Demystifying The Myth I
I recently got a call from a friend on the 2nd day of December 2020. We hadn’t spoken for a long while. 0900h, so I was just settling at work. From the background noise, I could tell that she too was at work. “On the grind?” I asked, “yes.”
I had to excuse myself and requested that we talk in the evening when we were more settled and not working. He agreed. Just before I could end the call Babu quickly chimed in, “I actually wanted to schedule a longer call and wish you a quick Happy Birthday.”
“Aww, you remembered thank you.” It’s always nice when someone takes time to remember you on your special day, even if it’s with a brief call. It was then that it just hit me that my friend, Babu — as we fondly call him — was at work. “Wait! though, did you say, you’re at work? I asked in amazement. “Yes” he responded. “At 9am?” I further inquired.
This came as a surprise to me 0900h is his wake up time because of the effects of the medication he takes every night. He takes them at 2100h and since they have a 12-hour half-life he usually wakes up a bit drowsy and unable exert himself very early in the morning. So he wakes up when he’s able to be active.
What changed? I curiously asked ,“work” he responded “You’re up early, how are you operating’? Are meds?” I was now getting concerned. But he assured me that he was doing well, “Yes, I’m taking my meds. I take them quite early in the evening that means I sleep early as well. I also enjoy my work, it exceeded my expectation and turned out to be a perfect fit for me.”
I asked him how long he’d been there to which he emphatically said three months. I was baffled, “What! three months? Congratulations!! That’s the longest you’ve been employed!” He responded in an uncharacteristically high pitched voice “I know right! Milestones”
Now, you must be wondering why all the amazement at how long Babu had been in employment. Three months is such a short time to celebrate, isn’t it? He’d basically just finished the probation period. There are people who have been employed for decades and no one is making a big deal about it.
Babu had never been employed longer than a month, emphasis on the never. He had an extremely promising future, having graduated top of his class with two job offers even before he had finished school. It seemed like his future had been catered.
He transitioned from college to work where it took him only a month, in both jobs, to know whether the jobs were fit for him and whether he’d thrive there. On realising the system could not accommodate him and his needs and to a great extent the jobs were strenuous to his health, he walked out. To quote him verbatim, “anything and everyone that puts my health at risk I cut off, without a second thought.”
I have seen him live true to his word. From walking away from toxic relationships, to saying no to great opportunities at the slightest sign of risk imposed to his peace of mind. If he didn’t love it and didn’t enjoy it, then he didn’t do it.
For the longest time, he knew that he could not be employed because the system could not accommodate him and ‘his kind’. Maybe I should have mentioned that Babu lives with Bipolar disorder. This is basically a mental disorder where he experiences extreme shifts in his mood. Extreme high, mania, and extreme low, depression which greatly interfered with his activities of daily living. Every time he spoke up to communicate the needs that were necessitated by his mental health challenge it appeared to always work against him.
Now four years later he is employed and had made it to not just one month as was the norm but three! He was clocking his time plus extra hours and still manages to actively engage in his other passions: writing, art, mentorship — for someone who could only work for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, this was commendable. He was loving and enjoying it. Still does. In fact as I share this he is almost completing his one-year contract with hope of a renewal. He talks about his job with passion. It is not a usual thing to see him laugh, let alone smile except in pictures where he is doing what he loves.
Off the back of his candour, this post was conceived — Demystifying the myths and misconceptions surrounding the employment of people living with a mental illness
What was different? Had he conformed to the system or had the system changed to his favour? Was the system attempting to be more inclusive to him and his brothers? What made him change the perception he had toward employment? Was the deal too sweet for him to turn down? or was the employment landscape accommodating in terms of inclusivity of people with mental health illnesses?
He shared with me the struggles he had in the beginning as he sought to fit into a work environment. Off the back of his candour, this post was conceived — Demystifying the myths and misconceptions surrounding the employment of people living with a mental illness.
In his first job he struggled because he had to work overnight, twice a week, which was quite hard on him because he takes his medication at night. He sometimes found himself going off the medication so that he could clock the same number of hours as the rest of his colleagues, putting him at the risk of a relapse. Babu was often not considered as being a team player and recounts being teased by some of his colleagues as being too soft and needing to toughen up. Seeing that this was unhealthy for him, Babu left.
In his second job, Babu also struggled to fit in. He really wanted to work on site but his immediate supervisor always questioned his ability to do so. This is because at the time he used to experience an emotional upsurge and would have breakdowns at work every so often. However, he explained that the high levels of energy, especially in the afternoon, were because his medication had worn off a bit. As such, he found it hard to be settled in one place, so he preferred working on site and not just as a supervisor but doing part of the work with his hands as a way of expending the excess energy.
This was not taken quite well because as a designer he was required to sit behind a desk, most of the time doing research and coming up with concept and design. Babu saw no logic in this since there more people sitting behind the desk designing than were on the ground manning sites. Seeing that he was not being given the opportunity to exert himself in an area he felt he’d do best, he chose to leave start his own interior design business.
