View Full Version : Returning to work
I have been off sick from work for 7 months now and the way I feel at the moment I can't see myself ever returning to my job. What I would like is too hear back from people who have managed to return back to work and what it's been like....
I think I just need a bit assurance that it is possible to live with anxiety and work
I haven't had a break from work due to anxiety, as it is very difficult to do that in the USA, but I do work full time with anxiety and depression. It's not always easy, but it is doable and honestly, it does help me feel more productive and better about myself.
Some important things are to make sure you listen to your body and your needs. Take care of yourself. When you get home, do things you know will help you relax and unwind. Have a good relationship with your coworkers, supervisor, or manager. My manager is wonderful, which is a great asset. Have people you can talk to. For me personally, doing therapy and medication has also helped a lot.
It is possible and it actually can help treat anxiety too.
I haven't had a break from work due to anxiety, as it is very difficult to do that in the USA, but I do work full time with anxiety and depression. It's not always easy, but it is doable and honestly, it does help me feel more productive and better about myself.
Some important things are to make sure you listen to your body and your needs. Take care of yourself. When you get home, do things you know will help you relax and unwind. Have a good relationship with your coworkers, supervisor, or manager. My manager is wonderful, which is a great asset. Have people you can talk to. For me personally, doing therapy and medication has also helped a lot.
It is possible and it actually can help treat anxiety too.
Thanks for the reply
Unfortunately my manager isn't very accomodating. I did try to return in may on a phased return but she viewed a phased return as I shouldn't be doing one and if I needed one maybe I wasn't fit to return !
I lasted 3 weeks and ended up in hospital for a fortnight. I think that episode has had a bad affect on me cos I see it as not a safe place and don't think I would get much support.
I do want to return to work as I enjoy working and I have a few friends there I miss and I also think it would be good for me but at the moment the thought of it makes me feel more anxious.
ilovetrees
02-10-15, 07:34
When I had five months off a few years ago, my brother was just starting a new business. He knew I had been very ill and was still spending most of the daylight hours in bed. He invited me over to work with him and I went over a couple or three shorts days a week for a while. I found that very therapeutic as I wasn't asleep all day, was out on the road (about an hour's journey), enjoyed always picking up a cafe latte and actually interacted with people. A phased return to work itself also helped. Hope that this helps.
When I had five months off a few years ago, my brother was just starting a new business. He knew I had been very ill and was still spending most of the daylight hours in bed. He invited me over to work with him and I went over a couple or three shorts days a week for a while. I found that very therapeutic as I wasn't asleep all day, was out on the road (about an hour's journey), enjoyed always picking up a cafe latte and actually interacted with people. A phased return to work itself also helped. Hope that this helps.
Thank you
I really do need a phased return, just going in for a few hours the first couple of weeks to see how I go but I'm terrified I won't be able to do it and work myself up into an agitated state. I can't bear the agitation like being a caged lion, I don't get much of it now but scared in case it returns when I go back to work.
I have 5 weeks left on my sick note and the doctor says he doesn't have a problem giving me a sick note but I'm worried the longer I stay away from work the harder it will be to return. I haven't been into work since the last bank holiday in may and during this time I have been hospitalised twice.
MyNameIsTerry
02-10-15, 10:29
I think your manager is a dinosaur because phased returns are an industry standard in staff management due to sickness. They are the best way to get people back into work quicker and paid for work they do. Your GP can also help with this as the FIT note allows them to make specifications, if your job is one that can work with reduced duties.
If you have an occupational health dept, they can help you with your manager's poor attitude. At the end of the day, a manager has no clue about health and takes their steer from HR.
I think your manager is a dinosaur because phased returns are an industry standard in staff management due to sickness. They are the best way to get people back into work quicker and paid for work they do. Your GP can also help with this as the FIT note allows them to make specifications, if your job is one that can work with reduced duties.
If you have an occupational health dept, they can help you with your manager's poor attitude. At the end of the day, a manager has no clue about health and takes their steer from HR.
