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 ..

Focus on ways to not burn yourself from worry, anxiety, and stress.

Once you develop an untreated anxiety disorder it’s really quite difficult to continue doing your job to the usual standard. You can’t really focus on much else, like your brain is split in two and you end up getting burnt out - I ended up taking 1 or 2 weeks off work because I couldn’t cope but was too embarrassed to say anything.

Not exactly ‘free time’ it’s a lot of time spent in your own thoughts, it’s pretty exhausting.

Is that not what evenings, weekends and annual leave is for?

Seriously a week off to focus on yourself?

I took several weeks off last winter for anxiety, burnout and stress. It was the best thing I could have done.

1-2 weeks would t have been long enough. I need med longer to recover.

But now a year later I feel better than I’ve felt for decades.

put your health first.

It’s clear you don’t have understanding of or empathy with mental ill health. And this sort of comment is not at all helpful.

What does that actually mean though? Focus on yourself? How do you do that? Is it a week doing yoga or exercises or something? I don't know what focus on yourself means. If she'd broken her leg or something I could completely see what healing looks like, you just sit around, watch TV or whatever, a few exercises if prescribed, rest the leg, it gets better.
Health anxiety though, what does she do with her week off to help this? Just seems like more time to worry about it.
Absolutely genuine question, not being flippant, what is 'focus on yourself to get better'?

But it's the truth!

That sounds like a like longer than a week though?

This .

I had some sympathy until I read OP’s gleeful attitude and complete disregard for her colleagues picking up her slack .

More time on Google or forums that validate their feelings and emotions.

Whilst the rest of us are at work, doing twice as much as we should as someone is off sick focusing on their wellbeing!

Can I ask was you paid for this extended time off?

Who did your work whilst you were off?

Were others put under strain/pressure etc whilst you were off?

Totally agree with this. I'm in exactly the same position at work. Someone on and off with anxiety and even when they are in work, they aren't given the more difficult work so that falls to the rest of us. I've big issues in my own life that never leave my mind but it wouldn't occur to me to not work.

I'm sure all of us would feel better for having several weeks off in winter.

I’m not convinced that all the “put your health first”, “just concentrate on yourself” posters are being quite as kind to OP as they think they are.

Putting your job at risk, and failing to deal with manageable mental health issues without extensive time off will not help OP in the long run. And of course there is the mental health of her colleagues to consider, or don’t they matter?

It’s very dependant person to person. For example. I got burnt out, and needed some time off work, in that time I visited the GP, got referred to therapy, researched self help for the meantime a while on the waiting list, learned breathing exercises, got fresh air as and when I could and make sure I was eating and drinking healthy.. basically it’s just having the time to do what you need to do to take care of yourself without having to fit that in around a work schedule.

I’m not sure why there’s such a huge stigma about taking time off work for yourself, isn’t that sad? That we can’t just say ‘you know what, I really don’t feel well in myself and I need some time’ without being seen as lazy or taking the piss? Maybe that’s why there’s such a high rate of anxiety and depression now, because there is far too much pressure to be the perfect robotic workhorse with no feelings.

So are you being paid to do breathing exercises and get fresh air?

Who is doing your work during this time?

Yes, I get paid to look after myself when I’m unwell. It’s covered under sickness pay.

Who covers your workload while you sit on mumsnet bashing vulnerable people for doing absolutely nothing wrong but try not to hit rock bottom and potentially commit suicide? 🫶

It’s not anyone job to manage anyone else’s mental health, assuming they are all preferable capable adults, if they feel the need to take time off work then they should do so on their own accord, the advice the same.

Yes it’s true you don’t know what you are taking about

Focusing on yourself and health anxiety seem a bit of an oxymoron (is that the right word?) to me. Surely health anxiety is focusing on yourself too much in the first place?

My employer paid.

My work place has a responsible approach to ill health and fully supports employees if they are unwell.

My workload is my business.

I am procrastinating, I have an essay to write and a piano to practice and a pile of ironing that resembles Mt Everest.

If none of them get done that is my issue, no one will do it for me.

If your mental health is so bad that you are considering suicide due to a post on a open forum then I do feel sorry for you, but I would question if you you should be on here?

If you are unwell then that is exactly what you should do.

Did you think about your colleagues during this time, who I presume were dealing with their own issue and doing their work and taking on your work as well?

I would prefer the time off in the summer, so I can concentrate on my health and wellbeing in the sun, go for those nice long walks in fresh air and work on my breathing.

Many, many people work when they would be better off not doing so. And the truth is, you don't know either. Whether the OP is just demonstrating a complete lack of resilience and responsibility because it is easy when you have full sick pay (as I always did when younger), or whether she is genuinely on the brink.

But patting people on the head and telling them they're not capable is not support, it is enabling and infantilising.