to ask my GP to sign me off sick?

[plessuregirle]

I'm really struggling with my mental health. Sorry for posting so much. I'm in the process of getting a diagnosis for OCD. I have severe anxiety. Possibly a bit of depression. PTSD. Adult night terrors. My productivity at work is through the floor. My boss doesn't know I have been staring at my laptop doing absolutely nothing for the last couple of weeks. I'm knackered. I'm a lone parent. I get no downtime. I need some time. I'm so worried about letting my very small team down. Lots of people off self isolating etc. Workload very high. I am wracked with guilt for even thinking about going off sick. WIBU to get signed off? Would they have to put on my sick note that I am having mental health problems?

Sorry didn't mean to post so many times, I've asked mn to delete duplicate threads

Of course you wouldn't be unreasonable. Quite the opposite. You sound as though you really need some time to gather yourself.

And please, speak to your doctor.

Yanbu OP, this year is SUCH a tough year for mental health, there's nothing to be ashamed of with putting your own health first.

I feel like a complete failure. I am in the pits.

Do it. You need time off desperately by the sounds of it and being off sick means you can hopefully have some calm, relax, self care time without the added stress of trying to work or feeling like you should be working.

You are not a failure! I think you need to see a doctor because it’s better to take action now, take some time off work and get better than keep going until you have a breakdown which will then take much longer to recover from. If this was a physical illness or you’d broken your leg (for example), there is no way you’d delay getting treatment and taking time off so that you could get better. Please be kind to yourself. Sending big hugs xx

You should absolutely take time off work and do what you need to do and make sure your kids and you are well.
Please do this. Tomorrow.

Is it normal when you have mental health problems to be extremely good at hiding it? I swear my colleagues have no idea I'm even suffering as I am so good at putting on a brave face and pretending to be OK (better than OK in fact)

Can you go part time OP?

I'm already part time. But the other days I have my toddler. Trust me it would be much easier to be at work!

I’m sorry you’re struggling OP. It is normal to hide it and there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. My DP went through something similar a few years back. He had a few months off work and they were very good at not letting him back until he was 100% ready. He thrived after his return and has had a big promotion since then. He’s doing really well now. You will be absolutely fine, make that GP appointment then speak to your boss.

Yes, totally normal for people to hide mental health problems OP.

It sounds like you are too unwell to function properly in work at present, so yes, you should ask your GP to sign you off. Please don't feel guilty, you would get signed off for a physical illness - why should it be any different?

Hope you feel better soon.

I think it's part of the OCD not wanting to have any sick on my record. It's going to be there in big red bold writing and I hate the idea of it. It makes me feel so anxious.

When I was off work with depression decades ago, I wasn’t sleeping and was having terrible nightmares. The GP put sleep disorder as the reason for absence on my sick note, without me asking him to.
You’d be better taking the time you need now, instead of risking getting worse and needing even longer off. It sounds like you’re not being productive anyway. You shouldn’t feel bad, I presume you wouldn’t if you broke your leg and needed signing off?

I spoke to my GP about this today as I'm feeling like you OP. She said I can sign myself off for the first week then ring them up if I need longer.

This is what sick leave is for, to allow recuperation so you can come back stronger and fitter.

I was feeling very similar but got covid. I was lucky and it was mild, but 10 days enforced resting in the house was bloody marvellous even with the little'uns competing for the telly.

Hi op,

I am so sorry that you are struggling.

I had a massive mental breakdown 2 years ago and I could have written your post.

I had anxiety and depression after my daughter was born and when i went to the dr, he said it was hormones and would settle down in a year.

It didn't and I would have panic attacks every time I left the house, this went on for so long it became 'normal' for me.

Everywhere I went I would be panicking, every moment, every day.

I was expecting something terrible to happen at any time.

I was isolated and terrified and utterly exhausted.

I went back to work after a year, leaving the house an hour and a half before work, worried the bus would break down and I would be late and get fired.

At work I was worried that people would see how ill i was, that I was not normal, that I was worrying about something, I was worrying about worrying, my hands would be sweating and i was often breathless and couldn't focus.

I was lucky that my manager recognised I had anxiety and told me to go to the Dr.

I remember taking beta blockers and for the first time in 2 years I finally could breathe, it was like the volume of the world had turned down and I was calm.

That was only the start, I had to take antidepressants after a while, which made me very ill, I could barely function and hardly ate and I had to take 2 months off work. This was the only option for me.

I was lucky that I had an incredible GP, who said she was shocked I had coped for as long as I did.

I also had CBT therapy which was amazing, but I do believe that I needed the meds and time off or it may not have been as helpful. My therapist advised doing something nice for myself. By that point I hadn't even bought myself new clothes ( I was almost housebound and shopping was the last thing on my mind), so I bought a bike and cycled to work and that was great for my mental and physical health, although I was so unfit to begin with.

I am much better now and off a the meds and make myself cycle, even in the rain as I feel like the endorphins pick me up and get me going even when I feel a bit flat.

I look back and think, wow, how did I survive that but I did and you will too.

Don't let it spiral like I did, life is far too short and you deserve to be happy.

Please speak to your gp asap, take time to get well and believe that it's possible. Do something nice for yourself, whatever that may be.

Sending you lots of hugs and hope you feel better soon.

OP speak to your GP.. soon..

I had a big wobble last year OP whilst pregnant although I really don't think it was the pregnancy that was the issue, it was an event at work. It eventually lead to physical health issues too. My doctor signed me off and I stayed that way until mat leave kicked in. It was a godsend as my son was two at the time and it was so so difficult to cope. If you are struggling, just go to your GP, you won't be judged. This year has been unimaginably hard. You and your child will benefit from you being able to breathe a little for a while, that's all that matters. And if you don't and do crash, how will you be able to care for yourself and your child? Act now, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

Please call the GP first thing Monday.

Take the time off: you need it. Your health is more important than any job x

YANBU take the time you need and I hope you feel better afterwards.

Everyone finds different ways to cope. If you feel you would be better at home, then try to take some time off. I hope you get the help & support you need.

I'm really freaking out about another lockdown. I don't think I could handle it.

It’s normal to hide MH problems, yes, though it shouldn’t be. You’re not the pits, you’re unwell. Try and remember that the brain is a physical organ just like other parts of your body. Things can go wrong and cause you to be unwell. You wouldnt carry on working with a broken arm, you’d get treatment and physio etc until you were better.

Having an illness that affects your mental state needs just as much care and attention. You deserve to get support and treatment and to rest so you can heal and learn ways of managing your illness.