Boss Type: Scrooge Boss

Depression - It's all in your head

Scheduler, Connecticut

This is a story of a former boss, as my current one is pretty terrific.

I was working for a rising star in my department. Initially I enjoyed the job, as we were working on exciting projects. However, around this time, my mother became very ill with cancer, and at the same time, I found out my husband was cheating on me, and so was initiating divorce proceedings.

While I was careful to meet all of my benchmarks, I became seriously clinically depressed. I sought medical help, and was managing to survive, and still meet goals at work, but I was in a very dark place and was not able to work extra hours and exceed my basic goals.

My boss, being the rising star, called me into his office and asked me why I suddenly wasn't meeting his standards. After explaining that I was clinically depressed, the situational details, and how I was managing that condition, he looked at me and said, "Get over yourself - its all in your head. Depression isn't a real illness. So your mom's gonna die - everyone dies." He then threatened to fire me.

Fortunately, I went to his boss who was understanding and immediately transferred me to another department where I could focus on more routine tasks while I was battling the illness. But the cruelty of those remarks stayed with me for a long long time.

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