FIGHTING BACK

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2019 :: RMTnews 25 It started just after my daughter was born. My GP put it down to post-natal depression. I had severe delusions surrounding my family, feeling alienated and paranoid. Fast forward two years and my spending and mood swings were out of control. My new GP thought I could have bipolar disorder and referred me to psychiatric services. Initially they were unhelpful and kept saying it was my personality, but then they changed their minds. At this point I moved house and had to start all over again. My new GP referred me, but my psychiatrist would not diagnose me with bipolar until they had either seen me whilst manic or they had assessed me for eighteen months. This process had already taken a year! Eventually I had said episode, but I recognised the symptoms and called the crisis team who talked me down and gave me medication to calm my frenzy. But this floored me, and I was unable to function for three days. My psychiatrist finally diagnosed me four years after my symptoms first started and prescribed medication and therapy. My employer doesn’t really understand the illness or mental health generally. The first time I had off sick was just after my daughter was born and I'd returned to work. When I came back from nine weeks off, thinking I had post-natal depression, the manager told me that to get over my illness I should just love my baby. I submitted a grievance and he was reprimanded for his remarks. The only other time I've had off sick due to my bipolar was during the process of diagnosis. I came back to work and they tried to put me onto the medical capability system. Being active in the union has meant that I know my rights, so I pointed out they were being discriminatory and they dropped it following a consultation letter from occupational health. I decided to use my experience to fight for better understanding of mental ill- health and against discrimination against workers with mental health problems. The most effective way to do this is through the union. I have been elected onto the RMT’s national disabled members’ advisory committee and am now its vice-chair and I have been elected by my regional council as disability officer. To support workers’ mental health, get active in RMT! *RMT’s disabled members’ conference takes place in Plymouth on April 27 to 28. If you are disabled (which includes having a mental health condition) and would like to attend, please speak to your branch secretary. RMT is running two one- week residential courses on Mental Health at our National Education Centre in Doncaster on May 20-24 and September 9- 13. These are open to all RMT members and are fully funded by the union. If you would like to attend, please apply online on the union’s website or speak to your branch secretary. To find out more about disability issues or the work of the union’s national disabled members’ advisory committee, please contact its chair, Janine Booth, j.booth@rmt.org.uk DISABLED MEMBERS SPEAK OUT FIGHTING BACK Becca Masters, a revenue protection officer based at London Bridge station, describes her experiences with bipolar disorder, the barriers her employer put in her way and how she fought back with RMT EDUCATION: Becca running a workshop on mental health at RMT's disabled members' conference last year