Thank you for your opinion. One of the problems is my boss and supervisor are NOT being supportive, don't want to hear about anyones problems or health issues, etc. They just want us to do what they say or be disciplined or fired. The pressure and stress is unbelievable in the last 6 months. I have been there 24 years, I know my job and I do it well but they have cut staff, we have more work, they require the work be done in impossible time limits, etc. I have told them this is wrong and we need more help but they say no, you will do this or else. I found out another coworker was having stomach aches. She went to the boss and the boss said she didn't have time to see her. The coworker went back to work, got worse, told another supervisor, went to employee health who took her to the ER. They thought she was having a heart attack. She has ulcers and wound up having surgery. All stress from this job. My supervisor has been in the ER with stress related symptoms--irregular heartbeat. People react differently to stress. I have been hiding a lot from family and work. I told a few close friends but the last few months have been awful. I almost lost it when I asked for a day off to take son to a doctor who has very limited office hours and was told no, I have had your intermittent FMLA taken away. She was so happy with herself when she told me. I had never been told either. They just do not care about the employees and I think they want those who have been there years to leave. I will not quit...they will have to fire me. I can just hope this psychiatrist they want me to see will tell them yes, I need time off and better yet tell them I need more than just 3 weeks off, which my doctor okayed.

Is there any way the doctors could co-operate better? Also, since they want you to come when you are supposed to be at work, they should know about your situation at work. Could they make any concessions for you to come at other times, considering you don't want to loose your job? They should understand that too. Also, failing that, do you have any other support people who could help you take your son to the doctor? And perhaps your mother should know about your son, since she loves you, and if he did die, then how would she feel? I can't judge your situation because I've never been in it, and don't know what your mother's condition is either. But somebody needs to help you on the ground level, not just your superiors at work. I hope you can think of someone who just might be willing to help you...keep writing to us so we can be an outlet for you too!

THANKS!! I went to my family doctors office today to pick up my short term disability forms he had to fill out and told the nurse that my job is overreacting and wanting me to see a psychiatrist. I hoped she would tell the doctor but probably won't. I have been keeping a diary of when my supervisor says something out of line to me and when I saw my work counselor, he knew about her threats but I took him copies of emails where she threatens with disciplinary action if we don't do as she says. As it is, when my job requires you to see a psychiatrist, the work counselor has to meet with you first and he gives you the psych evaluation test. I did call a good friend at work who has gotten on the good side of the boss and she knows all I have been thru over the year. She is going to try and talk to our boss about all this. She says you have enough proof to show all thats happened with articles, medical records, police report, ER reports, etc and I should be okay. I am still very concerned because if this doctor decides I can work then I could be fired. I would like to know what to say to convince him I am in no shape to work but I don't want to go on any meds.

Hi ann, I wish I had some answers for you. Hopefully some other members will be able to shed some light on this very delicate issue if they have been through something similar. Also, you may want to go back to the employee counsellour. They might have some answers/advice for how best to deal with this. It must be awful working in such an unsupportive environment. I would suggest continuing to keep your family doctor as informed as possible about these events. What does he/she have to say about them asking you to see a psychiatrist? It may even help to keep written documentation of stressful situations that involve this supervisor. Is there someone above or higher up than this person that you could go to? I wish you the best with this difficult situation. Please keep us posted as to how you are doing. Casey __________________________________ The Depression Center Support Team

Without going into a lot, I need advice on when I see a psychiatrist. The last 10 months have been very upsetting to me but I have been able to hold myself together thru it all. My son almost died and has been seeing doctors since Dec. to find out what happened and why and having many tests. Three weeks later my moms home was broken into and she was attacked and many other things I won't mention for her privacy. I never told my mom about my son's illness so after her attack, she came to live with us for awhile. It was so hard sneaking out to take son to doctors while she was here. She is not doing well but son is getting along day by day and we just hope this doesn't happen again because next time (IF) he could die. During this time, I was doing all I could do to make appts on my days off but occasionally I did need to take a day or two off here and there from work and my supervisor was very understanding. Six months ago my supervisor was fired and a new lady hired. She has been very bossy, nasty, inconsiderate and when I told her I had intermittent family leave for sons care, she called HR and had them make sure I qualified for FMLA. They told her they made a mistake and I did not qualify for FMLA even tho they had sent me a letter saying I had. When I needed off to take son to a doctor because he was having problems from a previous surgery, she wouldn't let me off. That's when I found out I no longer had FMLA. This lady refuses to hear anything employees say. I saw my employee counselor and he said 6 other coworkers have been to him about her. She constantly tells us you will do as I say or else. Her emails constantly warn you to do this or be disciplined. I saw my family doctor and told him I am stressed beyond belief, having shoulder and arm pain and feeling awful and I want some time off from work. He wrote a note and they are having a fit. Now they want me to see a psychiatrist to prove I am faking this and can work---and if the psych agrees I am fine, I will probably be fired. Has anyone been thru anything like this? Can they fire me? What advice can anyone give me when I see the psychiatrist to prove I am stressed out and it is due to my job? I have been there 24 years and love what I do but the stress and threats are too much. I have been looking for