 Typical Problem
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Stress and time-off: often a losing combination
Let me tell you about a situation that we often see in the hospital. It's not really one case but an amalgam of many that I have seen repeated over and over again.
The call usually comes from the client or sometimes the spouse. The presenting problem is either some symptom of stress such as panic attacks or something related to depression -unremitting fatigue and loss of motivation are common ones. Whatever the problem, I always get there too late. The individual has usually been struggling at work for months, if not years. The problems could relate to a highly competitive work environment, a tyrannical boss or even a less than adequate response to changing organizational demands.
However, when the worker finally comes to see the psychologist, the formative problems have been lost in a sea of medical symptoms and complaints. Invariably, the client has seen his or her family doctor, who sympathetic to the suffering of the individual, has prescribed some psychotropic medication along with time-off work. In my experience, exclusive reliance upon this combination can often prolong, rather than solve, the problem.
Very often, the client calls just before his or her medical leave of absence is about to run-out.
Turns out, the worker on psychological leave has spent four weeks or maybe four months at home doing not much of anything except worrying. 'Time-off' is regrettably not time away from stress. Panicked with the idea of returning to work, the 'sick' worker worries not only about the original problem but also, his/her new medical status of disabled.
Although initially relieved about not having to face that boss or see that pile of papers on their desk, with progressive inactivity, peoples' assessment of their own skills and abilities plummets. It reminds me of professional athletes, who out of action due to injury, start to overestimate the moves and abilities of those still playing while slowly losing confidence in their own. In professional baseball, increasing time spent on the disabled list creates the impression that even routine ground balls are tough. Understandably, when the 'rested' worker considers returning to the playing field, panic quickly sets in.
Meanwhile back on the farm, the worker's colleagues have often been forced to carry the extra work of the employee on medical leave. Secretly, many of them know that they too could go to a doctor and present their feelings in such a way to be considered for their own medical leave. Everyone is stressed, and everyone feels the demands of the workplace. As a result, their acceptance of the returning worker is often less than welcoming.
Ironically, the burned-out worker enjoys his or her job- just not the conditions under which it is performed.
