Taking days off work for feeling 'miserable'

Happyhead · 16-06-2009, 09:03 AM

I get quite down a lot, and about at least 1 or 2 days a month I just can't face going into work as I'm too sore, and too down mood wise.

I'm worried that my work will get annoyed at the amount of days I have off, though I don't get paid for being off ill at my job I am still off quite a bit. I work for quite a small company of about 10 people, so worried that they will eventually replace me with someone who is actually there all the time.

I never go into detail when I'm off, I just say I'm feling unwell, but ashamed to go into detail to them. Not going work because I feel too miserable is a stupid reason anyway, I know I should get over myself.

Mandimoo · 16-06-2009, 01:06 PM

do you receive any kind of professional help? see your GP they may try you on some medication to give you a boost and to help prevent the down days, or even some kind of counselling or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to help you think more positively during those low periods and to help you turn it around into something good - ie i felt bad but i still went into work - something to be proud of.

hope you start feeling better soon, mand x

Happyhead · 16-06-2009, 07:34 PM

Yeah I've been on Fluexetine for a few years now, had it tripled earlier this year. See my Dr about once a month, and saw a psychotherapist briefly for a bit recently, but he said he wasn't able to help me. Thanks for the reply.

Mandimoo · 17-06-2009, 12:35 AM

maybe ask your dr to refer you for a different type of counselling such as CBT. do you feel the meds are working? if not ask your dr about that too, there are so many out there and some people take years to find the right one or even a combination that suits. also you could ask about different types of fluox because my hubby was on an XL (slow release) version and it worked much better for him with less side effects. mand x

Sigma · 17-06-2009, 12:54 PM

Work's a bit of a tricky thing- where I am at the moment my boss is very supportive and knows why I have a day or 2 'not well' from time to time. But in other jobs that sort of thing would have been used to undermine me, so I stuck to flu/stomach bug etc or tried to arrange to 'work from home' when I felt myself reaching that point.

Is there anyone at work you feel you can trust? How are absences in general treated?

Happyhead · 18-06-2009, 08:53 PM

The meds are kinda working, some of the time, though i am hurting myself as much as always, so hasnt helped with that

There was one person I was close to at work, but shes moved back to Greece now, and I don't trust anyone else there. My boss doesn't even ask what is wrong with me when I'm off ill, I just phone in and say im not going in cause i dont feel well, and when i go work the next day he asks if im better and thats it, so thats good, but i feel real guilty for taking so many days off.

Mandimoo · 18-06-2009, 09:33 PM

if you were honest they might be able to offer some in-work support, making it easier for you to go in when you feel bad. also some workplaces will pay towards counselling as a benefit type thing for working for them, not sure with it being such a small firm but it may be worth looking into.