Stress is making physical and mental health worse

briskbeats

Being short staffed, deliveries - no idea if they turn up, shelves empty, customers with no idea how retail works, shouting at us is really affecting my health. This is looking like the repeat of March 2020 all over again. I can’t cope for a second time.

Plus the recent hot weather has played havoc with my asthma. Had been taking the inhaler more and chest feels weak because of this. The combination of the above is making my life very depressing. Can’t sleep, can’t switch off. 

Job vaccines in the area are a mixture of too technical or will lose out on money as paid less or require driving further to travel.

What shall I do? Will I get punished for claiming stress as my reason phoning in sick over asthma?

oh_really

briskbeats said:

Being short staffed, deliveries - no idea if they turn up, shelves empty, customers with no idea how retail works, shouting at us is really affecting my health. This is looking like the repeat of March 2020 all over again. I can’t cope for a second time.

Plus the recent hot weather has played havoc with my asthma. Had been taking the inhaler more and chest feels weak because of this. The combination of the above is making my life very depressing. Can’t sleep, can’t switch off. 

Job vaccines in the area are a mixture of too technical or will lose out on money as paid less or require driving further to travel.

What shall I do? Will I get punished for claiming stress as my reason phoning in sick over asthma?

Develop resilience, life isn't easy, this is something you need to learn to manage.
What can you do individually about the issues of being short staffed or deliveries not turning up? Is stress helping? Issues at work, leave manager to deal with, in the meantime you calmly do you job and go home. You can only do what you can, learn and accept this, management cant get blood out a stone as much as they may wish to.

Away from work, what do you do for fun and relaxing?

Are you a union member?  https://www.gmb.org.uk/join-gmb

Thrugelmir

Whenever you can get out and go for a pleasant walk. Do you the world of good. 

Brie

Are you working in a large retail outlet - supermarket or similar??  And presumably not in management??

Let's break this down into separate issues.  

Customers are human and as good or as bad as any of us.  And some are complete jerks.  I've nearly punched a few in my time in retail which is a good reason for me to NOT be in retail any more.  Unless you fancy changing jobs you will need to find a way to ignore the idiots and focus on those that smile, say hello, wish you a nice day, wait patiently in line.  

Asthma - do you need to talk to your doctor about your prescription??  Or would even something simple like olbas oil help you breathe a bit more easily at night to help you get the sleep you need?  I've used Burt's Bees mentholated lip balm rubbed under my nose before bed and that helps me immensely.  Would a fan help at all?  Maybe with a bottle of frozen water in front of it to work as a non techie air cooler??

I quite get the bit about not wanting/not being able to change jobs.  So you need to find a way to cope.

Stress and mental health - again can you talk to your doctor??  I know myself that people say "well just reduce your stress!" as if it's that easy.  We all go through periods when there is just too too much to deal with and it quickly gets on top of us.  But your doctor might have access to a local "living well" network that would give you the chance to talk out some of the issues.

As for the big question about calling in claiming stress vs asthma.....it's difficult.  You could get signed off for both at the same time so that's not a problem.  I do know that some managers are only comfortable with basic cause and effect illnesses - hot weather gives you asthma + inhaler helps with asthma = problem solved.  Stress is harder for lots of people to understand and a manager may also feel guilty as if they are responsible for "inflicting" this on you.  Only you know your manager and how good they might be at supporting you with this - either being understanding or moving you to a role that is easier for you to deal with.   Is being off work going to be good for you overall??  If you can work in a cool evironment maybe that would help your asthma and maybe being at work will ensure you aren't home alone fretting about things.

oh_really

Assume the op's not returning, they've posted loads since this thread and currently Last Active

Today at 5:05PM

Takeaway_Addict

oh_really said:

Assume the op's not returning, they've posted loads since this thread and currently Last Active

Today at 5:05PM

Obviously not a serious enough issue for them to be polite.

briskbeats

Sorry for absence.

Currently on annual leave til Monday. Now my GP has issued a fit note asking that my working hours need an urgent review when I return plus before that an occupational health review. This is for work induced anxiety.

What happens if work refuse to do either?

eamon

It will all boil down to what you and your employer want/need and if a middle point works. Please bear in mind that your employer may only help if that is in their gift and costs them little or nothing. Was you working life better before the pandemic and its impacts? Think you have some thinking to do whilst on leave/sick. Consider coming up with you own work plan i.e the hours/times/shifts that you can work most effectively, the workplace that works best for you, any assistance that your employer can provide? In other words provide your own solutions and see what they say.

If work won't help then there is little in practice that you or the courts (Tribunal) can do. Going on sick suggests SSP and even that is time limited. Ultimately you can be dismissed and a disabilty or not provides little protection. Best short & long term  advice is to engage with your employer and try to find an acceptable/workable outcome.

elsien

GPs recommendations aren’t binding. They have put work related anxiety because that’s what you’ve told them - in practice it tends to be a bit more complicated than that.  Employers tend to take more notice of occupational health. 

What are your contracted hours and what  do you want them reducing to? And do you want this to be a permanent change. 

Undervalued

briskbeats said:

Sorry for absence.

Currently on annual leave til Monday. Now my GP has issued a fit note asking that my working hours need an urgent review when I return plus before that an occupational health review. This is for work induced anxiety.

What happens if work refuse to do either?

Then you remain off sick on SSP plus any company sick pay entitlement.

The firm are under no obligation to follow the GP's suggestions but if they don't then, in the GP's judgement, you are unfit to work.

Unless you have a disability (for employment law purposes) the firm is quite entitled to make no adjustments at all and say in effect "do your full job or stay off sick until it becomes reasonable (legally speaking) for us to dismiss you on capability grounds".

briskbeats

I have dyslexia.