Back at work for 2 weeks, feel like I need more time off

[confuzzzzzled]

Hi everyone, just wanted to see if anyone has been in a similar position.

I was signed off for 4 weeks in total with anxiety and depression. I’ve now been back at work for 3 weeks but still don’t feel like I’m coping at all, I’m having horrendous panic attacks still and feeling exhausted/sleeping 12 hours.

The doctors put me on Citalopram a month ago and I’m in the process of increasing up to 20mg, I could really do with another few weeks off but I’m feeling extreme guilt as I’ve only been back for a few weeks.

Please take the time you need. You wouldn’t rush back to work on a broken leg. Mental health is just as important than physical health, speak to your dr for another sick note. There is no need to feel guilty.
Take care

Did you do a phased back to work? When I experienced anxiety /depression I did a very gentle planned over a few weeks before going back full time. Before I did a phased return I tried to go back instantly FT and it didn’t work a please take your time :)

Citalopram is dog shit, it made me so much worse. I've been on venlafaxine for a few years and it's saved my life.

@FatherBrownsBicycle

Please take the time you need. You wouldn’t rush back to work on a broken leg. Mental health is just as important than physical health, speak to your dr for another sick note. There is no need to feel guilty. Take care

I'm going to ring the docs first thing tomorrow for another sick note. Although the anxiety inside me has made me think that the doctors will refuse me a sick note and make me stay in work, which is silly because I know it's no skin off their back to sign me off work

@Whatnametomorrow10

Did you do a phased back to work? When I experienced anxiety /depression I did a very gentle planned over a few weeks before going back full time. Before I did a phased return I tried to go back instantly FT and it didn’t work a please take your time :)

No phased return was offered, I did 2 half days then went straight back in to full time. I think for some reason I thought because I'd had a month off that I'd be able to just dive straight back in to work and feel fine, I've now realised that's not the case. When my mental health is as poor as it is at the moment I get NOTHING done at work and instead sit there all day frozen in panic and overwhelmed

@confuzzzzzled
I took about 2 months before fully FT
First week was literally about parking the car and walking into the office - for an hour Tuesday and Thursday. 2nd week increased the time spent in the office to more than a few hours - increasing the days and times slowly. I asked for small achievable tasks (some of them completely irrelevant to my role but achievable ) booking meeting rooms sending out invites.
I eventually got it up to ft over four days then slowly introduced Monday’s - I hated Monday for some strange reason my anxiety was the worse! So again 1 hour 2 hours till I could do it - I also chose to WFH permanently on a Monday - now Monday is like any other day!

Op I totally understand the anxiety about making that call and speaking to the Dr but please don’t worry. They really won’t refuse and say “well actually you’ve had enough time off now, time to just get back to it” -honestly! They totally understand these things take time and will be understanding, especially as you are increasing your medication.

I’m glad you are going to phone. I hope things feel brighter for you soon.

@confuzzzzzled the doctor wrote me a phased return note - like a sick note but he had written a phased return

@FatherBrownsBicycle

Op I totally understand the anxiety about making that call and speaking to the Dr but please don’t worry. They really won’t refuse and say “well actually you’ve had enough time off now, time to just get back to it” -honestly! They totally understand these things take time and will be understanding, especially as you are increasing your medication.

I’m glad you are going to phone. I hope things feel brighter for you soon.

Definitely! I'm just going to have to be direct with them and ask for the time off rather than skirt around the question, I'll explain that I've tried to go back to work but feel as though it was too early etc etc. The idea of making the phone call is always worse than the call itself! And hopefully they're sympathetic that I need to take more time off work whilst I wait for the increased dose of meds to settle in

@FatherBrownsBicycle

Op I totally understand the anxiety about making that call and speaking to the Dr but please don’t worry. They really won’t refuse and say “well actually you’ve had enough time off now, time to just get back to it” -honestly! They totally understand these things take time and will be understanding, especially as you are increasing your medication.

I’m glad you are going to phone. I hope things feel brighter for you soon.

Definitely! I'm just going to have to be direct with them and ask for the time off rather than skirt around the question, I'll explain that I've tried to go back to work but feel as though it was too early etc etc. The idea of making the phone call is always worse than the call itself! And hopefully they're sympathetic that I need to take more time off work whilst I wait for the increased dose of meds to settle in

[quote Whatnametomorrow10]@confuzzzzzled the doctor wrote me a phased return note - like a sick note but he had written a phased return[/quote]
Your phased return sounds ideal and like the kind of thing I'll be asking for once I've (hopefully) had my time off and need to return again. I don't think managers understand that leaping back in to the workplace is as easy as it seems. Doesn't help that we've had reduced HR services due to CV-19 so haven't spoke to OH yet about my time off

Like you the first time around I rushed back the first time - was back for a few weeks then had to take more time off. Guilt worry about letting people all down etc
I was lucky had an amazing supportive manager who actually was the one who refused me to come back till I was properly ready and worked with me to come up with the phased return .

Definitely think a phased return over at least 2 weeks for a month off. Even up to a month. Much better to get back into work long term. Also more check in support/agreed workplan.

I have previously had 5 weeks off then did 2 week phased return. I had totally relaxed in the time off. Even so I still found myself becoming work OCD again and have not fixed the underlying problem yet. Have come up with more of a structure now but still way off implementing it properly.

Another time had 9 weeks off for surgery, that definitely needed a 1-2 month phased return as my energy was so low.