How to Deal with A Mentally Ill Coworker
Don't Assume, Diagnose, or Label
Just because someone displays these symptoms, however, does not necessarily mean they are mentally ill.
If you've noticed a negative pattern of changes in a coworker's behavior, or if you see that their performance or attitude has slipped significantly, do not assume that mental illness is in play. You are likely unqualified to render a diagnosis. Plus, given the stigma of mental illness, such labels often serve to alienate.
Life Stressors Can Also Cause Changes In Behavior
Negative changes in behavior could indicate that the employee is facing serious life stressors rather than mental illness. For example, financial or marital strain, caring for a family member with a serious illness, or coping with one's own recent medical diagnosis could each cause a person to become distracted and sullen.
Consider the following situation as an example.
I once worked with a woman who was behaving erratically. She was frequently out of the office, was prone to mood swings, and was unproductive. She spent a lot of time on personal phone calls, lashed out at others, and could not be counted on to honor deadlines.
For months, a secret had plagued her, and no one knew it until her secret hit the newspaper. Her husband was under indictment for federal tax evasion charges because he had spent thousands of dollars on high-priced call girls and then mischaracterized his expenses as "business expenses." He had been caught in a federal sting operation.
My coworker was facing divorce, single parenthood, and trouble from the IRS (even though she was an innocent spouse). Her husband was meanwhile facing a federal prison sentence, loss of his business, unwanted fame on the 6 o'clock news, and hefty legal fees. No wonder she had been difficult to work with!
This just goes to show that it's never safe to assume.
