Canadian Politics Today

People don't realize how crippling mental problems like anxiety, depression, bipolar, etc are.

My work place promotes a culture of mental health, talking about how people should not stigmatize mental ill-health, and offering resources for people who might be struggling.  I am lucky in that I could take time off to  regain my own health. 

And then I had my performance review and one of the goals suggested to me was to improve my attendance.  If I was ill, and they supported my efforts to get myself well, it confuses me as to why this would be brought up - it is a mixed message, I think:  "Sure we understand you were sick, but come to work anyway"?  Would the same goal be suggested if someone had suffered a severe physical trauma that kept them home for six weeks?

There've been two suicides among our 130 staff members in the last few years.  After the second one, the messaging on mental health became a lot more insistent.  But I think I'll suggest somewhere that if one is mentally ill and dealing with it means taking some time off work, that absence shouldn't be noted in the performance review.