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 ..

Some people have to, you seem rather blasé about the whole situation, you are naive if you don't think this won't impact your role long term, especially after only being there for 10 months.

I'm not off work for the esophagitis. I worked with that for 3 weeks. The esophagitis is what triggered my anxiety and anxiety attacks making me feel like I'm choking in the night, not eating properly and feeling like my throat is closing up. It's given me bad health anxiety where I'm not sleeping and crying alot, I almost called an ambulance the other day as felt I was having a heart attack. I don't believe people who have suffered from anxiety/depression truly understand how debilitating it is.. and working a stressful job to tight timescales isn't helping me right now. I work in a LA dealing with sensitive information, a very busy office environment

How old are you and are you on HRT? I had terrible health anxiety and heart palpitations which have been made much better with HRT.

See your gp if your anxiety is bad enough to miss work

Have you been to your GP about anti-anxiety medication etc?
I would of thought work would want to know what steps you are taking to get better and what reasonable adjustments they can make.

Yeh, like most people do. It would be very rare for most places to allow unlimited sick pay for unlimited periods after a fairly short employment. I wouldn’t be quite so 😀about appearing to have very little resilience.

Only you and your GP can make an informed decision. I'd be wary of putting your employment in jeopardy though, having been in post such a short time.

Ultimately it is up to you! But if I were your line manager I might consider 2 weeks off in a 10 month period to be a high absence rate.

Why do you need a whole week off for one therapy session which lasts for one hour?

What medical advice have you had for the esophagitis and have you followed it to the letter?

Have you been focussing on a good mindfulness app? There are loads on the internet.

Have you asked your GP for propranolol (beta blocker) and anti-depressants?

It's your responsibility to make sure you are well to work. Your salary is paid for the services you provide.

Your l/m should have a formal rtw meeting with you and put in place a stress risk assessment and a referral to OH. These things are the building blocks to support an absence related dismissal.

I disagree with you about not going to work if you feel under par. You should make every effort to get up, get washed and dressed, have a cup of tea and providing you can keep it down, you crack on. Work occupies the mind and is a very good habit to keep.

Just try to imagine how anxious and depressed you will feel if you are dismissed and can't pay your rent.

You could take months off if you wanted to (most people take sick leave if they need to btw, not if they want to) but you might find yourself out of a job.

To be fair, I'd say a huge majority of the population suffers from anxiety, depression and/or physical ailments at some point in their lives. But, people mostly continue to work whilst they're receiving treatment for all kinds of things they have, if it's possible to do so, because most issues can't really be fixed in the space of a week or two imo.

I understand you have anxiety, but how do you know you'll feel better with it by having another week off? If it's as severe as you imply, your anxiety won't suddenly stop with a week off.
Your best bet is to attend your therapy session (explain to work you need a couple of hours off if you can't rearrange your appointment for after work ), explain to your manager how you're feeling so that they can see for themselves if you suddenly feel panicky, and continue to work through it if you can. Having more time off could put your job at risk.

Also, ask yourself, if you didn't get full pay for being off work, would you make sure you went in?
If the answer yes, then it does seem that you want to make the most of having the time off, because you know you won't lose out financially, and that deep down, you are able to work,

Yeah, it’s an unlovely attitude to reveal, when you’ve admitted that your absence shifts your workload onto your colleagues yet you blithely declare you can take as much time out as you jolly well feel like taking.

One thing about your anxiety and the physical sensations you are experiencing, especially a choking in your throat: consider whether it’s actually a kind of panic reaction to the thought of being back in the office, for whatever reason. Imagining a disciplinary meeting maybe, or your colleagues’ possible froideur; just general feelings of reluctance to leave your present freedom and maybe face all that.
In such a case, the only cure is biting the bullet and taking that step through the office doors! Then it’s over, and whatever might follow isn't anywhere near as daunting in your head.

Exactly @Millytante with ops updates and I work in a LA dealing with sensitive information, a very busy office environment
am wondering if they’re either a newly qualified social worker or new admin in a social services setting.

