Signed off sick - what do I have to disclose

[catgirl1976]

I have a doctors appointment this afternoon because I am really really stressed and anxious to the point where I am struggling to cope and feel very depressed. The biggest source of this is my job

If I get signed off for a week or so this afternoon, I don't feel up to contacting my work and talking about it.

I will of course drop them an e-mail to say "I have been signed off sick until xx date" etc, but I don't want to discuss the reasons why as I really really don't feel up to it

Do I have to disclose the nature of my illness at this point or can it wait till I return to work? If I am signed off, can my employer keep ringing / emailing or texting me (which I suspect they will do, they did when I was on my whole 4 weeks of mat leave)

I just don't want to get into a conversation with them atm, I just want to say, "I'm not well, I've been signed off until xx" and leave it at that until I feel well enough to go back and to discuss it

TIA

I believe you can just give them the fit note and your expected return date but if the stress is caused by work then nothing will have changed when you go back, except perhaps more work that will have piled up in your absence. They can try and help you if they are aware of your reasons for feeling stressed - workload, bullying, etc - but will not be able to help if they don't know what's wrong. Maybe get some rest then email later in the week explaining further?

If you are off for less than 7 days then you can just sign a self very on your return but it will ask for details of your sickness

Otherwise you have to send in the fit note to your employer.

Just got back from the doctors

She said I have severe depression and anxiety and signed me off for 2 weeks and gave me anti-depressants. I have to go back in a week for another assesment and she thinks I may be unfit for work for longer than the initial 2 weeks

I really cant face it with work

I think for now I will just e-mail them and say I am still unwell and won't be in for the rest of the week.

Then, towards the end of the week when the 7 days are up and I hopefully feel a bit better, send them the fit note and a more detailed e-mail - and say I didn't feel able to disclose the details earlier on

It's going to go down like a lead balloon though. They see things like this as a weakness at best and malingering at worst. They don't really believe in MH issues :(