This happens at the pharmacy I work at. The worst is when someone makes a crack about “the crazies at St. Charles,” something I’ve heard 4 times in the nearly 2 years I’ve been working there. The nearby St. Charles Hospital is best known for its psych units. Every time I’ve heard that crack I just bit my tongue while my blood boiled, though it’s been a while since I’ve heard it. My coworkers don’t know about my illness; my boss, the lead pharmacist, is the only one who knows. I just hold resentment toward the person for a while, then get over it. The most recent thing that bothered me was a coworker calling a patient’s Zyprexa his “crazy pills.” This stuff just irks me.
My pharmacist tech asked if I wanted my ap too they could fill it a day early…she used its proper name…so I said which one…she said your skitzo pills…I responded you me my make me a normie pills? Her face went white when she realised what she said…so i laughed And then we both laughed…they know not what they speak and often don’t realise they are being hurtful…but calling someone’s meds their skitzo pills is kinda offensive…just let it go…
Fyi if you share your dx with them to help put a face on the illness. They will still slip up and say things like that. It may help them understand a little better, but that kind of talk is so ingrained in our society. I shared with several of my co-workers they don’t treat me any different. However they still can’t stop there mouth. Just got a let it roll of your back. I’ve decided I’m not taking it personally I know they wouldn’t intended to offend me. Don’t think things will change in our lifetime.
I’ve considered telling them about my illness, so that maybe they would think before they speak and, like @5713 said, put a face to the illness, let them know that I’m one of those “crazies” that they joke about. Hell, I was in St. Charles just a few months ago. I don’t know, I just feel so awkward talking about it face-to-face with people. I’ve even thought about making a fb post, sort of coming out of the psychiatric closet; four of my coworkers are on my friends list. I always chicken out on that one, though.
Shortly after a hospital stay this past June, I sent him a text telling him that I don’t know what I’ll do the next time someone makes a crack about the crazies at St. Charles, though he didn’t text anything back, or ever bring it up to me at work, though I didn’t work for another month after my discharge. I haven’t heard that crack since, though.
Yeah, I worry about that. Some people at my other job learned of it when I had to take time off last summer, and they seem to look at me differently now.
I’ve come close to doing that too, and still consider it an option. My concern is that I work in education and worry about the wrong person finding out and losing my job. But aside from that fear I think it’s a good idea to “come out” and show people what sz looks like. It looks like me.