Thread by @tamar_whyte

1. I’ve been reflecting on the nature of working relationships #LXP staff have with other team members. The nature of open diagnosis for the role means that most see SU first & colleague second, if at all. It makes it impossible to develop the same level of working friendships >

2. which most ppl have a chance to develop. The relationship is based on placating rather than equality. The #LXP experiences smiles, nods or silence when challenging poor practice. No challenge back, because they have no power and are not worthy of the effort of challenging. >

3. The placating and false smiles can have a much darker impact on #LXP staff. A belief that they have developed real working relationships & friendships with staff, that they are respected and cared for, can develop. This is NOT because they have attachment issues, are needy >

4. or have issues. It’s because making friendships is what happens at work & when most have experienced working environments before they accept this as the norm. They don’t realise that the working relationship with them is a therapeutic one in the minds eye of their colleagues >

5. with the great big barrier ands fake placation that comes with it. The fake placation goes beyond the barriers you are open about when you keep work & home separate. How are #LXP staff to know the difference? In other ends of the extreme, some LXP staff describe being left >

6. out of staff social events. Their status as a SU is one that is very obvious to all. Colleagues turn away, avert their eyes if they see them in the street. Both ends of the extreme are extremely hurtful, whether overt or covert. Personally, the covert has hurt most, as with >

7. overt bigotry and saneism I have known where I have stood. The grief that goes alongside learning your treasured working ally(s) have covertly upheld the same beliefs but disguised them can be so damaging. It is disorientating & blinding to the gaslighting it is. >

8. I am in in various minds as to how dark this is, how deep the conscious saneism & bigotry is vs. the unconscious, where it is so normalised ppl cannot see it or the damage it causes. The telling thing is that when it is pointed out, ppl do not listen, instead blaming the >

9. #LXP’s diagnosis for their legitimate raising of issues of being treated differently to other staff - both Institutional Saneism that is not addressed & bigotry on the part of colleagues. How long can people blame either their #LXP colleagues ‘pathology’ / their own ignorance>

10. for this? It needs to stop 🛑 ✋#LXP staff are equal to the people they work with and are deserving of the same respect.

Please unroll @threadreaderapp ☺️