To go on sick leave for stress

[Vinividivici]

Key facts:

1. My job title is very, very low for my level of experience, so much so that other colleagues are outraged on my behalf. I have been told that promotion is impossible.
2. I have been given several difficult projects that were previously managed by someone two levels above me
3. My manager refuses to schedule regular 1:1s and usually seems annoyed when I want to discuss strategy in my matters or basically anything at all
4. I recently took a few weeks' leave to get married (and I am supposed to return to work tomorrow). My manager refused to discuss who would cover until a few days before my leave. The colleagues covering for me were obviously angry.
5. When I think of going back to work, I cry and feel hopeless.
6. A life coach suggested that I take time off sick
7. But I can see no future for myself whether I return to work or not. I feel like an abject failure and that there is no path to happiness. I'm terrified of having a gap in my CV or having to tell future employers that

My new husband does not want to push me either way but has said that he thinks we can manage on his income. He wants me to be happy. I am very, very unhappy

Thank you. My thoughts and feelings are currently all over the place. Sometimes I feel like I have made a terrible mistake. Sometimes I remember that I was never that career oriented in the first place, and that what's really important to me is to make a decent living, do good work, and be respected by my colleagues.

I'm weirdly tired all the time. This really must be akin to a breakdown of some kind.

I'll be honest, having pre existing mental illness it does occasionally knock me for six.

By that I mean at least once per year I inevitably endd up having a mental breakdown and perhaps 2 weeks sick leave.

It's not great. Honestly I'd prefer not to. But I also accept that living with a chronic mental illness -it happens. I get too stressed and subsequently too ill to work.

But generally speaking once I've sort of had the breakdown and time to recover I'm back at work.

And yes wholly in the long run I do need to change jobs but am in the middle of buying a house so 13 years solid employment looks better than a new job currently 😬😭

I say, take the time you need. Reasesses if this is what you want, if it's right for you. If not, think about what else you could do or want to do, take steps towards making it a reality. I've always said "no job is worth your health" and whilst we all need to work, if it's gonna put you in the ground sooner than it should look at your other options.