Mike gets back to work

by Sally Burningham

Mike is over the moon. He is just been appointed as a trainer on a scheme to help people with mental health problems back into work. 'It is not a job I would have thought about even three years ago, but my own experience of mental health problems has changed my outlook on life', he admits. 'I hope I have become much more understanding and aware of other people's needs and of the importance of combatting the stigma surrounding mental health.'

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Mike, who is in his early 50s, had a responsible job as branch manager for a large distribution company. However, about 10 years ago, after a very painful divorce, things started to go wrong. 'I threw myself into work to escape from my loneliness and distress, often putting in a 70 to 80 hour week, and in addition pressures had built up due to shortage of staff.' Reorganisation by the company proved the last straw. Mike suddenly found himself working under someone he had very recently trained. 'I had taken a couple of months off due to stress, and now I found I wasn't enjoying my work so just before Christmas I decided to resign.'

He had been 24 years in the same company and fully intended to look for another job but his mental health suddenly started to deteriorate. 'I began to experience depression and anxiety attacks and found I could only leave the house when it was dark.' Mike didn't seek help and one night in November the following year, with his confidence and self esteem at an all time low, he took a massive overdose. 'I woke up at 4 am and started being terribly sick and eventually decided to ring for an ambulance', he recalls.

getting help

'The good thing about my hospital stay was that I saw the psychiatrist and realised that help was available.' He was put in touch with a community psychiatric nurse who visited him regularly at home. 'We got on really well, perhaps because we had both spent our early working years in the Royal Navy. When, after a couple of months he suggested I might like to see an employment adviser who worked with people with mental health problems, I agreed though I had no idea at all then what I wanted to do and certainly didn't feel ready to go back into management.'

The employment adviser from Rethink (formerly the National Schizophrenia Fellowship) Employment Services in South Essex (see preparing to work again), talked things through with him over several visits. 'Because I had mixed feelings about applying for a job at that stage she suggested working as a volunteer at one of their training services, the garden and pet supplies shop in Basildon, as an interim measure to build up my confidence and get back into a work routine.'

raising self esteem

Mike has spent three months at the Basildon shop helping with trainees because he was used to training. 'I found they were really appreciative and often asked me to show them how to do things which did wonders for my self esteem.' He chose to go in five days a week as he wanted to treat it like a proper job. 'I had no motivation to do anything when I was stuck at home but now when the alarm goes off in the morning I think 'I'm off to work. That's great.' It has been a wonderful experience and my psychiatrist has promised to reduce my medication very soon if I continue to improve in this way.'

When a vacancy occurred for a training assistant for a new NSF service, a pet supplies shop and factory at Hadleigh, Mike applied and was accepted. It will be a fulltime paid job helping to train people in a range of skills and build up their confidence. 'I'm not sure what the future holds but I am so happy to have this opportunity. I'm back to being at least 80 % of my old self', Mike concludes.

help and info

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To find out more about returning to work check out our features employment – know your rights and preparing to work again.

organisations

National Association for Supported Employment
22 Marsh Green Road
Marsh Barton
Exeter EX2 8PQ
Telephone: 01752 306640
E-mail: nase@plymouth.gov.uk
Website: www.nase-org.co.uk
The Association's aim is to provide an authoritative, influential and unified voice on behalf of all organisations, managers and officers, whether in the voluntary sector or local authorities, involved in the delivery of the Supported Employment Programme.

National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland)
130 East Claremont Street
Edinburgh EH7 4LB
Tel: 0131 557 8969
E-mail: info@nsfscot.org.uk
Website: www.nsfscot.org.uk
A member led organisation that works to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of those affected by schizophrenia and other mental illnesses, including families and carers. Provides community-based services, information/education and promotes greater understanding of schizophrenia.

Oakleaf Enterprise
101 Walnut Tree Close
Guildford GU1 4UQ
Tel: 01483 303649
E-mail: info@oakleaf-enterprise.org
Website: www.oakleaf-enterprise.org
Supports people with mental health problems by offering a range of occupational activities, which encourage the development of interpersonal, practical and academic skills. Offers training and support in IT, printing, administration, upholstery, catering, commercial packing and gardening.

Rethink
30 Tabernacle Street
London EC2A 4DD
Tel: 0845 456 0455 (general enquiries) (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
National Advice Line: 020 8974 6814 (Mon-Fri 10am-3pm)
E-mail: advice@rethink.org
Websites: www.rethink.org or www.rethink.org/at-ease (for young people)
Dedicated to improving the lives of anyone affected by severe mental illness, by providing information, advice and advocacy services, raising awareness of mental health issues, and challenging the attitudes that create stigma. Website has sections on employment, money, benefits and legal rights.

websites

Department for Work and Pensions
www.dss.gov.uk
Government department responsible for employment, equality, benefits, pensions and child support. The website has a range of benefit information and advice for those of working age, to help them to achieve financial independence.

National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
The Citizens Advice Bureau service offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice, on information such as debt and consumer issues, benefits, housing, legal matters, employment, and immigration. This website contains details of local CAB centres, and a link to the CAB Advice Guide information website.

New Deal for Disabled People
www.newdeal.gov.uk
The New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) is piloting a range of initiatives to help disabled people and those with long-term illness into work and training through the Government's Welfare to Work approach.

reading

Mental Health in the Workplace: Tackling the effects of stress by Dr Penny Gray (Mental Health Foundation, 2000)
This booklet reviews the effects of stress at work, and those factors in the workplace that can cause or contribute to stress. It addresses the ways in which employers can help to create a psychologically healthy work environment, in which the effects of stress are minimised and managed, and employees are supported in using and developing their abilities and potential; and it looks at the recruitment and retention of those experiencing mental health problems.
Free to read on Mental Health Foundation's website www.mhf.org.uk

Mind Guide to Surviving Working Life by Alison Cobb (Mind, 2000)
Those who lose their jobs through mental distress can face a hostile world when they return to work. Having a job to go to can positively help recovery, but work stress is now more of an issue than ever. This booklet gives practical tips and sources of advice on staying well at work.
For details on how to order, please see www.mind.org.uk

(October 2001, resources updated December 2004)