Mocking mental health..the last straw

So we have weekly meetings at my job which are painful to sit through. Imagine being forced to listen to Trump for an hour every single week, that's how I look at it.

So this week the financial services guy, who I equate to a sleazy car salesman, was talking about who is our target audience and who isn't. Now he could have done it with tact but nobody here has that. Well he started laughing and mocking people with mental health, bi polar then cracking jokes about people who cut and hang them selves. I was APPALLED and on the verge of tears and ready to walk the F out. As someone who has battled mental health my ENTIRE LIFE it is people like him that make it hard for people like me to ask for help, discuss anything we may be feeling or even get proper care! Last year I was in a very bad place. I was out of work struggling to find a job. I had worked for a big bank where my manager had gotten a hold of my medical records that were for HR for disability on my bi polar. Well he used that against me all the time, mocked me and would write me up over any thing he could. Example, he changed my hours knowing I was getting a second job because I was only part time at the bank at this time. Well when he did that i was in tears, TEARS. I couldn't take the second job so I was stressed about how I would afford to move out of my mom's home with my son. What did this arsehole do? He wrote me up months later when he left for this incident saying I was insubordinate! I was crying that is it!! I hate him and wish horrible things on him daily. He made my life miserable at the bank, MISERABLE! Anyway after I left and because of what they did to me I was extremely depressed. I even had a nice (not really) overnight stay in the psych ward. I was lucky enough to have just received my taxes so I paid my bills up for 5 months so I could look for work and not be homeless. At the time i left the bank I had just moved into my own place about 6 months prior......well while I was out of work I had no money, I was being stalked and harassed by my ex bf's mother and sister (it was BAD) and my ex husband was a part of it and was also harassing me. I was in a bad place. I had never felt so helpless or low in my life... I started cutting, something i had never done, nor am I proud of it. It was a rough time from say February-July of 2017, a time I would like to forget. Oh and did i mention I had no insurance so seeking help was a complete joke.

So when this jerk off started mocking people with mental health issues, someone just like me, something SNAPPED inside. I don't like the word trigger because I feel it's used all too much for the smallest things but I guess you could say I was TRIGGERED by this. I am still bothered by it. I look at him and want to puke. I want to puke that everyone was laughing and finding humor in something they couldn't possibly understand. How is it funny? It is NOT! This is what is wrong with society! People finding humor in something so terrible and believe me being trapped in your mind is not fun!

a reply to: mblahnikluver

don't dwell on it. Turn it into something productive. Like getting a promotion and one day, firing that idiot. Don't let stupid people control your life. If you aren't strong for you, nobody else will do it.

originally posted by: mblahnikluver
So we have weekly meetings at my job which are painful to sit through. Imagine being forced to listen to Trump for an hour every single week, that's how I look at it.

To start a rant off with words about your political stance, makes me think that this rant is retarded.

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: mblahnikluver

don't dwell on it. Turn it into something productive. Like getting a promotion and one day, firing that idiot. Don't let stupid people control your life. If you aren't strong for you, nobody else will do it.

Oh you have no idea the amount of stupid I deal with in an office with 20 people. It is one big adult bully fest and it is deeply disturbing at times.

I keep to myself because i honestly can't stand to interact with these people. They are so out of touch and full of themselves. It's beyond crazy.

I will be starting my own online business in November and I hope to within a year from then be able to work on my own and not for someone else. It's a process but i have a very supportive spouse who is my guardian angel in so many ways. If it wasn't for him I don't know where i would be! He is extremely supportive of me working on my own and following my dream and passion. So one day I won't have to tolerate such vile people.

Sh!t like this pisses me off to no end.

I for the life of me cannot get why some people just act like total arseholes. Its pretty obvious I think by now that most functioning human beings can recognise that actually making fun of mental illness is as about as acceptable as walking up to a black dude and impersonating a monkey. ITS NOT OK!!!!, so don't do it!

I fortunately I have not had any kind of mental illnesses like the OP has had, I do have some personal experience but thankfully not the that extent. I often think mental illness is worse in many ways than a physical one, you an phone into work sick and say you've got a flu but tell them you can't come in because you haven't been sleeping for a week due to anxiety and all of a sudden it becomes a issue.

Ahhh I could go on all day but I am 100% with you on this OP.

