Name	Alison
Age	30
Education	BA, Russian and American Studies. Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, CIM Diploma, MRS Diploma.
Circumstances	Single
Job history	Marketing / project management in a range of companies
Job title	Freelance Marketing Consultant
Place of work	Various organisations: advertising / direct marketing agencies, charities, some companies
Sector	All sectors
Organisation size	Range from 15 -200+

For years I tried to hide my mental health problems - from myself as much as anyone else. At work, I would never dream of telling anyone and worried constantly about what people thought of me. As a result, I always endeavoured to make my work perfect, which usually meant working ridiculously long hours and being taken advantage of. This facade became more and more difficult to sustain. I began to suffer major headaches, and when I got home from work I'd cry for hours. By the age of 27 I was experiencing regular episodes of depression and panic attacks, and after an extended period of sick leave I attempted suicide.

I think the culture of marketing contributed significantly to my problems. People tended to be obsessed with their work. Getting to work at 8am and staying until 10pm was considered diligent, rather than excessive. When I found it difficult to cope, people were very unsympathetic. No one was allowed the time they needed, or to work in the way that was best for them. I moved from organisation to organisation, and occasionally found that employers did try to make adjustments. Often, however, such adjustments included being patronised or allocated work that was below my abilities.

I now work for myself, which means I can reveal as much or as little to people about my mental health as I want. Having the freedom to work the days I want means that I actually get a lot more done. Stress is no longer a problem, and I am finally enjoying the work that I do.

	My experience has made me empathetic and understanding when it comes to my colleagues. I've often been called on by superiors, many of whom who don't have time for their staff, to deal with personal problems at work. I've also come to learn that I am the best person to allocate my workloads and manage my time.

	When I decided to go public about my mental health problems at work, I felt my previous achievements were completely wiped out. Despite my strong track record and the fact that I'd built up a strong team, I was now deemed unreliable and unable to cope.