Disabiity and working. Advice please (Long)

[orangeandlemons]

I have been off work with work related anxiety for 5 months. Am feeling bit better but still have high levels of anxiety triggered by absolutely nothing

I ahveseen Occ health, doc, Consultant and CBT advisor. All think different things. Consultant thinks I should only go back when absolute remission happens (which Iam beginning to think will NEVER happen). Occ health have said July, Doc will go with what I want. However CBT therapist is pushing me to go back, and as I have made more progres with her in 2 weeks than with any of the others I am inclined to think like her.

I still have high levels of anxiety, BUT, miss my colleagues, am bored, lonely and fed up at home, I am a teacher, and I even miss the kids. As I teach secondary school a lot of students have left for exams so timetable after 1/2 term will be much less stressful. I am also due to go down to 1/2 pay shortly which we really can't afford

All managers have been really supportive and patient, and are trying to hep me. I have been given a phased return when I need it, and a buddy system should I wobble.

This is the crux.I have a history of anxiety and depression, but when I started working there , there was no Disability Act. I eclared one episode on my application form at the time ( I think) back in the mid 90's, but didn't realise that it was then going to become basically a chronic condition. I have been on AD's for the last 8 years. I have had wobbles during this, but have always managed to work through them. This time I couldn't

Occ health have advised the aschool that I am likely to be covered by the disability at work Act, but am not sure what this means.

Do I tell my employers that I have a disability? When I am on Ad's, I usually function very well, but when off them I don't. As yet I haven't settled on an AD as all have caused terrible terrible anxiety side effects. I am on another now, but only at low dose, which hasn't caused the any awful side effects yet.

Am I disabled? What if I have another wobble on phased return? What do I tell them? Have 3rd meeting with incerdibly patient Head on Tues who is trying her best to get me back to work.

Help. What do I tell them?

I don't think you need to tell them anything particularly. Occ health saying you would be covered under disability legislation means your work will have to make every effort to make reasonable adjustments to your role. As they've been told this already by occ health i don't see any need for you to have to make a decision whether to tell them you are disabled or not. I really don't think you need to let it worry you.

Whether you describe yourself as disabled in your day to day life, or in future job applications or whatever, is a different thing. It does sound as though you could legitimately describe your condition as a disability.

I think you should continue to focus on whether it's a good idea to go back to work in the supportive environment available to you, with a phased return etc. I would listen to your instincts here, sounds like a good idea to ease back in at this point.

Direct gov have a good definition of disability with regards to the Equality Act ( now covers the DDA as well as rest of equality legislation)
Firstly you don't have to disclose anything you don't want to. If you have a supportive employer (and it sounds like you do) disclosing a disability is just there to help you by supporting you where reasonably practical & ensuring that you do not suffer from discriminatory treatment by your employer or others. You can easily disclose it but ask for privacy so it goes no further than management.
I'm not quite sure how it works with MH issues as I have a physical disability but it means for me they are flexible with regards to hospital visits (I have a lot of these), working from home when I need to, equipment for my computer and just being aware what is difficult for me. I also get the disabled parking bay
Mostly it's an awareness thing but it's useful when I'm going through a tough period as my condition waxes and wanes. Often I still can (and want to) work with a tiny bit flexibility.

I went through all this and so did my friend who has MH Employers want to cover their backs bottom line and bottom line OH is about fitness for work.
A disability is if the condition has an effect on your day to day life /every day life. MH is in theory the same as a physical illness as far as employment law is concerned and like backache it comes and goes . Best thing is to be honest with OH . If you have real MH condition eg bi-polar it is easier. OH can only help if you can tell them your condition then ideally they can recoomend REg Adjustments to Management but it is Management that make the FINAL decision. They do not have to do anything but they should let you off for your 6 monthly appointment. The law says whatever is reasonable given the business of the employer Larger ones normally have more leaway

you could ask OH/Management for : a phased return to work, building up your hours from say 2/3 and then gradually up to full time over say 6 weeks . If the tablets make you drowsy could you start later? Could they give you another timetable?

They have offered phased return and buddy support. I can't fault them at all.

But what if I go back and then am ill again? At the moment anxiety is my constant friend . If I go back I will not be fully recovered, but may not be fully recovered for months. Do I need to make them aware of this, as have some very very shit days,but mostly not so shit but not fantstic days.

Should they know this and here do I stand. I have given up hoping for full cure, and am just trying to soldier on.

Sorry if I am wittering, but it is the anxiety talking