Short Term Disability
I have diagnosed Major Depressive Disorder and Generalize Anxiety. I’ve been at my job for around 8 months, and my mental health have declined SEVERELY since. My grandmother and soul dog passed right when I started the job, I was so stuck in fight or flight I buried those feelings to survive. But now, months later I’m on 3 medications: sertaline, buspurion, and abilify. And I still feel like shit, anxious to the point I can’t sleep and most days run late to work bc of it. Many days I cry before work bc I feel like I haven’t had the chance to even deal with my emotions.
Recently I had a SA incident on the subway train last Friday and I feel myself going deeper in the whole of high-functioning depressive episode. I want to go on STD but im nervous if I’ll be denied as my high-functioning makes me normal, outside of severe leg shaking or nail picking, at work . But my job takes up ALL OF MY ENERGY, once home I feel like shit and the depression hits hard.
My therapist recommended me to take STD so we can do intensive care but my pysch told me “I haven’t exhausted all of my options and medication” for her to recommend it. I also spoke to my PCP and they agree with my therapist I need the leave.
My question is how do I even go by telling my job I need to take leave for mental health? Do I have to prove a decline in work bc of disability? (Sedgwick handles leave at my company) I can’t stop thinking the worse. Would love some advice or encouragement, ik I can’t stay in this state of health for much longer.