He once worked in an organisation where on the first day he disclosed to his employer that he had Bipolar disorder. “Bora sio shida ya maumbile, ni sawa,” when translated means “as long as it is not a physical disability, it’s ok”. What he seemed not to understand was that Bipolar is classified as a psychosocial disorder, which is when a mental illness becomes pervasive and interferes in a person’s functioning. Babu mentioned that during the manic phase, he has high levels of energy, so he works more and can easily become a workaholic. It may be seen as a good thing but it isn’t because during this time he sleeps less and loses appetite. His employer made light of this by saying, “Well I guess during those periods, we’ll be sure to make the most of that energy” as he laughed.
It seemed that even though they were having this conversation, he wasn’t doing it justice. By simply asking the critical questions such as whether Babu was diagnosed, who was his doctor, his emergency contacts and how they could assist him during his highs and lows, he would be handling the matter with the seriousness it deserves. The answers would see to how Babu could be productive and in good health even as he contributed to the goals of the organisation.
I wonder, if you are to hire someone doesn’t it mean they are good at what they do, are worthy of an opportunity to work in your organisation and there is great business sense to having their best interest at heart, thereby ensuring they are well catered for? He seemed to frequently be tasked with more than what was described in his job description. He was hired to work in the capacity of an Interior Designer who mainly dealt with kitchen design and a showroom concerning the same. He found himself having to double as a salesperson as well.
Most days his designer duties would remain incomplete because every few minutes he’d be called from his office to talk to clients. He would also oversee the installation of kitchens. Technically he was also the project manager. One evening he got a call from his boss way past working hours. He was not in the headspace to discuss the matter at hand and on requesting to discuss it the following day it sparked an argument that ended in his decision to leave.
Unlike his other colleagues who seemed to be ok with being insulted, Babu wasn’t and as he tried to plead his case, he was constantly interrupted. He says he was pushed to the wall and he pushed back. “You, know what, this won’t work,” Babu said, “tomorrow I’ll come pick my things”. ‘’Yes come pick your things,” responded his boss.
This was quite interesting because Babu currently works in an organisation where he does both of what he always wanted; spending minimal time on his laptop working on designs -preparing costing- and working with his hands the rest of the day. He manages to strike the balance quite well. As a result, I have heard him share a number of times that he has never experienced a break down since he joined the organisation :)
So, what is the myth that consistently came up in Babu’s journey? That people with mental illness cannot be employed. Reason: the perception that their illness would hold them back causing them to be less effective at their work. Another misconception widely held is that the violent nature in some diagnostic cases will pose a danger to their colleagues and clientele. Lastly they are likely perceived as liability than they are an asset. A liability because of the need to take breaks. If they’re volatile and combative, it means they may not have the best interpersonal skills especially during their bad days and if not equipped with the right coping mechanisms may not be in a position to exercise emotional intelligence when interacting with fellow employees, and difficult clients. This may affect business.
All these reasons sound plausible on the surface but truth is, these individuals as every bit as talented and skilled as ‘regular’ people. We all know of someone who is right as rain but fumbles the ball every now and again. They aren’t written off as ineffective. Instead, we caption it as, learning the ropes. Well, so can one who is diagnosed with mania. Everyone has a learning curve.
Secondly, with proper medication and coping mechanisms, volatility can be kept under wraps allowing these individuals to meaningfully give back to the society and contribute to the growth of the economy.
Lastly, having special needs doesn’t make one a liability, in fact, should provisions be made to meet these needs, employers could be sitting on asset goldmine. All they require is a chance to prove their salt in the employment arena.
There are multiple examples of such exemplary people across various industries, Michael Phelps, the men’s gold medalist swimmer has ADHD, Leonardo DiCaprio has a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder, J.K Rowling suffers depression and Ted Turner and entrepreneur, billionaire philanthropist and founder of CNN together with famed author Mark Twain are bipolar.
Even in doing what he enjoys, Babu admits it’s not all fun and games. There are definitely bad days, pressure-filled days. These are the dynamics of “his trade”. He has lows and highs. He fills his barns during the high season to gracefully go through the low season while awaiting the next high. It isn’t a perfect art and so he consistently improves it with admirable determination. The love for what he does gives him something to look forward to and prompts him out of bed each morning, regardless of the season, irrespective of the products he creates. The passion drives him and the satisfaction keeps him motivated. Above all, he attributes his tenacity to God’s grace which has remained sufficient.
In conclusion, here are a few things both employers and the society at large should know. The likes of Babu need empathy not sympathy. Show compassion & understanding. They too desire to be pushed toward greatness unless that greatness is a wall. Essentially striking a balance just as with any other employee which is at the heart of inclusion. Besides, the law requires more inclusivity and where that is not offered, there could be consequences.
Make sure to catch the rest of the series as we dive into the best practices and the laws and guidelines regarding mental health at the work place.
Originally published at http://strokesandprose.wordpress.com on May 1, 2021.
