What do you think of mental health days off work?

[kuniwan]

For the first time I decided to take a "mental health day" off of work (I just said I was sick obvs). It's so petty because I drove to work like normal, but realized I forgot my badge in the parking lot, and that was the deciding factor after I went home to try and find it. In background, I did relapse sh recently and my room and car (I do not drunk drive) is littered with alcohol bottles… so I know something is going on in my head even though I can't quite identify it or know why.
Considered calling the hotline for something even though I know people say it's not helpful.

I still feel so guilty about it because I'm so used to just telling myself I'm too sensitive and should just suck it up. I really still feel that now. However, I've noticed that whenever I try to toughen up and go to work anyways, I've made my worst mistakes on the job. I always end up thinking, "what if I didn't go to work like I felt I shouldn't have?" I'm in healthcare, so this weighs in on me because I could be hurting other people.

I don't really get what a mental health day can do right now because it feels like I'm just delaying the next day where I have to deal with everything again. Though, I still wanted to try it out. What do you guys think about them? How has it benefited you? What do you do during them?

 

[Life_and_Death]

youre not too sensitive you shouldnt be put down for how youre feeling, its perfectly normal

(overall i worry about mh days getting abused like basically everything else in life, but putting that aside)
i think that mental health days are absolutely needed. (personally ive been taking "a mh day" for a few months now, but im trying to fix some severe, deep down stuff; like eating)
if you need it, take it. pushing yourself isnt going to help anyone it can give you a moment of rest when youre brain (just like your body) needs it. but i find the trick to a true mh day, is actually not thinking/stressing about anything (a million times easier said then done. im still working on that myself). and thats the difference between just pushing it off vs actually resetting so you can handle it better.

and while ive personally never called the helpline, i think whether or not they could be helpful depends on your situation (and who you get on the phone probably). if youre straight up being suicidal/on the higher end of the scale (bpd etc) etc, yeah its probably not too helpful. however if youll calling and it falls more under "im stressed and need someone to talk to/get it off my chest" i think theyd be a lot more helpful than the other state of mind.


in the end, your choices are up to you. but personally i would take them

 

[anopenwound]

Mental health days off work are fundamental to me. I used to feel the way you do, but eventually I just came to the conclusion that I wouldn't judge anybody for feeling too nauseous to work - so why doesn't feeling depressed matter as well?
Those days are sacred and they helped me establish a healthier relationship with my job. It's corporate bullshit, so it's never gonna be "ok" - but I definitely don't stress about it anymore. I just log in and do what's needed of me. And that's perfectly fine, more than enough.
You're doing great

 

[blackbeauty]

I agree with everyone on here. Mental health days off at work were so important to me and it gave me a chance to reset and just breathe. I would do household chores, play video games, go for a walk, sleep etc anything non-work.

I recommend you give it a try and make a mental note on how you feel when you go back to work to see how it benefited you.

Take care of yourself!