Do you tell work?

[Tulips7]

I have OCD, and while I can go for years functioning I'm in a bit of a low patch at the moment. I'm able to look after the family and go to work, but all the rest of my time is spent having to rest/ be quiet/ try and get better or frankly, ruminating on whatever my current concern is.

Do I tell my employer? I have a very difficult colleague who is making my life harder. Manager is extremely supportive but the whole situation is wearing me down. I don't want to be seen as not coping, so am not sure whether to raise it or not

I think this may depend on your employer and what messages they give about mental health.

If you decided to say something, think about what your goal is by talking to your manager. What do you want her to do, or do you just need her to understand that you may be a bit quiet on calls sometimes etc. Are you hoping for unpaid time off? More flexibility? Make that clear in the conversation.

Bear in mind that the manager is responsible for the whole team, and any work you don’t do may end up on the manager’s shoulders. While any professional manager will not show this, her reaction might not be one of unalloyed joy on hearing this news.

I guess you should share this with someone so they can understand you better. That will help you get better mental health as well.