Returning to work after taking time off for mental health

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I knew something was wrong with me that summer […] all the little successes I’d totted up so happily at college fizzled to nothing outside the slick marble and plate-glass fronts along Madison Avenue

The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath, Harper & Row, Publishers, 1971.

The opening sentence of the Bell Jar leaves the readers no room for second-guessing about how dissatisfied Sylvia Plath was when she pursued her career as a writer on the board of New York fashion magazine Mademoiselle in the early 1950s. The overwhelming lack of purpose, mixed with emotional exhaustion and feelings of detachment were the telltale signs of developing mental illness, that she has been battling with throughout her life.

However, often portrayed as such, mental health problems, are not solely “the weaknesses” of artistic, highly – sensitive minds. In a series of inspirational stories, recruitment agency Randstad asked employees returning to work from a period of mental health absence, to describe what in their opinion, triggered the absence. Majority of answers covered a range of reasons. The causes were rooted in various difficulties associated with both personal and working life, regardless of the profession.

Just our muscles in our bodies can get weary from too much intense physical exercises, our minds can get exhausted too. But we are starting to break the stigma associated with mental health problems now and fight the misconceptions. One of the most common factors of mood deterioration is stress. Research has shown that two-thirds of us experience a mental health problem and depression is thought to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. The key factor for this is believed to be stress.

And there is little to wonder why. We are exposed to stressful situations every day. Increased workload, an argument you have had with your family or a friend, a break-up or financial difficulties – it can all feel quite hard, especially if combined. Thus, it is only natural that sometimes we feel like we are falling into the abyss of a black hole, with no hope of getting out. Approaching mental health problems is an important stepping stone for a full recovery. Practitioners and psychologist urge that absence from work due to mental health problems should be seen as a rightful time off, that can significantly improve the experience of recovering from the illness.

 

Putting the pieces together

Job interviews and applications are stressful and difficult life experiences on their own. But returning to work after taking a deserved time off, recovering from the mental health illness, might make it even more complex. Because of the prevailing stigma around mental health problems, employees are often reluctant to disclose the real cause of their absence to their future employers. They are often scared to be judged or seen as unfit for handling tasks that will require full commitment and motivation. Paradoxically, something opposite is the truth. Being able to overcome these thoughts and have an open conversation with others about the real reasons of your absence, is a sign of successful recovery, and employers are legally obliged to make responsible “adjustments” for those who need it. If during an interview, you get a feeling that such support might not be available, it might mean the company is not a place where employees happiness is valued. A hostile environment is not a happy place to be, not only for someone who suffers from their mental health but for anyone. Nevertheless, telling anyone about your mental health still remains your personal choice, and no one has a right to either incline or question you further about it during the application process if you decide to withhold this information.

If moving forward, looking for a new job is still too stressful for you, people who have battled with mental health problems often consider reaching out to their previous employers. Sarah, an education administrator, had been coping with anxiety and depression before being signed off by her GP to take two months off. She has used the time doing things she enjoys but never really had enough time to do, like baking and spending more time with her family. The simple things she had been missing for years, and finally got the time to do, formed a bridge, to a new, more healthy and mindful lifestyle that she continues to practice.

Employees, such as Sara, whose job wasn’t the direct cause of the deterioration of their mental health, are often welcomed by their previous employers and colleagues. Recovering after illness, and seizing an opportunity to get back to the same old routine, means we found something reassuring in it, which many will rather than taking it as a sign of weakness, view as a sign of real strength and courage

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