Boss’s Reply To Woman Who Took Time Off For Her Mental Health Is Quickly Going Viral
A woman named Madalyn made it clear to her boss that she needed time off for her mental well-being, and his reply is rapidly taking the internet by storm.
Our mental health is something that needs to be taken care of, just as much (if not more) than our physical health.
Madalyn Parker has struggled with mental health issues most of her life, and wrote a captivating piece discussing her personal experiences on a blog in 2015.
In it, she writes:
“I’ve lived with anxiety for as long as I can remember. I was the child who cried during emergency drills at school because my brain actually went into emergency mode; I couldn’t handle the thought of not being able to say goodbye to loved ones. I would become physically ill worrying about the well-being of others, things I had done wrong, and internally-fabricated impending doom. For the most part, it didn’t really have a major impact on my life until high school when I started experiencing panic attacks. My condition worsened through college (exacerbated by an abusive relationship), incorporating a depression component, and by my fourth year I was on prescribed medication and seeing a therapist once a week.”
Then, she landed the perfect job. Only one thing was bothering her- the medication stopped working. Madalyn wrote about her worries and feelings of despair, and wondered how she could effectively handle the situation.
“I don’t want my colleagues to think that I don’t like or care about my job. It’s literally perfect. I don’t like how little I’ve been able to accomplish lately. How can I have an honest and frank discussion with my superiors about my mental state and still have them trust me to get things done and value me as an employee?”
According to Madalyn, the vast majority of people who responded, told her it was a horrible idea to mention anything about her mental health to a superior.
Well, in June of this year Madalyn’s mental health became an issue for her, and she describes this on Twitter:
Too distracted by my health (anxious, depressed, injured) to be effective at work.
Too worried about my work to be effective at self care.
— madalyn (@madalynrose) June 28, 2017
Despite the previously received advice from her friends and followers, Madalyn emailed her boss, letting him know that she would be taking time off for her mental well-being.
Ben Congleton is the CEO of the web development company where Madalyn works. His response to her email has gone viral, and you can clearly see why:
The overwhelming response on Twitter to Ben’s reply is one of support. With over 40,000 likes, and almost as many comments, it’s obvious that mental health in the workplace is an important topic which should be addressed more often. And more openly.
That’s awful! Mental ? Health ? Is ? Health ?
— madalyn (@madalynrose) July 11, 2017
Had to do a double take to realize your boss and your company are so awesome! I wish at least half the companies on the planet were as nice
— The Zooter (@BluntBong) July 6, 2017
I wish I could even begin to feel comfortable enough to communicate such a thing to employers
— SeeNoWeevil (@SeeNoWeeevil) July 12, 2017
That is bloody incredible. What a fantastic CEO you have. I hope one day to work with a business with exactly this attitude.
— John Kearney (@JK1440) July 1, 2017
Mental health is something that needs to be addressed in the workplace.
According to Mental Health America, depression ranks among the top three workplace problems for employees, and “often times a depressed employee will not seek treatment because they fear the affect it will have on their job.”
The World Health Organization reports that more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression, worldwide. Chances are, you know someone who is suffering- most likely silently.
Remember, there are support systems available to you and those you love.
