What do you do on days you are so depressed you can't function ?

[AChickenNamedDirk]

I've got pretty unpleasant depression that has expanded itself and taken over after PND. I am often suicidal and feeling pretty crap. I am mostly hiding the condition and I'm what I might describe as 'high functioning'. I have continued to work as I cannot not work. Sometimes it distracts me. Sometimes not.

Today or this morning is awful. However hard I try to get control I'm sat here staring at the screen. Hence looking at MN.

I am wondering if I should take to my bed on days like this as I'm pretty useless to work.

I'm getting lots of medical help and counselling. My consultant is still trying to get my meds right

I have days like this pretty often. I can't work as I can't even get out of bed or get washed on my worst days, so hardly an ideal employee. I spend days like that in bed, getting up to eat, sometimes go online, but not much use for anything else.

Personally I would agree that days like this leave you bed-bound - like any other illness really, and it's acceptable to call in sick, and probably better for the workplace than having an employee who isn't fully functioning. Although it does sound a bit like it is more like a choice for you, in that it's not a huge hurdle to get up and into work in the first place. Hopefully once you get your meds sorted then that will be the help you need to be able to get over the hurdle.

Get signed off, get your meds sorted and then address work. I have had to do this, I felt like I was malingering but one week in (and out of it on meds) bed is the best place. I have realised that I was just making things worse by dragging myself into work, take some time out if you can, I too am 'high functioning' (haha, managed to get some washing on today) and know what it means to admit defeat. Take care.

Thanks to both of you.

Itsit- how long have you been signed off for? I was of the (high functioning) mindset that I needed to be working as I thought doing nothing would be worse. So you not find the lack of structure hard?

Thank you for posting

I was offered a month off initially but asked for two weeks and then a reassessment. I am now certain I will ask for another two weeks.

I thought I needed work to help me cope, wallowing at home was not appealing. I am better when I am busy.

But...after being told by my husband that I needed help I finally agreed and accepted that some down time may work.

I'm still pretty spaced out on my meds but I do a daily list of tasks. 3 essential things and 7 would be useful tasks. It helps to structure my day and ease the anxiety.

Yesterday I felt like shit, so I just said stuff it. Put the list in the bin and went to bed with a book. I have never ever done that in my adult life, and you know what? I didn't feel like I'd wasted the day, I felt like I'd been kind to myself.

Take care of yourself and give yourself a day off, it doesn't mean you are lazy, and the sky won't fall down if you aren't personally holding it up.

I, too, used to take to my bed and generally not move.

If I could read a book or manage a shower it was a bonus.

If you're feeling really bad you're not going to be functioning well at work, you may as well be recovering.

I also found that if I pushed myself to 'cope' and go to work I would generally make myself worse and would properly crash at some point recalls time SIL had to bring me home after I insisted I was fine to go shopping then couldn't cope and totally shut down, scared the crap out of her

I'm in a similar situation. I've been off sick for 2 weeks due to stress and depression and have an appointment tomorrow with my gp. I told my dh I would go back to work Friday, but I don't think I can face it. I feel like staying in bed all day and have in fact not been getting up till lunchtime. I have no motivation to do anything at the moment. However, my worry is if I don't go back now I'll be too ashamed to go back. Also dh is out of work, I don't earn much, but we need the money.

In short I think if you are able to take some time off to look after yourself a bit, I would do so.