If you were signed off for depression and anxiety did it help you get better

[Sillywillywoowoo]

I've been suffering quite badly recently. Been seeing a therapist but seem to be feeling worse rather than better. My MH practitioner has suggested they sign me off work. But I don't know whether I want that. On the one hand I am struggling with work. It feels overwhelming and I have called in sick once or twice and embarrassed myself by crying in the office etc. so I do think it would take a lot of pressure off but then I think - would sitting at home, alone while the kids are at school with no structure be helpful? Or would it make things feel more black? And would the thought of returning cause more anxiety than having been there all along? So really I wanted to know from others whether they found it helpful? Thank you

I never wanted to be signed off work as I'd have found it hard to go back, and it provided structure

Yes it did help me, very much so. I took a couple of weeks and it helped me sort things out in my head. In retrospect I should have taken a bit more time but even so, going back was easier than I thought.

Take some time off, it'll help. Remember, your mental health is really important and you must look after yourself.

I have both been signed off and chosen to work through periods of intense depression. When I've been signed off, I've mainly slept, changed/upped meds and gone to therapy. It made a difference but only because I was in a very stressful job that I really hated. My last breakdown, I decided to keep working through it because my job doesn't cause me stress particularly and provides me with useful structure and intellectual stimulation. It wasn't easy to keep going but I'm glad I did. What's best for me though might not be what's best for you. It's a very individual decision.

I think it depends on your job and home life. I wfh so it wouldn't make a great deal of difference except that I would have more time alone with my anxious thoughts. While it's tiring, work for me is a distraction. On the other hand, if I could take time off work and go on holiday or a retreat or something it would probably be helpful. Just sitting at home by myself would make my MH worse.

I was signed off for around 2 months and then did a gradual return. It helped me massively as like you I was in tears at work, struggling to focus and it took that pressure off, but I didnt just sit in the house. You'd have to try and get out and about and to the gym or even just for a walk or a swim (exercising helped massively once I got over feeling rubbish for the first few weeks of anti depressants) I didn't want to go out/exercise but made myself. At first It was scary going back but my boss was so understanding and the phased return helped. take care of yourself

My hubby suddenly got this depression thing a few years ago. He did try to keep working once a Dr started meds but I could see the strain and ready to crack so with the drs agreement he got a month off. For the first week he basically just slept and slept and ate whatever I made. I chose not to even ask for house help because usually he was great. The second week he looked less down and slept and did some daily river walks with the dog and by 4 th week clearly tablets were working and the good rest had worked and off he went back to work. 6months later the Dr stopped the meds and that was 5 years ago. It's the one and only time I've known hubby be hit by depression and hopefully never again

Could have written this too. Going to exercise classes v regularly kept my routine going and was invaluable. One day you'll wake up and feel very different, and very ready to go back to work.

Being off helped me hugely. Just taking that one pressure off did me the world of good. I walked the dog each day, did diy some days, kept myself busy until time to collect DC from school.
I went back on a phased return, when I felt ready, and when I wasn’t struggling to hold it together.
I hope things improve for you soon

I was advised to a few years ago and didn't. The next year i was off for 6 weeks. Then last year I was off for 4 weeks. What helped was lots of walking, jogging, listening to music and getting on top of my home chores.

Yes - I was signed off for three weeks, a couple of years ago - a combination of work-related stress and other things that were going on in my life. The break allowed me to reframe things in my mind. Touch wood, I have had zero absence from work since then, either for stress or anything else.