To take a sick day for my emotional well-being?

[mumtomaxwell]

I’m not very well emotionally and I can’t face work tomorrow. It’s been a long time coming and actually I can’t just battle through another day. I’ve managed miraculously to get a GP apt in the morning so I want to phone in sick. But I don’t know what to say.

I’m a teacher and in our last staff meeting our SLT talked about how grateful they were to those people who still came in when they “feel under the weather” and “supported their team” So actually I feel terribly guilty for even thinking of going off sick.

my dh battled through and had a breakdown, there were other factors and a history of depression and anxiety, but he's only just back to work 5 months later.

Take a day and do whatever you can to calm your mojo

What does your body want to do ?

Do it and focus on resting your head

Well done. I don't know how you teachers manage.

Take the Day Off. You clearly need it. You need a rest and maybe a bit of reflection on life in general. Dont feel guilty - going in when you are not well helps no one.

I knew you'd be a teacher too. Most of us have been there 😪 a while ago i was signed off for 4 months with stress, i really needed to physically and mentally re build. I moved jobs in that time, to a better and more supportive school.

Is there anything your Union can do to support you? Workload? Don't feel guilty. SLT have a duty kf care and shouldn't be guilt teilling their staff.

You are experiencing stress.
This will be affecting you physically as much as it is emotionally & psychologically.

Be honest & frank with your GP about how you really are.
This is your health & you are primary custodian.
For all the ra-ra messages from your SLT, none of them are as invested in your health as you are.

Your holidays are for enjoyment, spending time with family & friends, & top up your batteries, NOT to recover from a position of flat out exhaustion. This is reasonable.

Prepare yourself today for not having the Sunday night sick feeling as it can start even now!

I would give my reason as mental health. I've done this in the NHS as it's useful to keep track of its progress in case any further incidents occur.
It also means you can get help from occupational health.
It doesn't have the stigma it used to, I worked with children in the NHS for much of the time and it doesn't affect your job.

Well done. Put yourself first - you are important. If you are feeling guilty - don't. The children will be fine and by you resting and looking after yourself they will benefit as well.

If any teacher haters come along being judgemental then ignore, ignore and ignore. They haven't been there, done that and we have.

and nice [biscuits] for you today.

I had to do this on Wednesday. I'm a sw and the workload is immense and I have been steadily experiencing lots of physical symptoms which I think are caused by it.
I battled through Mon and Tues and fell into bed exhausted by 9 each night.
Then Wednesday I woke with a cracking migraine.
I know I need longer but am struggling with leaving my poor colegues with my work as well as theirs as we are all struggling.

Teacher here. Absolutely do not feel guilty. Hopefully you'll see a sympathetic doctor who will sign you off with stress. Look after No. 1 because nobody else will. You need to be in top form to be able to teach and cope with the stupid amounts of stress the teaching involves. In fact, I find the 'teaching bit' is the least stressful of it all- it's all the other shit that is ridiculous. Never-ending paperwork, marking, planning, subject co-ordination, policies, meetings, pressure from the top, expectations of perfection, constant scrutiny, feedback, parents, bad management- I could go on.

I was having heart palpitations by the time I booked a doctors appointment. Had an ECG, checks etc all ok, it was physical symptoms of stress, it manifests itself in all sorts of ways. Got signed off for 4 weeks. The doctor had teacher friends and had seen first hand the effects teaching has.

Have the time off that you need and just do absolutely nothing. Don't waste a second feeling guilty. Hope you feel better soon

@mumtomaxwell, I hope the GP apppointment went well & you got some helpful advice.

to all the posters on this thread.
I wish you all recovery & lifelong wellbeing.
Stress is for sabre-tooth fighting type stuff, not for earning an everyday living.

Had I known then what I know now, I would not have gone all those extra (pointless & gruelling) miles for such short term return.

Good health & resilence (for your own life, not to meet workplace objectives) are precious. Tend well.

Thank you @UniversalAunt that is a wise view.

She’s booked me in again for a few weeks’ time and in the meantime I’ve got some low dose meds to see if they help.

I’ve also had a chat with my head of dept and explained how bad I feel. I can’t wait for the two week break so I can regroup and have a think.

I’m not a teacher, but I notice this happens a lot with teachers. Has this always been the case? It just sounds like the profession is getting harder and harder to work in

It's the same at my school. You have to give a reason. So bloody annoying!
I'm sorry you feel this way OP. I used to feel that way about my previous school so I left. In a much better place now - literally and emotionally. I hope you feel better soon

I think every job in the public sector has got harder because of cuts, absurd targets and performance indicators and new government "initiatives".

I've seen it in teaching, nursing, police, prisons and probation, housing, social work - at this rate, we won't have a public sector. There's hardly anyone in our local community mental health team who was in the team 5 years ago, all the health visitors I used to know have retired or left, a friend who was a theatre sister jacked it in and now does 3 night shifts a week in a care home and the occasional medical repatriation for an insurance company. Another friend who was a primary HT took early retirement last year and a colleague's police sergeant husband is doing the same.

The loss of knowledge and experience in these services is massive, and means the level of service is not as good.

It's a bloody tragedy, really.

Life is short. Your happiness and wellbeing matters. You are a grown up and you are the best person to decide if you need a sick day. I hate this martyr culture that so many work places have cultivated. Unless someone is taking the piss and having every Monday off then there's no serious issue.