When is it right to take time off work for depression?

I can sure relate if that helps - but I'm as lost as you - sorry

(except that a "hobby" won't help, I can attest - all it does is either become uninteresting, or so beloved, engrossing and involving that it makes me resent time "wasted" at work even more - but no work = living on the street, and even less "hobby" time)

there is no hope unless the human status quo is changed completely

I have the answer for you.... If you can survive on Social Security checks and/or savings, you need to leave work behind for the time being. There are Mental Hospitals all around and you likely don't even know they exist so close to you. Most of these Behavioral Health Centers or Mental Hospitals have day programs. Like 8am to noon or some might go until 3pm. They differ from place to place. Basically after being assessed, they determine what types of therapy you'd benefit from. You typically go from group to group (like high school) and learn and share with others. It will give you a reason to get out of bed. And make you feel productive because you'll be working on your issues. BTW, the other "patients" are there voluntarily. And it won't be locked down. They allow you to come and go as you please, but frown upon it if taken advantage of. I say give it a try. I've done it and it was beneficial. Good Luck!

You NEED to take time off to 'let work go' regularly... especially if your depression is actually hurting your performance AND interaction with co-workers!!

Nothing wrong with taking a sick day now and again - that is why they have them... sometimes depression is a better reason to take a day than a headache etc... I like to take at least 1 - 3 day weekend a month - although I use and schedule vacation days to accomplish this... I schedule them way in advance so that there are no 'surprises' at work and people won't see a 'sick' day pattern... I NEED the days and use them for FUN and they really help my depression a LOT...

If I get 'unexpectedly' overwhelmed with depression, I will take a sick day for it too...

Get out and walk, ride a bike, tour the town, go to the zoo... anything that free's up your mind... staying in bed or watching TV doesn't really help (IMHO) and you end up just sitting there thinking about work and stress....

Good luck to you.

Good that you realise taking time off could potentially be harmful if you are going to lay around. Now I have read that you are a Doctor so I don't know that I could give you any advice from a medical perspective, and although I don't beieve I have ever had "clinical" depression, I offer you this, with the best intentions and respect. You know that for every thought there is a corresponding chemical reaction, I am not saying to give up on your anti depresants, but what they do is chage your chemical balance as well, there have been times when I have experienced that "black, hopeless, detatched feeling and what worked for me is to stop , change to expression on my face and talk either out loud or to myself in the exact opposite direction, and ti think of the most exciting

euphoric things I can drum up. Now, it all sounds too simple, but when I do it, I imagine / know that I am changing my brain chemistry, this along with physical activity has worked for me every time. I also believe that you should give yourself something to look forward to EVERY DAY, we work every day, we have bills to pay every day, we have to compete with traffic and office politics every day, you have to know this junk all gets stored and needs to be neutralised. What do you like to do? how do you like to relax? is there a hobby or another undertaking that you have put off? Indulge in it , know from the time that you get up and all through out the day that you have this wonderul thing to look forward to. Sometimes I will put on my head phones and listen to jazz and imagine being on a cruise ship late at night standing on the deck in the moon light and just create this perfect scenerio and it fires me up to the point I get goose bumps. I am sure that as a scientist, you already know that the mind can not tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined, a good, but rather crass example of this is in the delightful experience of,

(make sure the children are out of the room,lol) nocturnal emissions, there is absolutely no physical sence perception except what the mind is creating and the effects are identicle.

If I may, I have practiced this science of mind for many years,

and I have not even had the sniffles in 20 years, I don't even bother with health insurance, don't need it. I don't expect you to go all crazy like that, but you can use what I have told as an adjuct to good medical care to feel happiness again, it's there

you just have to focus on it. My dear Doctor, I truly wish for you the very best and I am confident that with your esteemed back ground you WILL beat the crap out of this bully called depression.

Do not let life get away from you, some day you may be in a nursing home, a 20 something year old c.n.a will change your diaper, hand you a cold plate of scrambled eggs and set you in front of the nurses station, you will look across the desk at the woman doctor or nurse who is about your age and say to yourself,"I would give anything to be her right now"

Sounds like you need a vacation, or a hobby. Perhaps you should take up cycling or model trains. Definitely take time off ASAP in order to get your life back in order. There is no sense in continuing the behavior that is leading to your depression. If work is the only thing that gets you out of bed in the morning then you need to find something else that makes you feel alive.

Ok here's what I've done and I've been dealing with depression for the past 40 years. There have been times when I've had to take time off from work because I couldn't function clearly. IF you keep making mistakes you might be fired, if you take a leave of absence they can't fire you at least not if you're in the US. The family and medical leave act allows you to take up to six weeks a year off for medial reasons. That might give you enough time to get on medications and for them to start to work before you have to go back to work. You know this is you've dealt with depression for any length of time. You might really consider it. You should talk to your current doctor to get their take on the situation.

Well considering that it's catching up to you, I think now is a good time to cash in on some of that sick time. Take a road, dont sit in bed. Go by yourself and try to find peace in doing nothing productive. Relax and enjoy your time off. But dont sleep it away, that's not healthy.

Good luck and God bless!

All you need is to find a nice guy to confor you.