Can I ask your opinions?

[Lizziesaurus]

As some of you guys may know I'm currently in an uphill battle with work due to abcenses. Now 3 of them can't be related to anything other than clumsiness, a car accident 3 years ago and awful coincidences making me think I had DVT (I didn't).

Anyway, what I've been looking for is something that says mental and physical health are one and the same. For example if you get a cold, and if your mood is low it feels more like bad flu or if you get flu your mood gets worse.
Now I FINALLY found what I was looking for and I'm going to see if I can get my doctor to confirm it but I was wondering if you guys agree?

I'm doing all I can to show the 2 are related so I can get work off my back by eventually being covered by the equality act.

A big thankyou in advance :)

[scaredstiff695]

sorry don't no if i fully get this post o sorry if I'm wrong! are you saying that you are looking for proof that mental and physical illnesses are the same?
cos of course they are. people don't ask to have either they are things beyond our control. some people dodon't understand anxiety or other mental illnesses cos they cant see it and can't understand how you can't have control over your own thoughts.
my family are my biggest battle in showing that its not true.
i do have hope that my children will grow up with a better understanding to the world we live in with mental illnesses etc x

[Lizziesaurus]

Yeah that's basically what I'm asking!
So like say I was in one of my depressed moods would I be more like to catch a cold or get the flu?

If I can show there is a connection they can't give me a disaplinary!

[scaredstiff695]

they can not give you a disiplinary for depression anxiety etc. if its on your medical records then its against the law x

but do you mean your more likely to catch something cos of it can't help you their never heard neither sorry

[Lizziesaurus]

No I know but I never rang in with it, I didn't know there was anything wrong at the time but I belive it probably didn't help. In recent years I've been getting ill alot more than often. I can almost think myself ill.

[blueangel]

Hi Lizzie

If I can help out here a bit, as this is an area where there are lots of misconceptions about what can and can't be done. I have to deal with this situation for people a lot as I'm a senior trade union rep where I work.

First of all, it's going to be pretty difficult to prove conclusively that there is a causative link between mental and physical health, as the medical opinions differ and the article below from the BBC website shows that there is still a lot of research to be done on this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8305404.stm

My opinion is that your best line of argument would exist if your anxiety/depression was diagnosed more than 12 months ago, and your GP thinks it is a long-term condition in your case (you will a letter from him/her expressing this for your employer). Long-term mental and physical illnesses are covered by the Equalities Act 2010 (which incorporates the Disability Discrimination Act). If this is the case, then you can discuss with your employer what sort of support you need.

BUT - I need to sound a big note of caution here. If your employers will accept this, please don't think it will make you "immune" to being disciplined/sacked for poor attendance at work, as I'm afraid this is just not true. Under law, your employer has to make "reasonable adjustment" for your condition, but this does not run to allowing limitless absences from work, or making limitless adjustments to your job - the key word here is "reasonable", which can be debated both ways.

A good employer will give people with problems adequate support, which could include access to counselling, adjusting working hours to suit the employee's "best" times of the day (e.g. I used to know a guy with bipolar who worked early mornings as his medication worked best at that time of day) but that doesn't extend to not complaining about an employee who takes 2 weeks off sick with a cold!

In the end, any employer wants their employee to attend work as much as possible, so any support is aimed at helping to making this happen, not just turning a blind eye to any amount of sickness.

Sorry if this comes across as a bit blunt, but these are the facts of the situation. if you want some more detailed advice, please feel free to drop me a PM and I'll see what I can do.

[Lizziesaurus]

Thanks for that, I prefer a blunt approach!!
I understand I can't be immune from all sickness and take whatever I want off, and I've already told them I will take a warning or whatever but I'd like them to understand that the 2 can effect each other, does that make sense? A couple of friends at work have similar problems and are having much the same problems as I am.

It was only October time when I first saw my doctor but I've explained to him this has gone on for years and there may even be evidence of me mentioning mood swings to a previous doctor, but he definitely thinks I'm in it for the long haul.

I have my disaplinary meeting soon, I'm not sure when, not been told yet. But I shall keep you in mind if I need any advice, thanks :)