My name is Anne.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar in 2002 though I think I’ve had it at least since I was a teenager.  I’ve been pretty functional.  I’ve got both a BA and a JD, and I’ve been working since 1982.  Unfortunately, in late 2006, my company reorganized, and I got a new supervisor who is slightly younger than I am, has less experience, and has less education.

Also, and I swear that I am not being paranoid, this woman is a sociopath.  She delights in chaos and admits she works best in it.  She will praise you and tear you down within hours.  This woman would praise my handling of a complex file (I handle auto insurance claims, the bad ones–fatalities, serious injuries, complicated lawsuits, etc), and would attack me sarcastically over a minor point where I had closed the claim but had taken a slight shortcut.  She constantly had to prove that she was superior to me.  She attacked my hair, my clothing, told me I talked too much in meetings, told me my colleagues didn’t like me, etc.  My partner had to have emergency heart surgery one morning, and she would not let me leave work!

Finally, in late 2007, my psychiatrist placed me out of work for two months.  Her behavior was affecting me both mentally and physically. 

I returned to work in December of 2007.  I had a car accident three days after I returned.  When I called her to tell her I would be late, her only response was to ask me whether IT had been able to get my computer working!  I asked my company for a new supervisor, and was turned down.

The retaliations from my supervisor increased.  And, the politics are such in the office that others came in for the kill.  I am gay, and those who were homophobic complained about anything they could to my supervisor.  On April 11 of last year I was sent home due to unpleasant body odor–I went straight to my psychiatrist’s office, who smelled no odor, and who placed me on sick leave. 

I’ve been out on sick leave ever since.  My corporate health department requested that I be given a new supervisor, but the ADA committee turned my request down, a second time.  I chose not to pursue a complaint with the federal government.  I have looked into Disability, but I don’t really qualify as the issue is really just this one supervisor, and in this economy I can’t afford to live on less money.  Moreover, I really don’t want to lose a job I love.

So…..

On March 2, 2009, I’m returning to work, for this same supervisor.  The good news is that I have removed a lot of the outside stressors that were in my life in addition to work.  I am in counseling and I seem to have my drug cocktail straight.  I no longer have panic attacks at the thought of this woman.  I really do love the job and I’m very good at it.  I just pray that I can do superlative work, and obey her silly edicts about how I should dress and talk around the office.  I don’t understand why I am the target of so much hate. I think that she simply can’t help preying on the weak.  If you read this, and you are a praying person, pray for me.  Pray that I won’t be weak, that I can instead be strong enough to not let this nasty woman take away my livelihood and a 27 year career!!