couldn't hold off getting back to them until after I got my results - feel a bit bad tbh.