Been signed off, scared about going back to work

[LittleMissWorryHead]

Hi

My Dr signed me off for 2 weeks on Monday and has prescribed me citralopram - I called and spoke to my manager and told them I had depression. The Dr has signed me off with 'stress related illness'

Now i am really worried about going back and what my manager will say. Last time (I had a week off last year with stress) he said 'We still have to come to work you know'

Just not sure I can cope with it Can they discipline me?

wouldnt think so.They might request you see thier company doctor to see if you are fit to continue working there if the stress is too much.I am sure thet will sympervise with you and may go back part time to start with.GOOD LUCK.x

No, they can't discipline you. Your manger is not a healthcare professional. Your doctor has not given you a "sick note", he / she has given you a "fit note" that states you are not fit to work.

When I had a bout of depression 3 - 4 years ago, my GP nearly wrote "stress-related illness" as an euphemism. Some people are worried about the term depression as sadly there is stigma associated with it. Like you I was worried about the negative impact that being diagnosed with "stress" would have so urged my GP to fully disclose that I was suffering from depression, which he did.

Has your doctor got a review booked with you? Maybe you could discuss your concerns with him and your manager's reaction to the term "stress"? As you have told your manager that you have depression, perhaps the GP will re-issue the certification if you haven't already sent it to your employer.

It might be worth posting your concerns on the Employment board as one of the HR gurus there might be able to put your mind at ease.

Another thought that has crossed my mind is that your certification from your doctor is confidential so if I remember correctly, I sent mine directly to HR so my line manager didn't actually see it.

Also, stress can be personal, not necessarily work related. Your doctor hasn't stated work-related stress.

I hope things start to improve for you soon.

Hello - do you have occupational health at work? They can be very helpful for looking at what's causing the stress and recommending ways to reduce it. Can assess what's a realistic timeframe for you to get back to work and recommend measures to phase you back in if you're worried. I'm no expert but have you got a sickness policy you can refer to? Sorry to hear you're feeling this way. xx

PS I work in admin in occupational health and it's very common to have anxiety about returning to work after stress/anxiety/depression type illnesses.