I totally agree she is a dinosaur. Her attitude stinks and not at all supportive. I work for a private hospital ( nurse) and they seem to make the rules up as they go along. She reckons I'm either fit or not fit no inbetween. They don't do a phased return so any hours I don't work that week come off my holiday balance. For example my contrat is 37.5 hours a week so if I go in the first week for 5 hours 32.5 hours would come off my holiday balance!
I have an advocate from MHM so when I'm ready to return he is going to help me plus I have the help of the community treatment team. I haven't had any contact from work since I was admitted to hospital(August) when I sent in a fit note for 13 weeks. My SSP runs out this month so I'm thinking they will be in contact soon.
MyNameIsTerry
02-10-15, 11:01
Well, they sound like a shite employer to me. I had a phased return and it didn't affect my contract until my phased return was running longer than expected so they reduced the hours on my contract to allow my holidays to be adjusted so the company didn't lose out.
The fact they are a hospital is beyond belief!
Have you got a company handbook that covers what their return to work policies are? Are you in a union?
The thing about managers is, you have to manage them too. Many are rubbish and don't know what they are doing so pointing them at the relevant section of a contract or policy is sometimes required. And before anyone asks...yes, I've been a manager for years, so from my experience this is often the case from working with a lot of managers over the years.
I have a manger like you, i was on the sick a little while this year.
I was also told that if i couldnt deal with the stress then leave. So i went back. Took my doctors note in with specified changes in, even though they were not happy they had to comply because its law.
I am looking elsewhere but its hard. Its a struggle day to day to go and there has been times i have had a melt down at work and had to come home i think sometimes they need to see it to believe it.
Keep going you will get there but research your rights and go higher with your appeal
The only good thing about working there is it's not far for me to travel and the money was better on nhs. I know I couldn't go back full time so am looking into maybe 16/24 hours that would be 2 or 3 days a week. I still have lots of holiday to take I think about 3 weeks but if I don't take them by end if December I will lose them. I don't know how it would work if I reduced my hours how it would affect my holiday balance etc.
would I be allowed to change my contract is that seen as a reasonable adjustment ? I have a feeling she won't be happy about it and I think she would be looking for ways to dismiss me
Greenman50
02-10-15, 21:38
Dont know if this will be of much help but here goes ...
I,m self employed and "HAD TO WORK "....i get nothing , nil , jack shit and only i work with a wife and 2 kids :weep:
Could i work at my worst ....NO :weep:
The bills were piling up and i was off work for 3 months nearly lost my business but managed to pull it back .
Had another crap few months this years ( after being fine for 4 years) but only had three weeks off if i added up the days i lost when i could not go to work .
Your manager does not understand and i hope he never goes through the same as you .
One thing i know now , for me keeping busy and going to work no matter how hard it is at the time is good for me and helps beat the anxiety / depression even thou at the time the couch or bed seems a better option .
Keep going and you can beat this i did for 4 years and will do it again
:hugs:
Dont know if this will be of much help but here goes ...
I,m self employed and "HAD TO WORK "....i get nothing , nil , jack shit and only i work with a wife and 2 kids :weep:
Could i work at my worst ....NO :weep:
The bills were piling up and i was off work for 3 months nearly lost my business but managed to pull it back .
Had another crap few months this years ( after being fine for 4 years) but only had three weeks off if i added up the days i lost when i could not go to work .
Your manager does not understand and i hope he never goes through the same as you .
One thing i know now , for me keeping busy and going to work no matter how hard it is at the time is good for me and helps beat the anxiety / depression even thou at the time the couch or bed seems a better option .
Keep going and you can beat this i did for 4 years and will do it again
:hugs:
Sometimes I do feel like yeah I can manage going back to work it will be good for me but every morning the first thing I think about is my job! Scanning myself and seeing if I would be able to go to work feeling how I do now and the answer is always no. That then sends my anxiety higher and the cycle starts.
I get angry and frustrated with myself for allowing this feeling to dictate my life and ruining it. I wonder how can some people go to work and cope and I can't so I start comparing and getting jealous! I know a lot of my problems would be solved by me returning to work but even that thought isn't enough.
I wonder sometime if I would be better off resigning but a little part of me is saying " no....wait and see"
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