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 ..

Oh I'd bin all that ironing if I were you. Pointless outdated task. I think the only thing I've ironed this century is hammer beads. And I do a professional job that involves presenting to halls full of people.

For on the spot relief for anxiety, look up the 5 senses technique. It was taught to me by my counsellor. It can take a bit to get used to it and it working but it has been amazing for my panic attacks.

For long term, try a book called the happiness trap. It explains what our minds do when it comes to anxiety. As for therapy, try Acceptance and commitment therapy. It really helped me so much.

Also for calmness and anxiety relief, try pura rasa. She does many anxiety calming ones but my favourite is the healing in the Enchanted forest. Her voice is so soothing and this youtube calms me every time.

Do you know what you're talking about?

Have you thought about it from your line managers point of view, your colleagues?

You have no idea of my background, my experiences, my work,

The age old response to anything - if someone doesn't agree with you, they mustn't know what they are talking about!

I was being dramatic haha, last time my ironing board came out my 17 year old actually asked what it was haha.

I do however have an essay to write and a piano to practice - got a lesson at 11 and Beethoven will be turning in his grave

I was very ill and so no I didn’t think about work during that time

I hope your colleagues were supported during that time doing their work and yours and their work load was managed.

Yes I do actually.

as a senior leader and manager I’ve done a lot of training to understand mental ill health and how to support colleagues experiencing it.

as a human I’ve experienced mental ill health so I have lived experienced.

I call you out for not knowing what you are taking about because you are displaying blatant ignorance and prejudice towards mental ill health oin each of your posts.

Of course they were.

we work for an organisation that is responsible and values employees and puts their physical and mental health first.

Exactly you cannot imagine my mental load can you??

You have no idea what anyone else is going through/have gone through.

Just because people don't agree with you and call you out, doesn't mean they are a troll or any other word - and it is you who has started with the name calling not me.

Again it is you doing the name calling not me

I empathise OP. I have health anxiety. Any lump and bump and I go straight to cancer and feel sick, panicky, like I just want to go to bed etc. I also panic when my kids get sick and I worry about other things too. I tried CBT but it's not a quick fix and for me it helped a little by making me more mindful about how my brain catastrophises and gets stuck in the same unhelpful patterns. I've 2 kids and I'm a teacher so I just have to get on with it but I understand the need to hide away and that feeling that you can't face the world. That your life is on hold while you are panicking about whatever symptom your mind has decided to focus on and magnify. It really sucks. Work and keeping busy actually helps me. My mind absolutely has to be kept busy and working in a primary school I have no time to wallow. That said there were times when it's been a real struggle. Take the week off if you feel it's all too much. If you are able then of course prioritize your own mental health. Good luck with your therapy session. These things take time and you have to work at it but I hope you feel better soon.

Sometimes telling people they're not capable when they're in the thick of an illness is merely factual. Illness can be incapacitating and it's overly simplistic to insinuate that those who temporarily can't work as a result lack 'resilience'.

I don't think this is the right place to be asking.. speak to your GP, go to your therapy session and get some professional advice re whether you shoild be at work. If it continues it may be that you will need CBT rather than talking therapy to give you strategies to use at night (assuming this does in fact have a psych rather than physical cause e.g. residual inflammation from the infection). You may actually find that working is helpful as you will be thinking about that rather than worrying about your symptoms.

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)

I doubt very much, that a tablet, sold over the counter in the UK, could be so toxic that it burnt your oesophagus and resulted in you having to have a week off work.

If it was true why are you not seeking legal advice?

One day you may have a small business. I wish that day you get gifted with employees just like you.

My illness was during the winter so of course that is when I required time off sick.

because I was unwell.

it was not time off for a holiday. Nor was it a choice.

You really don’t think we should consider the effects of our actions on other people because “it’s not anyone’s job to manage anyone else’s mental health”? Blimey! I do and I think all reasonable people do.

I hope so too, can you imagine what a nicer place the world would be if employers actually cared about employees mental health and wellbeing?

loll
Re Ironing Boards

Years ago Me and youngest DC were staying at my parents and Mum got the Ironing Board out
My then 4 year old said "What's that Grandma?" 😆

Wow, lots of bots and trolls on this thread.. hardly surprising with the current government’s get everyone back to work regardless of their illness/disability agenda! Hope OP takes a week off and gets well. Not all workplaces require other colleagues to pick up the slack, when I’m off sick my work just waits for me until I’m back 🙄

yeah... I suspected it would be public sector

gosh, we're paying our taxes for this

This sounds like panic attacks to me. It’s understandable if you’ve had breathing difficulties.

i know it isn’t the same but I had a dreadful injury once which meant I couldn’t walk for a while - I made a full recovery but while my muscles were weak and the memory of the injury was fresh I was absolutely terrified. It took months to overcome the psychological impact.

I think you’re being hard on yourself- this isn’t “generalised health anxiety” this is an acute MH problem caused by a recent illness that was very frightening. The best of us would be scared of being unable to breathe!