hi, i was signed off work mid june due to anxiety and low mood. i couldnt cope with this extreme anxiety, i couldnt really cope with anything. i know i did the worst thing ever by self medicating with alcohol but i just couldnt take how i was feeling. i should of known better as i have a past history of alcohol abuse but i obviously wasnt thinking straight. it helped at first but i was soon in an even bigger mess. I knew i needed help so i rang the gp surgery and asked for a telephone consultation. The doc rang me i explained id been drinking heavily for weeks and i needed help as id been here before, he advised to cut the alcohol down over 3 days then stop and to contact local addaction . When i asked for another sick note he insisted on giving me a 10 day phased return to work sick note. I told him i was in such a mess and needed to get well again but he just kept saying the longer its left to go back to work the harder it will be and its good for mental health to have routine and be at work. I spoke to my manager and explained i didnt feel able to come back yet and she was really understanding. So i went to see the doc again yesterday and explained id followed his advice and cut down and quit the alcohol but my anxiety is rocketing again and that im just not functioning in normal everyday things, i told him i dont cook any more, cant remember last time i washed my hair, i just am not coping and dont know how long i can go on like this. i feel like hes just not hearing me, i want to be well again but he insisted on giving me 1 last 7 day phased return to work and gave me the same talk about how it will be good for me to get back. I asked him how am i supposed to go and look after other people when i cant even look after myself and he just said he feels like he would be doing me a disservice if he were to carry on giving me sick notes. I just stood up and told him i will end up losing my job because theres no way i can go back yet and left the room. Now ive got anxiety about losing my job on top of my previous anxiety. Any body got any suggestions. I thought maybe change surgeries.
Thankyou in advance for any advice.
Hi Willow l would go and see another doctor.You need to have treatment for your anxiety which l assume you haven't had .l know the longer you have off the harder it will be to go back however you really need a bit of help to get you back to work.
I know it's really hard for u at the moment and it sounds like to me your are not getting the help you need , ask to see a different doctor. If not change surgery, im getting sick and tired of hearing people are not getting the help they need it's not fair, I hope you get sorted and good luck.
Hiya I agree with your doctor. Longer off work you stay deeper your anxiety gets. I know this as Ive been there. My anxiety was so bad I was avoiding things that were causing me anxiety. And it was so hard to get back on track. I wasnt okay when I get back to work but slowly getting back in to routine. More normal life we lead, doing normal things more we getting rid of anxiety. I know its easier said than done and its a hard and long process. But dont to get better. It wont come to you without your help. You will get there❤❤❤
Thankyou,
I also suspect I have undiagnosed attention defecit disorder. I stumbled across an article about it when I was researching anxiety on line and identified with many of the signs of it. This could explain why I have gone round and round in circles all my adult life. I'm just so tired of everything. I keep thinking id be better off dead. I wont hurt myself though as id ruin my kids lifes.
Hi willow. I have self medicated with alcohol to cope with anxiety only to meme anxiety worse and of course depression, I was too scared to tell anyone about my anxiety in case they thought I was being over dramatic but I really couldn't cope. My drinking started as a bottle of wine on an evening to calm me and resulted in drinking until I would black out . I would drink as I just wanted the day to go quicker, and sleep as I hated being awake and feeling anxious and desperate. Soon I couldn't function with alcohol or without it, I was a mess and can't remember days and situations.never thought I would get into that mess , family stepped in , dragged me to gp , I started to withdraw from alcohol, withbhelpbof medication to calm me as it was hell. I do believe you should not go back to work yet, alcohol withdrawal is physical hell and mental, another doctor may understand better, it's very gradual, I mentally couldn't have worked for weeks and your decision making will no be great, yes try to busy yourself and try to do something everyday but not in the workplace. I have tapered off meds before also, it's horrid, scary but you will get better and stronger each day then you can work on anxiety under gp's supervision and counciling, self medicating never helps but wedont realise at the time how we are making things so much worse. I cope much better nowadays, understand what works and what doesn't and how to manage anxiety better, totally relate, try to see another gp, as you get stronger return to work but ask for help, it's out there, and lots of support here😊❤️
My doc basically said hes not giving me sick notes so I can drink excess ammounts of alcohol. Telling me hes totally unsympathetic. I stopped the alcohol and it was absolutely horrendous. I couldn't take it but didn't want to drink so took amphetamine instead. It helped at first but not anymore. I suspect I may have undiagnosed attention deficit disorder but know I need to address the addictions first. I just don't know which way to turn. Ive self referred to addaction but have to attend a 15 min initial group meeting before I can get treatmment. Its a 45 min bus journey and I just cant face it.
Willow, try to attend, can you get anyone to go with you? You have to get help , starting by helping yourself. I was basically dragged to group meeting and gp at first, shaking, crying, . Talk to someone, get someone to support you and go with you. Your gp isn't sounding great, would seriously try group meeting , I came away feeling hopeful for first time in years, then realised help is there and I'm going to try my hardest, please try, ❤️
I will try to get there. Thankyou for your advice.