If I were you I would be making a written record of this, report it to your line manager or HR representative and report him.

originally posted by: Tundra

originally posted by: mblahnikluver
So we have weekly meetings at my job which are painful to sit through. Imagine being forced to listen to Trump for an hour every single week, that's how I look at it.

To start a rant off with words about your political stance, makes me think that this rant is retarded.

If i you don't like MY rant then go elsewhere. It's exactly how I feel at our meetings. I am far from political. I hate and despise all politicians equally. If you knew my boss you would get the Trump reference.

It's a rant. I can say whatever I want and you are more than welcome to go to another thread.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

Can you just accept that every person on the earth are total assholes? Yes, that includes you.

Double post

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
Sh!t like this pisses me off to no end.

I for the life of me cannot get why some people just act like total arseholes. Its pretty obvious I think by now that most functioning human beings can recognise that actually making fun of mental illness is as about as acceptable as walking up to a black dude and impersonating a monkey. ITS NOT OK!!!!, so don't do it!

THANK YOU! It is appalling how often I have been subject to this but heaven for bid you speak up! Then you are labeled a trouble maker or just crazy. People with mental health already have a hard time talking to people about it and when people just make jokes about it it makes it even harder to open up! I use to be that way but now I'm like screw it. I am very vocal about it because it is not ok. I mean would you make fun of someone overweight to their face? Or would you crack jokes about someone with a disability? No you wouldn't but society seems to think it's ok to make fun of those with mental health.

I fortunately I have not had any kind of mental illnesses like the OP has had, I do have some personal experience but thankfully not the that extent. I often think mental illness is worse in many ways than a physical one, you an phone into work sick and say you've got a flu but tell them you can't come in because you haven't been sleeping for a week due to anxiety and all of a sudden it becomes a issue.

Oh I have been there done that. I will literally just tell them I am sick but in reality I need a mental health day to regroup. I manage on my own without meds and I do ok now. I found ways over my life to deal on my own but sometimes it is really hard. I do have a very supportive support system so that does help tremendously.

Ahhh I could go on all day but I am 100% with you on this OP.

If I were you I would be making a written record of this, report it to your line manager or HR representative and report him.

Oh we don't really have an HR person, it's the owners wife. I do record our weekly meetings for personal reasons. The stuff these people say at times is really wrong and inappropriate for a so called professional work environment. I record meetings because a lot of what we do between the two agencies is illegal in the insurance world, plus the down right inappropriate comments and jokes. Well I just decided one day to keep track of them. Something told me to record them. So I do.....

I just keep to myself. I dont' really talk to many people. I don't have time lol I am too busy! I hope to be done working for others in the next 1-2 years, by 2020 is my goal. I will start my business in November, something I've always wanted to do and will finally get the chance!

originally posted by: mblahnikluver

originally posted by: Tundra

originally posted by: mblahnikluver
So we have weekly meetings at my job which are painful to sit through. Imagine being forced to listen to Trump for an hour every single week, that's how I look at it.

To start a rant off with words about your political stance, makes me think that this rant is retarded.

If i you don't like MY rant then go elsewhere. It's exactly how I feel at our meetings. I am far from political. I hate and despise all politicians equally. If you knew my boss you would get the Trump reference.

It's a rant. I can say whatever I want and you are more than welcome to go to another thread.

I am sorry. Didn't mean to click on YOUR rant, I guess? YOUR rant. MY reply.

a reply to: mblahnikluver

I guess rants also need safe spaces. Sorry about your feelings.

I feel for you, I really do. But we as a society need to toughen up. Every workplace has at least one, or maybe more of the type of arseholes you described.....rude, overbearing, petty, spiteful, hateful, etc. Don't let people like this control your thoughts and life to the point of tears!!

switch your mind off for tomorrow. and no, i dont think anybody wants to be promoted over these people even for the sake of firing them. your life is too worthy to be wasted for that #. somebody else can do it.

originally posted by: Tundra
a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

Can you just accept that every person on the earth are total assholes? Yes, that includes you.

nah, I am a total optimist, I believe that everyone actually just fundamentally wants to be treated like they would like to be treated, I believe that people just want to be seen as "good" in the eyes of their peers even if they never admit to it.

Take the guy the OP is talking about, behaving like an arse hole but I would rationalise it as him feeling like he was being funny, making people laugh, being liked, was just a extremely poor choice of joke and he was behaving like a dick but that there were reasons behind it.

