Depression, feel guilty as need to go off sick

[Kowalczyk]

Just that really.. Struggling with depression and stress to the point its taking over my life. On waiting list for counselling.
Have recently taken annual leave to try to rest but not feeling any better. My manager knows I've been depressed and has been trying to support me as best as possible, but I feel I need a complete break. Aibu to feel guilty to consider time off with a sicknote? I work across 4 different sites so my absence could inconvenience 4 different teams😔

I'm always of the mindset that you put yourself before your work. You have to be a priority to yourself and getting some rest sounds like a great idea. Work would replace you fairly quickly if you weren't around, so don't prioritise them.

I was just searching mumsnet looking for answers to this as going through something similar.

I have had a lapse in my depression and have just phoned in sick. I'm front line social work and know that my team will have to carry the weight but I am unable to make any descions and am bursting into tears at work daily. It's just being off make me feel guilty.

I also haven't been honest that it's my mental health as I already feel so exposed. I've said it's a relapse in a physical illness I have.

How are you feeling today

I'm sorry you're going through this. You are not alone and you are not being selfish to put yourself first. Depression is very hard to deal with in the best of times but during a pandemic it can be so much harder. People have died from depression during the pandemic, it is not spoken about so much in the media due to covid but please take a break so that you can heal. If you had a broken leg you would be resting it.

If you broke your leg you'd take 4-6 weeks off to heal. Or if you had abdominal surgery. Or got meningitis. The list goes on! Depression is an illness just like any other. You're entitled to and should take time off the recover. It also shows some initiative by actually looking after yourself, its just your depressed brain will view this negatively but afterwards in hindsight you'll realise it was the right thing to do.