To ask if you’ve ever been off sick with stress?

[Goldenamber]

(Posting for traffic)

Have you ever been off sick with stress and if so, how did you know you had reached the point where you needed that time off and how long were you off for?

I never thought this would happen but I think I’m at breaking point

Yes, I had a week off after being hospitalised with the worst case of stress induced vertigo the doctor had ever seen. My boss was consistently a fucking goddamned bitch, who I will never wish anything other than ill.

I was being bullied by my manager, workload was too much, in 7 days i had about 8 hours sleep, woke up on the monday morning, got up as normal, driving down an a road, pulled over and walked out into the traffic, the rest is a bit of a blur, but 2 people pulled over and chatted to me until the police and ambulance turned up! One of the people that stopped was a bloke who is a similar age to me, we have been great friends since, before covid, we would meet up once a week, during covid we would facetime, i feel like i owe him so much!

Yes. I had spent weeks crying on my way to work, crying in the loos in the office and crying on my way home. I was shouting at my husband and children and wasn't sleeping. I would think about crashing my car on the way home but the final straw was when the idea of cutting myself with a razor blade entered my head. Thankfully it was enough to shock me into getting help.

Went to my dr as I couldn’t stop crying all weekend. Immediately signed off (eventually for 12 weeks) started on antidepressants and told to get counselling (which I did). Boss, HR and dr were both very supportive, couldn’t have been better.

No, but I should have been. Instead I ended up at the walk in centre on Xmas eve because I thought I was having heart attack. The whole situation wrecked my confidence and my career has not recovered as I no longer care about work - I see it purely as a means to an end and will retire as soon as I can afford to.

Other people in the same situation after I left the role have spoken up, taken time off, and the person causing it was sacked.

I never Was but should have been. Used to cry to and from work. Couldn't sleep well. Used to think about crashing my car or falling down the stairs... Its not worth it. It is only a job and you are not indispensable, no matter how high up you are. They will survive without you while you get well (or get ready to apply for a new job!)

I’m almost at breaking point I think. Part of it is my fault. But it’s my fault because when I’m stressed I simply can’t concentrate on anything or get anything done, I avoid everything. And then it gets worse.

I am dreading work tomorrow. So I will likely stay up all night and then be really tired tomorrow which again makes things worse

Yes. Combination of trying to work full-time and manage kids, in a very stressful role with huge demands with little support.

Sleep was badly disrupted, had heart palpitations, crying to and from work, suicidal thoughts. The latter is what made me go to my GP.

Ended up off for 4 weeks, 2 of which were spent on holiday abroad. Then had a terrible flu for 2 weeks.

Thankfully my boss was hugely supportive. Refused my resignation letter. Took all the most complex work off me for about 6 weeks and had me return part-time.

2 years later I'm feeling good and have the right work life balance even though work is very stressful and was manic for the first 8 weeks of lockdown.

Please get support and help and take time off.

Yes. I was hospitalized too. I called my boss and told him I was unwell and he assigned other stylists to my jobs for that month.

I have been off for stress,due to some pretty horrendous bullying from 2 colleagues which ended with them making a false allegation about me hitting a client. It completely broke me, ruined my life and I had a breakdown. 2 years later it still effects me daily. My work were worse then useless, no support was offered

@Dotty1219

I have been off for stress,due to some pretty horrendous bullying from 2 colleagues which ended with them making a false allegation about me hitting a client. It completely broke me, ruined my life and I had a breakdown. 2 years later it still effects me daily. My work were worse then useless, no support was offered

It's shocking how work place bullying can still impact your life for so long isn't it. I had a bad experience in a job last year and walked away from the job after the manager destroyed my confidence and humiliated me. But I still think about it. On the way back from a recent holiday we had to drive on part of the route I used to have to take to get to that job and it brought back horrible memories again even after over a year of finishing the job.

No, I haven't and thankfully have never been remotely near needing to.

But ..... there but for the grace of God and all that. to everyone who feels so hugely overwhelmed. If that's how it is, then you absolutely need to take time out.

Yes twice.

First when I was 30 I had gone back to work full time with a 6 month old baby and I just wasn't coping. I thought I'd made a big mistake (I hadn't) and got all worked up and couldn't calm myself. I started crying in front of my boss one night and couldn't stop. He was just said "Right, you're taking a week off work. I’ll arrange paid sick leave and for someone to take over your files. Come on, pack up, see you next week". I was mortified and relieved. I slept for 5 days. Turned out I had v v bad PND - once I got some medication into me I could function again.

Second time, same firm, 10 years later. Over 12 years of stupidly long days and stress. I realised I'd really really had enough (couldn't sleep, was drinking too much, lost all joy, trouble concentrating) and resigned, intending to take some time off to recover. Turned out it was the job, I was fine after a bit of sun and exercise. Now I work for myself, it's much better.

Take some time off OP, even if it's just a week. Give yourself permission to recover.