I have this horrible tendency to try to always rationalise the good in people wherever I can.

Honestly makes me a much happier person.

originally posted by: mblahnikluver

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
Sh!t like this pisses me off to no end.

I for the life of me cannot get why some people just act like total arseholes. Its pretty obvious I think by now that most functioning human beings can recognise that actually making fun of mental illness is as about as acceptable as walking up to a black dude and impersonating a monkey. ITS NOT OK!!!!, so don't do it!

THANK YOU! It is appalling how often I have been subject to this but heaven for bid you speak up! Then you are labeled a trouble maker or just crazy. People with mental health already have a hard time talking to people about it and when people just make jokes about it it makes it even harder to open up! I use to be that way but now I'm like screw it. I am very vocal about it because it is not ok. I mean would you make fun of someone overweight to their face? Or would you crack jokes about someone with a disability? No you wouldn't but society seems to think it's ok to make fun of those with mental health.

I fortunately I have not had any kind of mental illnesses like the OP has had, I do have some personal experience but thankfully not the that extent. I often think mental illness is worse in many ways than a physical one, you an phone into work sick and say you've got a flu but tell them you can't come in because you haven't been sleeping for a week due to anxiety and all of a sudden it becomes a issue.

Oh I have been there done that. I will literally just tell them I am sick but in reality I need a mental health day to regroup. I manage on my own without meds and I do ok now. I found ways over my life to deal on my own but sometimes it is really hard. I do have a very supportive support system so that does help tremendously.

Ahhh I could go on all day but I am 100% with you on this OP.

If I were you I would be making a written record of this, report it to your line manager or HR representative and report him.

Oh we don't really have an HR person, it's the owners wife. I do record our weekly meetings for personal reasons. The stuff these people say at times is really wrong and inappropriate for a so called professional work environment. I record meetings because a lot of what we do between the two agencies is illegal in the insurance world, plus the down right inappropriate comments and jokes. Well I just decided one day to keep track of them. Something told me to record them. So I do.....

I just keep to myself. I dont' really talk to many people. I don't have time lol I am too busy! I hope to be done working for others in the next 1-2 years, by 2020 is my goal. I will start my business in November, something I've always wanted to do and will finally get the chance!

I totally would. And have. And you know what. They made fun of me back. Ouch. A world of petty hurt it was.

originally posted by: annoyedpharmacist
I feel for you, I really do. But we as a society need to toughen up. Every workplace has at least one, or maybe more of the type of arseholes you described.....rude, overbearing, petty, spiteful, hateful, etc. Don't let people like this control your thoughts and life to the point of tears!!

Oh it takes a lot to offend me, believe me. Unless you have experience what I have you can't even possibly understand how it made me feel or why it brought me to tears. It was an uncontrollable response.

He might as well have laughed in my face. It is not ok to mock mental health or suicide. I dont' care if someone is an asshole doesn't make it ok.

a reply to: annoyedpharmacist

But we as a society need to toughen up.

AHHHH....no....well ok yeah some of us do..but....

Telling someone with depression and Anxiety to toughen up is like telling a Parkinson's patient to stop all that annoying shaking.

I think this is the problem, there are some people out there who really do just need to grow a pair, but they are not the same people like the OP and I am sure many others who are having panic attacks because the supermarket is busier than usual or loses sleep because just who did Sandra think she was speaking to 4 weeks ago when she said that to me. These are not people who need to toughen up these are people who need our empathy and help.

a reply to: Tundra

yes and some are better assholes than others.

originally posted by: mblahnikluver

originally posted by: annoyedpharmacist
I feel for you, I really do. But we as a society need to toughen up. Every workplace has at least one, or maybe more of the type of arseholes you described.....rude, overbearing, petty, spiteful, hateful, etc. Don't let people like this control your thoughts and life to the point of tears!!

Oh it takes a lot to offend me, believe me. Unless you have experience what I have you can't even possibly understand how it made me feel or why it brought me to tears. It was an uncontrollable response.

He might as well have laughed in my face. It is not ok to mock mental health or suicide. I dont' care if someone is an asshole doesn't make it ok.

No it isnt ok to mock those things. Did you report this person to his boss, or possibly HR?

I've had employees with mental illnesses of one type or the other.
They tend to be rather challenging.