Time off work for health anxiety and depression

[Newbabynewhouse]

I had last week off work due to suffering from esophagitis (I got a pill stuck I'm my throat whilst I was in work and it burnt my esophagus) it caused me to have lots of different symptoms such as chest pain and trouble eating ..it also made me feel like I couldn't breathe properly and my throat was closing. This has been going on since before Christmas but it all can to a head last week when I felt like it wasn't getting better despite taking medication. I called work last week and had the week off however I do feel like I'm slowly improving (fingers crossed) but I've realised I have health anxiety and depression (not sure of triggered by the anxiety) but I can't stop crying over silly things and keep thinking I'm going to die at night when I'm trying to sleep; Waking in the night gasping for breath and getting chest pains.
I now want to his next week off too but feel really guilty as I work in a job where if I'm off, the work will go to my colleagues. I've finally found a job I love and get on with everyone. Been there 10 months now but really feel like I need this last week off as I have a therapy session and want to make sure I'm getting better.
I'm looking for a hand to hold with someone who has suffered something similar and hoping I hear replies saying its okay to have more time off ..

I have anxiety OP and it affects my life so much. I empathise. You won't regret putting your health first. Focus on getting better and before long you'll be back with your colleagues ❤️

What happens when you get to the end of next week and don’t feel ready to return, just need one more week, etc?

Presumably the GP has diagnosed you with health anxiety and depression - have they said they’ll sign you off for another week? I would be guided by them 🤷🏻‍♀️

You have only been in your new job 10 months and have already been off sick for a week. If you have another week off work, you may find your dream job not lasting very long if your employers dismiss you for poor attendance.

You really need to make the effort to go back to work. The longer you put it off the harder it will be, as others have said. Plus working and seeing your colleagues would, hopefully, take your mind off your health anxiety.

Being social, does help a lot, rather than being at home worrying about things.

Yes, so that's 1 sickness occasion within a year.. which is one occasion.. its 3 within a year to trigger the Bradford factor which I haven't done. Trust me, going to work will not help, I was in work for 2 weeks when it first happened and the stress of timescales made me feel worse. I have my therapy session tomorrow at 2.30 for an hour so don't want to be in work for that as I can imagine I might be in a bit of a state. I want to focus on getting myself better this week by doing mindful, wholesome things and seeing a Dr too

I will make sure I force myself In the following week. I need this last week off to focus on myself and do my therapy session/see a Dr. My gp hasn't diagnosed me with anything yet as I haven't been since I went to AandE for an endoscopy however, will go tomorrow

Do you mind me asking what dort of health anxiety you have? I keep feeling like I'm having a heart attack at night and waking in the night unable to breathe.. I feel like my throat is swelling and find it hard to eat properly

I have OCD and my symptoms are more around contagions and getting ill... I worry about contamination. So it's not health anxiety, but it does still have a huge impact on my life.
I take sertraline for my anxiety, plus see a therapist... are you on any medications? Sertraline transformed things for me when I started taking it. It took a few weeks to kick in, but really stopped my body going into panic attacks (so I felt better able to deal with the obsessive thoughts).

Hi op, I have ocd and since I’ve had my children it focus’ more around health anxiety. I feel you, it’s awful, and unless someone has experienced it they have no idea just how debilitating it can be. That said, going back to work might actually distract your mind.

Just a word of warning. The Bradford factor isn’t as simple as the number of occasions. It’s the number of absences x number of absences x number of days sick which gives a score. If you’ve had a week off already you have a score of 7. If you’ve have another week off your score will be 56. Where I work, that would trigger a formal review.

Deciding you need a whole week off before the week has started seems like a drastic step.

You mention three periods of sickness to trigger Bradford factor but when you’ve got less than two years service they can chose to end your employment for pretty much any reason they like.

It may be more beneficial for your employment prospects to take each day at a time, and take time off for appointments as required.

Also, check your employers policy on time off for appointments. For some it needs to be leave rather than sick leave.

The description I read of esophagitis doesn't make me think you should have needed a whole week off of work for that. Many people work while living with annoying or uncomfortable health conditions. What job do you do, OP?

I can’t see how another week off is going to help you.

You must do what you think is best for you but I think you need to be more aware of the potential impact it may have on your job. You’re making yourself vulnerable. If they believe you’re starting to be unreliable they can sack you whenever they want.

Aren’t you going to need a Doctors “fit note” for this next week. You’ve already self certified, so can’t for this second week.

Could be totally wrong, but I always thought it was the case for anything more than 7 days, which includes the weekend.

This was why I assumed the OP had already seen the GP - as you can’t just decide that you fancy another week off without the doctor signing you off as unfit to work!

Are you sure that’s health anxiety and not a panic attack or general anxiety.

Health anxiety is hypochondria, they are the same thing, and it’s constant fear you’ve something wrong with you despite all evidence to the contrary, ie sore stomach and you think you’ve bowel cancer and keep focusing on it, convincing yourself you’ve got it.

id see my gp, as anxiety can be medicated with beta blockers,

I'm not sure.. I do feel it's health anxiety as I have recently also been getting pains in my chest and thinking I'm having a heart attack despite having an ECG recently.

Of course I can. If I don't feel well enough, physically, mentally or both to go to work, of course I can have it off.

Yes, I have one to pick up this week..signing me off for 2 weeks (covering last week too)

I suffer from OCD too.. so must be related. Takes me about 10 mins extra to leave the house in the morning as I check all the plugs over and over 😞

I would have thought doing something and spending time with colleagues would help take you mind off things? To predetermine to take a week off seems a bit strange.

That sounds like a panic attack.

I would suggest trying to go back to work. Work is good for us. It gives routine and structure which helps when mental health is poor.

Bradford scale is usually 3 occasions or 10 days. If this is your second week off will you hit 10 days? And then you'll struggle if you need more time for something else later in 2026.

Can you afford to be without pay? I'm amazed you seem to feel you need a fortnight off for what you've described.

And either not get paid, be on SSP, and potentially risk your job. 👏🏽

😃 I get paid in full for time off. I could technically take months off if I wanted to but I don't feel I need that long. Also, if you don't feel well enough to go to work..ehat do you do? Force yourself in? How sad for you👏