December 12th, 2007
‘Should I tell my colleagues I’m depressed, or keep pretending I have a virus?’
I have been suffering from depression on and off for about 10 years. Recently it has got so bad that I have had to take time off work. I was forced to tell my ultimate boss, who has been fairly supportive, though clearly knows nothing about mental illness. I work at a bank, where the culture is macho. My persona at work is aggressive and upbeat, so I fear that if anybody finds out I am severely depressed they will conclude I’ve either gone mad or can’t hack the job. So far I have told them I’ve got a virus, but I don’t know if people believe me, and I think they may be talking behind my back. In some ways it might be easier to tell the truth, but I fear for the consequences.