I’m assuming new/young due to the absolutely self centred aspect of how they describe things, and diligaf attitude towards screwing over their colleagues by dumping their workload on them, from what I’ve read on here on other threads, even the most burnt out jaded worker would have a semblance of guilt towards colleagues being given an extra workload.

I thought exactly the same. Early 20s max. An example of how society is going to shit

And there the problem lies.
I'm pretty sure if you weren't being paid, you'd find the strength from somewhere.

Sorry, a pill getting stuck in your throat is a ridiculous reason for having a week off work.

You're taking the Michael out of your employers, your line manager and your colleagues.

I'm sorry @Newbabynewhouse I can't say what I really think. But you're massively out of order here.

It's not sad! Its about having responsibilities and showing up to do the job you're paid for!

I'm gobsmacked at your attitude @Newbabynewhouse

I don't know why though.

I wake up choking in the night… I do not have anxiety.

its reflux. I take. pPI to help (when I forget to take it I wake up choking again)
may be worth looking into with your GP.

Agree that it sounds like panic (MH professional). Panic is characterised by catastrophic misinterpretation of physical symptoms (so a catch in your throat becomes choking, an ordinary pain in your boob and it’s a heart attack). To see health anxiety symptoms, look up the Health Anxiety Inventory. This sounds fixable, OP.

Ignore the person being quite rude and not understanding that mental health is just as important as physical health. As somebody who has had acute bouts of anxiety I really feel for you. I would take the week off get signed off from your GP and use some of the time to either get on the wait list for CBT with the NHS or other therapy, whatever they advise, or if you can afford to go private I’d get yourself in to see a therapist for some talk therapy. Often times our anxiety attaches on to things (like you burning your throat, which sounds horrible by the way) but there can be other things going on deep down which is part of the root cause. I’d also talk to your GP about if meds could help as well. Sertraline and therapy really helped me. But of course speak to your GP.

In terms of work, shit happens, we all have lives and I’m sure there will be a time one of your colleagues are off and you have to cover them, it’s give and take. Sounds like you’ve made a good impression there so I would just focus on feeling better and try not to worry, 2 weeks off in the grand scheme of life is not a lot. Hope you feel better soon.

With kindness OP, you will find that your employer's 'full salary sick leave' policy is discretionary. Given that you've only been there for 10 months, I expect you'll find out sooner rather than later if you keep taking big chunks of time off.

I can totally understand wanting to be at home for a therapy session, been there myself. But wanting to do 'mindful, wholesome things' isn't a particularly good reason to take the rest of the week as sick leave.

As someone who once had to take six months off work due to anxiety, I understand the stigma around it. But I also know that it's unlikely you'll feel much different in a week's time, and the longer you put off going back to work the harder it will be to convince yourself that you don't need 'just another week'.

If you are genuinely too unwell to function in work, or going to work is likely to make your condition worse, then of course you shouldn't go in. Your GP will have no issue signing you off for longer if they agree, and can help you work towards a return date with your therapist and employer.

Be aware though, three weeks is a lot of time for anybody to take off in their first ten months. It wouldn't be unreasonable if your employer to worry about this becoming a pattern, especially if it's impacting your colleagues.

I’m in a similar situation suffering with health anxiety for the past 2 weeks. Have been struggling through work but to be honest I’m next to useless as can’t focus on anything. I’ve made the decision to go off sick from today and contact my GP, I simply can’t go on like this. Please contact your GP again. Feel better soon.

I have ocd … but I also used to wake up at night and be actually physically choking. I don’t as having langospasms. Resolved mostly by specialist physio who massaged my neck muscles around my larynx. Maybe this is happening to you after your incident. If you are with a government organisation it’s likely you’ll get more support.

Welcome to the shitty little club 🫶
I also suffer intense health anxiety. I’m currently in high intensity therapy trying to overcome it and it has helped a fair bit. It’s not cured, I’m not sure it ever will be, but it’s much more manageable these days.

If you have a week of work for health anxiety, what do you do with all that spare time?