When Hadi first heard the words bipolar disorder, he had no framework to understand what they meant. “Prior to this, I didn't know what mental health was, even the word itself,” he says. Receiving a diagnosis marked an inflection point: finally, he could make sense of the experiences he was having and take steps to better manage his symptoms, but at the same time it upended the career track he was on and put his ability to support his family in jeopardy. 

Hadi, who immigrated to Canada from Lebanon as a child, had built a promising career after earning a degree in civil engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University. He landed a supply chain job immediately after graduating. “They were really happy with me,” he says, explaining that he was travelling around North America training people in a new software system. Within a year, though, he suffered a concussion. He left his job and, shortly after, had his first manic episode and was hospitalized.  

“When I first got diagnosed, it was a bit of a shocker,” he says. “Coming to terms with the concept of bipolar and [having] the condition for the rest of your life, it takes a while for you to reach out for help.”  

For several years, he worked to learn more about his condition but resisted reaching out for support, even though he had access to case management services through CMHA Toronto’s early psychosis intervention program. 

Full-time and meaningful employment, a crucial factor in Hadi’s self-worth and stability, remained out of reach. “I was unemployed the entire time during my first two episodes,” he says. “It really took a toll on my own worth. I didn't feel like I was contributing to society or my family.”

A turning point came when Hadi walked into a job bank and noticed CMHA Toronto’s employment program. “I thought to myself, maybe this would be helpful. And it ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made,” he says.  

That was when he met Lindsey Desloges, who was then an employment support worker with CMHA Toronto. Lindsey, who is now Program Manager with CMHA Toronto’s East Case Management Services & RAP, helped Hadi develop an action plan to find full-time work in line with his education and interests.  

Hadi took courses, built his resumé, and secured a role as an analyst with CIBC Mellon. “That was a really good stepping stone to get back into a corporate job, because I was out of the [corporate] job market for eight years,” Hadi explains. 

While at CIBC Mellon, Hadi continued to take courses and refine his skills, completing a certificate in supply chain management from the University of Toronto and another in data analysis that CMHA Toronto helped pay for through the National Employment Support Program.  

“I discovered my passion for data analysis, and so I relentlessly kept studying on my own, learning SQL and a little bit of VBA [programming languages used in data analytics]. I started applying them in my CIBC Mellon job to automate things that would take a few days for a person to do.” 

He appreciated his work at CIBC Mellon, but he was looking for a role that would allow him to fully apply his new skills and certifications. “I applied to Home Depot, and luckily enough, that's where I am now,” he shares.  

Working as an analyst at Home Depot, Hadi has found an environment both structured and flexible. “It’s an amazing job. It's a very small team. I have a lot of influence in the company,” he says. “They empower you to work outside of the normal routines. Forty percent of your job is side projects,” which has been a good outlet when he’s in a “hypomanic phase,” he says.  

A little way into Hadi’s employment with Home Depot, he found himself becoming unwell again. “As we know, mental health is cyclical, and things can come up in life and cause bumps in the road,” explains Lindsey.  

For Hadi, it was the first time he had to navigate a job and a manic episode. “My manager [at Home Depot] is the best manager ever,” Hadi says, adding that the whole company was very supportive.  

When Hadi had to take time off work, Lindsey made sure he had access to additional case management as well as peer support. She also helped him navigate the ins-and-outs of short-term disability (STD): “We were able to offer him some extra funds for groceries and living expenses when there was a gap in his income [before STD kicked in]. Then I coached him through the return to work, which can sometimes be quite tricky.”  

Most of all, though, Lindsey helped Hadi stay focused on good work-life balance and how to manage his mental health. “Work can be a really good thing for our mental health but at the same time, we're working so we can live better, more fulfilling lives. So, we should also be building into our lives things outside of work – family, friends, social supports, activities – to make sure our overall health and wellness are taken care of,” says Lindsey. 

CMHA Toronto’s employment support program works with clients throughout their employment journey, which can run the gamut from finding employment, to having conversations about accommodations, to navigating short-term disability and return to work.  

Lindsey shares that it’s often difficult for clients to talk to their employer about their mental health, and to advocate for what they need to maintain their mental health while employed. “With physical health, it's easier to take a day off. But with mental health, people often feel guilty about taking time off,” she says.  

While workplace and societal attitudes about mental health are changing, Lindsey says “there are still people who think ‘you're feeling sad, just pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Get into the office and leave that at the door.’” This applies not only to some employers and managers, but it’s often a belief that clients have internalized from the prevailing culture. 

Another area that sometimes presents challenges for clients is to request accommodations that might be needed to manage their condition. This often requires sensitive conversations and decisions around how much information to disclose. CMHA Toronto employment support workers are ideally positioned to help people – both clients and workplace representatives – understand what is and isn’t appropriate or even legal in these situations. “We educate clients around what employers can ask and what the client can say if an employer asks for personal information they are not allowed to have. It’s educating everyone that health matters are private and you don’t have to disclose everything.”  

Stable employment is an important contributor to positive mental health not least because it reduces the anxiety that stems from having no income. For Hadi, having a job isn’t just about income, it’s about purpose and about feeling like he is a functioning member of society. “Being able to pay taxes, as silly as that sounds, makes me feel good,” he says.  

With a salary and a benefit plan, Hadi is now able to support his wife and child comfortably. He is very aware that his condition will require lifelong management, but he now has the confidence that, should he become unwell again, he’ll have what he needs to navigate his job while taking care of his mental health.  

“Lindsey has been a beacon,” he says. “I wouldn't be here without CMHA Toronto. Being able to juggle family and work and all that fun stuff while not fully understanding your own condition, it was difficult.” And even though his work with Lindsey is over, Hadi says the connection to a new case manager was seamless. He says “it gave me peace of mind, knowing that my services [with CMHA Toronto] don't just expire. I can't speak enough about CMHA Toronto; I want to become a peer support worker because of [the organization].”  

It’s safe to say that, with his hallmark determination and enthusiasm guiding him, Hadi will successfully achieve that goal, too.