Internal Branding

Speaking Bipolar prompt June 2024

Photo by Brandi Redd on Unsplash

stigma (n.)

from Greek stigma — mark of a pointed instrument, puncture, tattoo-mark, brand

related to stizein — to mark, tattoo

I nearly went manic in June.

Since 2014, every 3–4 years I “break.” Typically it’s a deep, dark depression with a mixed episode thrown in. Life circumstances feel like they’re spiraling out of control and I go down with them.

June was no different.

• My company did a massive overhaul in February, upsetting a lot of employees. The department I work in was hit pretty hard.
• We lost 3 employees because of the overhaul, and one for unrelated reasons. We’re barely getting back to not being understaffed.
• Our previous manager, a walking nightmare, is no longer with the company, but the chaos she caused in all of us is still taking time to dissolve.
• Clearly, our department is a mess.
• I started taking on too much to help out: training two people, taking on two clinic referral queues, putting together a reference manual for the department.
• On top of everything, my commute to work is 45 minutes one way. For someone who doesn’t enjoy driving, it’s rough.