Have you been signed off work?

[Jenijar]

Is anybody on here currently signed off work or previously been signed off work with anxiety/depression/OCD? If so how long for?

[MyNameIsTerry]

I bet loads of us have.

I've been signed off twice. Once for just over a year due to a breakdown and then again in a relapse years later for a year.

The latter was complicated though by fighting my employer for reasonable adjustments, including a grievance against my line manager for his underhand actions. So, there was no chance of return right then and my GP was advising me not to return until they committed. In the end I left after winning my case because they still wouldn't do anything so I decided my health mattered more than having to resort to a legal case.

[KatiePink]

I am currently signed off work it's been over 3 months now, and i only started with my current employer in September of last year. They've been extremely supportive :)

[CArl_34_m_UK]

I probably could have been signed off. The only reason I've been trying to hold it together is because I'm afraid of occupational health getting involved. The reason I'm the way I am is s knock on effect from a mistake of taking cocaine. If they find out that, I would probably lose my job.
Does anyone know if they check with your gp? If they don't I can put my initial breakdown due to not sleeping, which I suffered with before hand

[Holds1325]

I was off work for a few weeks and almost took disability pay for 6 months. My employer allows partial disability pay for psychiatric disorders, as long as its diagnosed by a professional, for major depression, panic disorder etc. If its affecting work productivity.

I didn't because it takes a long time to get approved for that and I had a family to feed, I had to suck it up and walk into work everyday and that was HARD to even do that. I found myself in the bathroom several times just trying to keep it together and breathe white-knuckling and pacing etc. It eventually got easier though and I got through it, still I'm not sure how it would have panned out had I taken the leave.

[KatiePink]

had to suck it up and walk into work everyday and that was HARD to even do that. I found myself in the bathroom several times just trying to keep it together and breathe white-knuckling and pacing etc.

This is exactly what i was doing everyday before being signed off, i felt so suffocated i had to get into the toilets and i would sit in the cubicle for as long as i could contemplating just walking out and fighting back tears

[Holds1325]

Yep,

There were several times that I contemplated just leaving, jumping in my truck and driving off to wherever I dont know, I was so panicked.

I did have my pastor from my church and he helped greatly, he told me, anytime you feel like that just call me. I found myself calling him up to 5 times one day. This greatly helped me alot, if there is anything you can do to find support like that, I would take it, it helped me anyway.

[almamatters]

I was signed off for 4 months, due to anxiety, my final day at work before I was signed off resulted in me panicking, running out of the office and driving home without telling anyone. I was eventually sent to occupational health after 3 months of being off. I was well supported by my employer and I'm grateful for this. The only part I regret is not being honest with my colleagues, as far as they know, I was off with physical problems.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Does anyone know if they check with your gp? If they don't I can put my initial breakdown due to not sleeping, which I suffered with before hand

An employer is only allowed to see your medical records if you authorise it in writing to your doctor. The process is covered on .gov and the CAB site if you need to check it. There is no stigma in refusing them access either, I refused mine access on the grounds that not everything I discuss with my GP is relevant to my employer. Nothing they could do about it. The most they can do beyond that is send you to a doctor they contract to assess you but that doctor can't access your records either to feedback to your employer as this is covered by law.

There are also rules about whether the information provided by your GP can be forwarded on e.g. you can opt to read it first and refuse for it to be released or ask to have it changed if you spot an error, and if the GP refuses to change it you can ask for a note to be added by you to address that concern.

If you block what your GP says, they may not like it as it could look odd but they can't do anything about that or use it in any way since this is a legal data protection release process and it is your right to withhold or refuse.

---------- Post added at 04:46 ---------- Previous post was at 04:43 ----------


I did have my pastor from my church and he helped greatly, he told me, anytime you feel like that just call me. I found myself calling him up to 5 times one day. This greatly helped me alot, if there is anything you can do to find support like that, I would take it, it helped me anyway.

That sounds really nice. Are all churches like that in the US?

I ask because we tend to see them as open for anyone to walk in on TV (usually the Catholic ones) but over here they are all locked outside of services or clubs and many have windows barred to stop vandalism. I bet that sounds pretty sad to you, and it is really.

---------- Post added at 04:48 ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 ----------


This is exactly what i was doing everyday before being signed off, i felt so suffocated i had to get into the toilets and i would sit in the cubicle for as long as i could contemplating just walking out and fighting back tears

I was like this, Katie. My initial panic/anxiety symptoms were the usual worries of being sick and losing control, not breathing, etc so the toilet was the place to head for.

When I was relapsing years later this was the case all over again but I had looked up some quick distraction & focussing techniques so would do them in the cubicle.

[Shazamataz]

I have. This all started in October for me. I used up all my annual leave and sick leave and a couple of months back had to resign when I wasn't well enough to return, even with the extra 6 weeks they gave me. Very annoying and sad this has happened :(

[Jenijar]

I am currently signed off work it's been over 3 months now, and i only started with my current employer in September of last year. They've been extremely supportive :)

That's really good that your employer is being supportive, it certainly helps not to have the added pressure of an employer trying to push you back to work before you're ready x

---------- Post added at 19:16 ---------- Previous post was at 19:13 ----------

Thank you all for your replies. I was signed off work for 3.5 months with anxiety and depression end of last year, I then went back on a phased return for 3 months and now been signed off work again as my anxiety and depression got worse, it's only been 2 weeks so far but I'm not ready to go back yet.