Career Break for Mental Health

[Spookums]

Hmm... the forum layout has changed since I was here last.  Apologies if I end up posting in the wrong spot!

I'm in a bit of a pickle. I've been working full time for about 15 years.  For the first ten years of this I was also supporting my partner who does not work. 6 years ago we had a child and my partner became primary carer for that child. 

I'm exhausted.  I have bipolar 2 and in the last couple of years my mental health has completely tanked.  I am miserable,  lonely,  isolated and burnt out. I've been getting paranoid and restless. I can't focus. 

I've been getting professional help and talking to my partner and my family but I don't seem to be improving. 

I'm considering using my long service leave to take a couple of months off to try and get on top of things again.  I'm nervous because I always intended to use my long service leave as a back up for if I run out of sick leave... but I just really don't know what else to try at this point. 

Had anyone else taken a little career break like this? Just to help sort themselves out? Any advice?

[WizardMotor]

Yes, I did. And 5 years later I'm still not working. 

I would encourage you to take the break if you need to but do make sure to hold onto your employment, even if you have to go back and do part time hours, or change roles/departments to prevent additional burn out when you return.

[Till23]

Hi @Spookums 

I’m sorry to hear you are struggling with work.

Remember that lots of people have breaks from work for lots of reasons. 
For example, I had a month off when I got cancer and had daily treatment.

I had no problem going back. A lot of that time I was also taking for MH reasons. The next year I got cancer again and I only had a few days sick leave, so I took some annual leave and some leave without pay.

You don’t need to tell your employer the reason you are having sick leave, your GP can give you a medical certificate for a medical condition. You definitely don’t need to tell them why if you take LSL.

MH issues are the same as physical health issues in that rehabilitation is assisted by taking time off work.
Lots of people who have had a person close to them pass away have time off, people have parental leave when a child is born, so taking little career breaks is actually common.

It sounds like having the break will be a good thing for you, but of course it’s a personal decision. It’s better to take the break by choice than being required to do so. It’s better to take the break than keep working and have your MH deteriorate even further.