To be signed off ?

[lesenfantsbouef]

Aibu to be signed off for another week after having this week off due to crippling bad mental health ? I went last week to the docs and was signed off for a couple of weeks but I said 1 week would be fine but on reflection I have just been started on a course of anti depressants and am currently being scored as high depression and high anxiety.

I’ve just been signed off for 3 weeks due to poor mental health (anxiety and depression) and it’s really helping to have time to concentrate on myself. It’s also giving the medication time to kick in.

For info I was signed off for stress and bereavement.

Not unreasonable at all. If you're not well (and you're not) then you shouldn't go to work.
You'll be a better worker once you've stabilised your mental health, so take the time if you need it.

Thank you, I am NHS but not an HCP or patient facing. I have had a very hard year (couple of years have been terrible but this year was godawful) and I think it has just come to a head recently.

It can take up to a month for anti depressants to fully kick in, so you can't really judge your ability to cope until you've given them a proper chance. The doctor said 2 weeks, so listen to them. Did they say to come back at the end of that time to see how you are getting on? Because if they did, they are probably going to want to check you again to see if they think you are fit to work before you go back.

Plus most employers don't like people coming in when they have a current certificate, as I understand it invalidates employer insurance.

The certificate says 1 week as I was concerned about my workload piling up etc but on reflection I should've taken the 3 weeks.

Sod the work. Your mental health is so much more important. Take the time. Hope you feel better soon.

In the meantime has anyone got any good self care tips / ways to deal with this depression?

I need to get outside. I need to exercise. I need to limit phone and TV time. I need to make sure I balance the necessary and routine but also remember to do something hat makes me happy. Ok. Less sad some days.
It can get better.