AIBU to take a sick day when I feel overwhelmed?

The problem we have with calling in sick is that so many people take the piss that it becomes frustrating for employers and so they become excessively strict on people who are legitimately ill because they can'ttell who is real and who isn't. This thread 100% confirms that - so many people trying to help you lie to your employer.

Sick leave in the UK is at it's highest level ever currently. We are not sicker than we were 10 years ago, we have just developed a culture of entitlement, laziness and a lack of professionalism and commitment.

Could you get signed off for a week or so? Is one day going to make a difference?

I wouldn't, then. What happens when you're overwhelmed and you take time off is that you just dwell on things, sitting at home, and you get even more overwhelmed.

Haven't you just had 2 days off for the weekend? What difference is one more random day going to make?You can't plan to be ill. If you need time off, book holiday. If you cant handle your homelife and your job, start looking for a new job that is manageable for you?

You should absolutely take a day to reset. Your manager should be open enough for you to say you need a mental health day but doesn’t sound like they are. Just say you’ve got a migraine or stomach bug

Migraine 👍

What a bloody unhelpful and unpleasant comment to someone who is clearly struggling.

Sorry your workplace is so poor on their acknowledgement of any kind of mental health issue, that you feel so overwhelmed and then need to lie to get a day off :(

That is terrible!

Anyway, the one I have always used for a single day is migraine.

And then - start looking for another job who actually acknowledge that mental health exists and is important.

The empathy argument could just as easily apply to whoever has to cover OPs workload.

One day, particularly taken on a monday or a friday, is more noticeable as taking the piss.
Especially when there was a big England game on in the middle of the night.

Why would the taxpayer be picking up the slack? What a stupid bloody comment just to stick the boot in on somebody struggling - what a sad person you are.

I've used the migraine excuse, also have used the food poisoning excuse. The most inventive one I have used is that I slipped on the ice and hurt myself. Obviously you can't use the slipping on ice one at the moment!

Taking a day off work for mental health reasons is difficult to explain so it is much easier to use another excuse. Hope you feel recharged after your day(s) off.

I’ve lied and said I woke up in the night vomiting when I’ve needed a day off for mental health but didn’t feel able to disclose that. I said I woke up in middle of night and was sick and still feel queasy and nauseous and haven’t been able to stomach any food so staying at home.

The next day I said that I wasn’t sick again in the end and started to feel better as the day went on so I was okay to go to work the following day.

I did this the other week as felt like I hit a brick wall. I also felt guilty about ringing up as I wasn’t physically sick but it was honestly the best thing I could have done.
I had 3 days where apart from doing dishes I just laid in my bed and on the sofa and did nothing except nap, scroll and watch some TV and by the end felt so much better and back to my normal self.
Overwhelm and exhaustion can really take its toll on you.

A bit of kindness and empathy wouldn't hurt you.

Migraine is also a good call. If you have ocular migraine, you can't drive, you get vertigo, sickness, headache. And the heat can bring it on.

If you don't get paid when you're not in (are you sure you shouldn't even get stay sick pay, which isn't much?) then surely you can just say you don't want to take the shift and not come in, instead of calling in sick?

Vomiting.
You shouldn't come in if you have a vomiting bug. Just take the day, and another if you need to. Your MH is vitally important - every bit as much as your physicalhalth, but there is a stigma to it, so I think this white lie is fine.

@Cercif you don’t want to call in sick as you’re anxious about lying (I completely understand this, I couldn’t do it either, goes against my morals), why don’t you just book a days leave for later in the week or (if they need more notice), early next?

A couple of days every now and then is fine x

Take off as long as you need. I'm sure the taxpayer and/or your colleagues will happily pick up the slack.

Don't get somebody to call for you. Say you are unwell with migraine. Use the time to pull back a little and get some support.

Yeah, I have a banging headache but forcing myself in because of this. I didnt even watch football.

Book some holiday, or tell the truth.

I don’t think a lot of places accept someone else calling in for you unless you’re physically incapacitated. It specifies in mine and my husband’s employee handbook it has to be you calling in.