should i go back to work yet with depression?

Question

i have recently suffered depression i have been told it is reactive depression because of stress i got married in the summer moved house i have 2 young children and i had to work every hour i could to pay i was told to take 3 months off because i sort of burnt myself out which i now have i have been taking paroxetine 20mg i dont feel 100% still but i not sure to go back to take my mind off it or will i go back a few steps

Answer 1

difficult to tell. i had a nervous breakdown 6 years ago, and i made the mistake of going back to work when i wasn't really ready. i ended up having another huge breakdown caused by the stress of going back, and ended up in hospital for a while. but that was my experience. everyone is different. if u enjoy your job, and u feel like u are just sitting at home mulling over all your problems, then u do probably need to get out and take your mind off things. is there any way u could go back, but working fewer hours to start with ? i think that's where i went wrong. i went back full time, and couldn't cope going from not working at all, to working 6 days a week, all in one go. u should also try counselling. sometimes that can help u to clear out some of the issues that are still worrying u. i went through 2 lots of counselling, but the thing i found that helped me the most was finding an Internet chatroom that i liked (yahoo have plenty), and speaking to people about my problems. there are plenty of other people who have been through similar situations, and who are willing to talk to u about it. take care.x

Answer 2

I think that going back to work, part time initially is a good idea for you if possible. But if the stress was caused, at least in part, by the type of work you do, maybe you could look at finding something more suited to you. I guess, not working is also causing you to feel stressed because of the financial aspects - so use the time to think about YOU and what YOU want - difficult I know. But you have had an awful lot to cope with recently and it's not surprising that you felt overwhelmed with it all. Do what feels right for you. Good luck to you and your family.

Answer 3

Take it easy. Be positive in anything you do, never thing anything bad or wish something bad. You need to have a break every 2 hours of work as working solid for 5 or more without a break is not only burnt you out but also you will become less effective. You need to keep yourself healthy for your family so push yourself will do not make any of you any good. Good luck, hope 2007 will be better for you. Make goals/objective for your family for this year, in 5 years and 10 years also for your kids. You will be surprise you will achieve more than you can expected if you have goals in your life Don't forget to thank GOD for what you have.

Answer 4

I don't know what kind of job you have but maybe you could start back part-time and see how it goes. If it's OK you can gradually work up to full-time. A couple times when I got very depressed and stressed my supervisor let me go down to part-time and it was very helpful. Plus even working some will give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment. I don't know how long you've been taking the medication but oftentimes antidepressants work slowly and can take sometime to become fully effective.

Answer 5

IMO going back to work is EXACTLY what you should be doing. Meaningfully occupy your time. Force yourself to do what you know is good for you when you least feel like it. That's how you'll get better. Get your rest, eat right, always be clean, look your best. These are the best treatments for depression. Start acting and thinking like a non-depressed person and soon enough you'll be right as rain. Keep going to therapy if you need to but it's up to you. You have more control than you realize. Use your power!

Answer 6

try slowly, 2 or 3 days if possible, maybe the doctor can write a letter to this effect. Otherwise you might wind up back like you were. Has anything changed? Has the financial situation improved. Don't expect things to be any different if you haven't worked on the situation and what you will do differently.

Answer 7

Going back to work may help you refresh a bit. Think of it as a vacation from vacationing. It will probably help pay those ornery bills as well. Check with the doctor that prescribed your medication and take it slow. There is no sense in jumping into the deep end right away.

Answer 8

you need to look at all the situations causing stress as it sounds like work is not just the problem. can you get help with the children for example, have you a support network of friends and family etc. can you make time to do things you enjoy and stress relieving activities eg exercise, relaxation,yoga etc. support groups are useful. as to going back to work discuss with your manager/supervisor about a phased return and/or changing your responsiblities and tasks etc. remember an important part of fighting depression is to look after yourself properly and ask for help. you cant change everything at once, change one thing at a time. good luck and take care.

Answer 9

You should just try and relax, and take the recommended time off. If you go back to work too soon, your performance could be affected, and you could have another meltdown.

I had severe depression in my 2nd year of college, and had to move back home, and took off about 3 months, before just going to a community college. It helped.

Answer 10

Yes; assuming you are the breadwinner in the home, you need to go back to work now, as that will assist you get rid of your depression ... as it will retrun your self-esteem, and you will feel the elation again, of providing for yourself independently, and not leaning on government or others for your support.
Besides, it has been countlessly proven that many drugs are actually counter-productive - especially re emotional issues.