need to get your physical and yearly mammaogram
Car repairs car broke down on road
License renewed

migraine

I agree with Evaloon on this one, cb...

There's nothing wrong with taking a mental health day. Even people who are or claim to be "normal" have those days.

If you face it by saying what it really is, you are being true to yourself as well as others. Making up some kind of ache or pain or illness is also a part of denial and masking what's really going on.

I agree with Evaloon on this one, cb...

There's nothing wrong with taking a mental health day. Even people who are or claim to be "normal" have those days.

If you face it by saying what it really is, you are being true to yourself as well as others. Making up some kind of ache or pain or illness is also a part of denial and masking what's really going on.

I agree with Evaloon on this one, cb...

There's nothing wrong with taking a mental health day. Even people who are or claim to be "normal" have those days.

If you face it by saying what it really is, you are being true to yourself as well as others. Making up some kind of ache or pain or illness is also a part of denial and masking what's really going on.

when you mention mental health they will use it agaisnt you and think of you as weak.

I kind of have a different problem with 'mental health day'. It doesn't sound like a good enough reason to take a day of (other than very rarely) It sounds like something that 'normal/healthy' people take, like it doesn't carry weight. It sounds like 'sniffles' to me. It sounds like 'I'm a bit stressed out, and I need to go take a walk or something'. Which is almost what the problem is, really. OK, I'll shut up now.

Just say you have doctors appointments that you forgot about. Keep it vague, they don't have to know what doctors and why, its none of their business.

Or you could go for the really outrageous. Call in dead, missing a limb, forgot to do laundry so you smell like a giant used sock.

unless you and supervisor are really close I wouldnt use it. But whatever you decide...

BTW GrownNSxy, those are all good excuses, but I was looking for something that somewhat captures the spirit and seriousness of my problem, and the fact that it is a physical disease beyond my 'willpower' control, without being explicit about it.

I have the luxury, since my boss already knows I've had a postpartum-something-depression-or-other-thingamajingy. I also know his wife suffers from depression, and we are in a pretty relaxed workplace anyway.

I'm actually leaning towards the 'mental health day', especially since I plan, anyway, on telling him that I have bipolar, at some unspecified near future.

And this whole discussion has made me think about what I will say at that meeting, which is a great thing.

Still, if you have 'em, keep 'em coming.

what, telling them you smell like a giant used sock didn't float your boat? lol

Sorry, slow computer...didn't mean to add my comment THREE times! lol!

GNS, I disagree with you. That may have been true years ago, but nowadays that is not the case. Because of the information there is out there, work places DO understand. It's not thought of as a weakness anymore...that was stigma based AND if used can be held accountable through discrimination.

You don't have to go into that much detail, but it's better to tell the truth than to lie. BELIEVE ME!! I have been there more than once, making up excuses of why I can't make it into work. Because of it I've gotten pink slips, been put on probation and fired because of too many sick days of excuses that were not true. It's not worth it.

A mental health day IS just as important as a physical illness. If you can't function mentally, you can't be a productive part of the business and do your work properly.

I have heard so many stories on here and real life where this has backfired for many. mental illness is not respected nor tolerated by most jobs. its mocked and considered a liability. But it seems like your place is an exception so go with what you know.

I would use migraine, it is a language most people understand to some extent, knowing symptoms often include nausea and other symptoms of bipolar, side effects, etc.

how about... "i had a bad reaction to medicine i take for a chronic medical issue. it doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it usually takes a day or two for the allergic reaction to subside." fill in the blanks with a symptom or two.

it seems there are always some side effects of our medicine - either caused by it or not treated sufficiently by it. intense mania periods are a perfect example