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Cubber and all, Here is my original response to your original post on this subject. I'm sure that by being 4 pages deep by now that few of you who posted opinions have read it. Please do, as I believe some of you have made some pretty rash judgements. I am not taking sides, but merely pointing out that Mental disabilities are better left to the professionals. Read below: ********************************
Cubber, The mind is a complex aspect of man and its hard for us, who go through life being able to cope with all the ups and downs, stressful and non stressful times to understand what goes through the mind of those among us who have unbalances such as depression, anxiety attacks, etc. Do not judge this man just because you percieve him to be normal, because you have no idea what is going through his mind on a day to day basis. There are many people who went through life as normal as the rest of us, who suddenly find themselves in a state of mind that they cant escape. It may not be obvious to the rest of us, but we cant see the turmoil and crisis that person is experiencing at the time. This person you know may well be able to work in his garage at his own pace and work on tractors in a very theraputic way, and be able to go to a show where there is no pressure, and be able to function. This same person may not be able to go to the grocery store and wait in line. You just dont know. When I was into restoring cars, One of the people in our Chevy club was very much like the person you worked with. He experienced depression to the point that he was suicidal, but none of us knew it, all the while he was considered one of the best 55, 56, and 57 Chevy people to exist. He was on equal to Guy Fay as far as his knowledge of his hobby. None of us knew that he had these demons, and none of his mental problems were obvious to us, yet he was forced to take an early out at G.M., becuase he could not function in that atmosphere. He still paints cars, and he still fights depression. So it well may be with the person you know. Just be glad you havent read his obituary prematurely, and pray that you wont. as to your boss explaining everything to you, If he told you any thing more than the fact that your co worker was on medical leave, he is in violation of this workers right of privacy. If he volunteered anything pertaining to the diagnosis, or even prognosis, he is leaking confidential information that could get him in trouble. Human resources has a right to this kind of info, but they do not have a right to broadcast it. They do, however have every obligation to respect and protect the privacy of their employees. Put yourself in the shoes of the other guy. Would you like it if your foreman blabbed to the rest of the crew that you had a medical condition which may be embarrassing to you? I think not, primarily because it is nobody elses business. The best thing you can do, is when you see this person at a show, say "Hi", and treat him as you would want to be treated if it were you. Im sure that if everyone else around him feels as you do, that he feels pretty isolated by now, which can exaserbate the problem. Yes, by your definition, he may be supported the same insurance that you pay into, but at the same time, you don't know but what you will have to rely on the same insurance fund sometime in your life. Do you want everyone to question your integrity also? Let it go, and be thankful for your own mental stability and sanity.
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