Time off work for health anxiety and depression

Yes it’s true you don’t know what you are taking about

It’s not anyone job to manage anyone else’s mental health, assuming they are all preferable capable adults, if they feel the need to take time off work then they should do so on their own accord, the advice the same.

Yes, I get paid to look after myself when I’m unwell. It’s covered under sickness pay.

Who covers your workload while you sit on mumsnet bashing vulnerable people for doing absolutely nothing wrong but try not to hit rock bottom and potentially commit suicide? 🫶

So are you being paid to do breathing exercises and get fresh air?

Who is doing your work during this time?

It’s very dependant person to person. For example. I got burnt out, and needed some time off work, in that time I visited the GP, got referred to therapy, researched self help for the meantime a while on the waiting list, learned breathing exercises, got fresh air as and when I could and make sure I was eating and drinking healthy.. basically it’s just having the time to do what you need to do to take care of yourself without having to fit that in around a work schedule.

I’m not sure why there’s such a huge stigma about taking time off work for yourself, isn’t that sad? That we can’t just say ‘you know what, I really don’t feel well in myself and I need some time’ without being seen as lazy or taking the piss? Maybe that’s why there’s such a high rate of anxiety and depression now, because there is far too much pressure to be the perfect robotic workhorse with no feelings.

I’m not convinced that all the “put your health first”, “just concentrate on yourself” posters are being quite as kind to OP as they think they are.

Putting your job at risk, and failing to deal with manageable mental health issues without extensive time off will not help OP in the long run. And of course there is the mental health of her colleagues to consider, or don’t they matter?

I'm sure all of us would feel better for having several weeks off in winter.

Totally agree with this. I'm in exactly the same position at work. Someone on and off with anxiety and even when they are in work, they aren't given the more difficult work so that falls to the rest of us. I've big issues in my own life that never leave my mind but it wouldn't occur to me to not work.

Can I ask was you paid for this extended time off?

Who did your work whilst you were off?

Were others put under strain/pressure etc whilst you were off?

More time on Google or forums that validate their feelings and emotions.

Whilst the rest of us are at work, doing twice as much as we should as someone is off sick focusing on their wellbeing!

This .

I had some sympathy until I read OP’s gleeful attitude and complete disregard for her colleagues picking up her slack .

That sounds like a like longer than a week though?

But it's the truth!

What does that actually mean though? Focus on yourself? How do you do that? Is it a week doing yoga or exercises or something? I don't know what focus on yourself means. If she'd broken her leg or something I could completely see what healing looks like, you just sit around, watch TV or whatever, a few exercises if prescribed, rest the leg, it gets better.
Health anxiety though, what does she do with her week off to help this? Just seems like more time to worry about it.
Absolutely genuine question, not being flippant, what is 'focus on yourself to get better'?

It’s clear you don’t have understanding of or empathy with mental ill health. And this sort of comment is not at all helpful.

I took several weeks off last winter for anxiety, burnout and stress. It was the best thing I could have done.

1-2 weeks would t have been long enough. I need med longer to recover.

But now a year later I feel better than I’ve felt for decades.

put your health first.

Is that not what evenings, weekends and annual leave is for?

Seriously a week off to focus on yourself?

Focus on ways to not burn yourself from worry, anxiety, and stress.

Once you develop an untreated anxiety disorder it’s really quite difficult to continue doing your job to the usual standard. You can’t really focus on much else, like your brain is split in two and you end up getting burnt out - I ended up taking 1 or 2 weeks off work because I couldn’t cope but was too embarrassed to say anything.

Not exactly ‘free time’ it’s a lot of time spent in your own thoughts, it’s pretty exhausting.

If you have a week of work for health anxiety, what do you do with all that spare time?

Welcome to the shitty little club 🫶
I also suffer intense health anxiety. I’m currently in high intensity therapy trying to overcome it and it has helped a fair bit. It’s not cured, I’m not sure it ever will be, but it’s much more manageable these days.

I have ocd … but I also used to wake up at night and be actually physically choking. I don’t as having langospasms. Resolved mostly by specialist physio who massaged my neck muscles around my larynx. Maybe this is happening to you after your incident. If you are with a government organisation it’s likely you’ll get more support.

I’m in a similar situation suffering with health anxiety for the past 2 weeks. Have been struggling through work but to be honest I’m next to useless as can’t focus on anything. I’ve made the decision to go off sick from today and contact my GP, I simply can’t go on like this. Please contact your GP again. Feel better soon.

With kindness OP, you will find that your employer's 'full salary sick leave' policy is discretionary. Given that you've only been there for 10 months, I expect you'll find out sooner rather than later if you keep taking big chunks of time off.

I can totally understand wanting to be at home for a therapy session, been there myself. But wanting to do 'mindful, wholesome things' isn't a particularly good reason to take the rest of the week as sick leave.

As someone who once had to take six months off work due to anxiety, I understand the stigma around it. But I also know that it's unlikely you'll feel much different in a week's time, and the longer you put off going back to work the harder it will be to convince yourself that you don't need 'just another week'.

If you are genuinely too unwell to function in work, or going to work is likely to make your condition worse, then of course you shouldn't go in. Your GP will have no issue signing you off for longer if they agree, and can help you work towards a return date with your therapist and employer.

Be aware though, three weeks is a lot of time for anybody to take off in their first ten months. It wouldn't be unreasonable if your employer to worry about this becoming a pattern, especially if it's impacting your colleagues.

Ignore the person being quite rude and not understanding that mental health is just as important as physical health. As somebody who has had acute bouts of anxiety I really feel for you. I would take the week off get signed off from your GP and use some of the time to either get on the wait list for CBT with the NHS or other therapy, whatever they advise, or if you can afford to go private I’d get yourself in to see a therapist for some talk therapy. Often times our anxiety attaches on to things (like you burning your throat, which sounds horrible by the way) but there can be other things going on deep down which is part of the root cause. I’d also talk to your GP about if meds could help as well. Sertraline and therapy really helped me. But of course speak to your GP.

In terms of work, shit happens, we all have lives and I’m sure there will be a time one of your colleagues are off and you have to cover them, it’s give and take. Sounds like you’ve made a good impression there so I would just focus on feeling better and try not to worry, 2 weeks off in the grand scheme of life is not a lot. Hope you feel better soon.

Agree that it sounds like panic (MH professional). Panic is characterised by catastrophic misinterpretation of physical symptoms (so a catch in your throat becomes choking, an ordinary pain in your boob and it’s a heart attack). To see health anxiety symptoms, look up the Health Anxiety Inventory. This sounds fixable, OP.