Sick note - anxiety. What to put?

[Godivehadenoughalready]

Hallo. I’ve posted before on this but I wondered if anyone had advice on how to phrase a sick note if I’m off work with anxiety/depression.

My work is very male oriented and competitive and I know they will be very negative about it. I’m looking for another job but don’t want to be pushed out before I find something. I am basically really struggling and stressed, cannot concentrate and am not sleeping. I just want some space and privacy for 2 weeks to get better mentally.

For what it’s worth, I’ve never had any sickness time off before in four years with my current employer, apart from the odd day here and there.

What can the GP write that won’t give me away or publicise the fact I’m struggling with my mental health? It’s mainly my home life that’s the issue but it’s affecting my confidence at work massively.

Generally unwell?

Do GPs actually put the health problem on the certificate? Mine always writes the same thing - ‘Unfit for work’, but I’m overseas so it might be different.

My experience is that you don't get to tell the doctor what to put. You can certainly request that they keep the info to a minimum but I don't believe they are allowed to put down a lie i.e. you are off with MH and ask them to put tonsillitis etc. These things all get logged on your medical records so it is actually important that they get logged correctly.

There should no shame or embarrassment from being stressed. However, my recommendation is to self certify for the first 7 days, which is normal legal process. Visit your GP before the 7 days is up and ask them to sign you off due to your MH and stress. If you do need to make something up for work then can you tell a white lie along the lines of " a family member is unwell and it is a real stress having to visit and care for them"? That way, you are off for stress but it's stress that has no connotations connected to it. Although I strongly reiterate that there should be no shame connected to mental health issues. If you had a sore leg, or a sore head there would be no shame. Your mind & spirit needs looking after too.

General malaise used to be used

I'm in in Ireland and once the cert specifies that you are unfit for work that's all that is needed.
Maybe its different where you are.. You should just ask your GP is she can write 'unwell adult' or 'medically unfit for work'. Both are true in your case.
Hope you feel better soon

Unfit for work. Hope you feel better x

I'm sure the doctor would write stress or anxiety, whatever they diagnose the cause of you being unfit for work is. Sounds like this is something you are planning so could you perhaps self-certify for a week with whatever illness you decide to have and already have a weeks leave scheduled in that follows on from that.

Does the seven days include weekends? So if you were off mondya, you'd need a sick note from the following Monday or would it be Wednesday?

I doubt they would lie tbh. Are you sure your work would be negative? I work with all men in a competitive sales environment and we don't always get along but when I have struggled, I've found that they have immediately closed ranks around me and even taken on some of my workload without me asking. Sometimes people surprise you.

I think the GP generally is obligated to put the reason OP. You self certify for the first 7 days anyway, then go to the GP. I think this was advised in your prior thread.

Your health is more important than this though and anxiety is not a lesser health condition. I would be cautious of falling into the trap of believing that you 'just' need two weeks and ot will go away though. Unfortunately it is unlikely to work that way. You are entitled to take as much time as you need and is necessary if you are struggling to cope. Self certify and then have the GP sign you off for whatever period of time is required to deal with this properly. As advised on your last thread, if you take 2 weeks and go back, then go off sick again, you may hit a company sickness trigger point as they usually work on incidences of sickness in a period of time, not the length of any one.

As others have said, the GP won't lie on the form and to does generally give a reason. It needs to be accurate for records and workplace risk assessments etc.

You can self certify for 7 days and then you require a sick note. Like others have said, if you're really struggling then you need some proper support and intervention.

Your reason for absence should be kept on a need to know basis and not be common knowledge around the team.

I went through a very bad time a couple of years ago (non work related) and suffered extreme anxiety. I didn't want work to know why I was off and explained my reasons to my doctor (male dominated workplace) and she put General Dibility down. Stupidly went against docs advice and went to work anyway but it was comforting to know she had my back.

It’s interesting that’s it’s different in different places, isn’t it? I mean I know lots of things are different in different places but I wouldn’t have expected this to be one of them.

My doctor helpfully used 'sleep problems' instead of stress. Would that work?

Non work related stress
Exhaustion