ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMILIANO PONZI
qualifies her for extended time
when taking tests. However,
her instructor now repeatedly
questions her potential to
succeed in future jobs, and she
feels excluded by classmates. So,
while she experiences fatigue,
cognitive difficulties and
sometimes uses a cane, she has
decided not to disclose her MS
to her instructor—because she
fears further discrimination.
Situations like Amy’s,
where a person receives
accommodations for a
disability, may fuel resentment
by peers, says Joffe. She notes,
for example, that people who
don’t know about an MS
diagnosis may mistake fatigue
for laziness. Problems can also
arise when a person shares his
or her diagnosis: Colleagues
may observe inconsistent
MS-related symptoms and
decide a person is faking her
illness.
That was the case with Karen*,
who worked for a small company
and used a wheelchair only on
days her symptoms flared. “My
co-worker believed that you don’t
use a wheelchair unless you’re
paralyzed,” she says. “That’s
when the bullying started.” The
coworker repeatedly attacked
Karen’s character and misled her
on work tasks.
They’ve got your back
“To be mistreated is difficult
and injurious, and it’s not always
clear what to do,” says David
Rintell, Ed.D., a psychologist
with Partners Multiple Sclerosis
Center in Brookline, Mass.
Having MS can make people feel
isolated, and it’s important not
to become even more isolated in
a bullying situation.
Building bonds with
coworkers you trust helps to
create allies, which in turn
helps to deter bullies. Accept
coworkers’ invitations to
coffee, lunch, or even hallway
conversations. If fatigue isn’t an
issue, join coworkers for after-work get-togethers when you
can.
Workplaces may have
unexplored resources for dealing
with bullying situations, as well.
Employee assistance programs
(EAPs) can connect you with
a counselor, who can help you
create coping strategies. If the
organization has an employee
