Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
Find support with others who have gone through a traumatic experience. Whether you have chronic or acute PTSD, we are here for you.
I'm having some health trouble today. Taught all day at school without missing a class, but had nausea, headaches, and even with my diabetes medication my blood sugar was doubling, then reducing by half.
When I get a bug, my PTSD is triggered, too. One more day to tough it out tomorrow Friday and teach without taking a sick day. Then I can lay up to recover from whatever this is over the weekend.
I try not to take sick days, because I'm on the record with my PTSD since when I was hired in 2011. I came to the job from having had a crash with my PTSD and being in the hospital unable to work for a few months. So as I was hired I had to account for the gap of those months in 2011 in my resume.
So when I was hired with them knowing about my PTSD before working for this school, they suggested I quit the job and go on disability when I missed work for 6 sick days after joining this school in the Fall semester of 2011.
I've been sucking it up every since and working sick or well so they don't ask me that again.
What would you do?
Whether it's fair or not, now I try not to appear on the administrators' radar as a guy who takes sick days. Last year I took zero sick days by being sick on my own time.
How do others here handle sick days at work? Are you "out of the closet" at work about your PTSD like me or not? If so, do you run the risk of having them tell you to go on disability if you use your sick days? If not, is it better to keep the fact of your PTSD private from your employer?
When I get a bug, my PTSD is triggered, too. One more day to tough it out tomorrow Friday and teach without taking a sick day. Then I can lay up to recover from whatever this is over the weekend.
I try not to take sick days, because I'm on the record with my PTSD since when I was hired in 2011. I came to the job from having had a crash with my PTSD and being in the hospital unable to work for a few months. So as I was hired I had to account for the gap of those months in 2011 in my resume.
So when I was hired with them knowing about my PTSD before working for this school, they suggested I quit the job and go on disability when I missed work for 6 sick days after joining this school in the Fall semester of 2011.
I've been sucking it up every since and working sick or well so they don't ask me that again.
What would you do?
Whether it's fair or not, now I try not to appear on the administrators' radar as a guy who takes sick days. Last year I took zero sick days by being sick on my own time.
How do others here handle sick days at work? Are you "out of the closet" at work about your PTSD like me or not? If so, do you run the risk of having them tell you to go on disability if you use your sick days? If not, is it better to keep the fact of your PTSD private from your employer?
You need information.
If I were you, I'd either look into what the ADA offers, or even talk to an attorney who specializes IN the ADA -- NOT to get litigious, but to get recommendations about what's a "reasonable accommodation" given your particular challenges.
As somebody who is 100% medically disabled (not for PTSD; that was just a nice little add-on), I have long told people that -- as long as you can stay working -- you should.
But it's a bit crazy-making to have to take such pains to "protect yourself" when ... all of that "protection" may be counter-productive.
But with earlier budget cuts, you having dodged the bullet yet again, and ... your history (which -- like mine -- included periods of non-work), I can readily understand why this is such a stressful issue for you.
I just think you need to get some solid legal advice on how best to deal with it -- hopefully, so that both parties (you and the school) win.
Feel better !
I could go on ( and on) but its ignorance on their part that causes us to have to go above and beyond just to keep a job. It's ridiculous.
I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. If you had a purely medical issue, they probably wouldn't even think of acting like this.
You wrote: "It's completely unfair and discriminatory, but when they know they seem regard every sick day as related to the PTSD, whether it is or not, and look for ways to get you out of their employ."
That's exactly how I found my new employers in 2011 interpreting the Americans with Disabilities Act against me, not for me. So I've been stuck in this mode you describe ever since. I can't have the flu and miss work now because instead my employers, who aren't bad people, still make a bad assumption that it's PTSD instead. Labels stick.
Thanks for what you said. Now when an advisee at my college discloses something to me, I don't share what you and I know as a rule, but as food for thought.
It seems we have to cope with the reality that invoking the Americans with Disabilities Act is our right, but it has blowback, too, just as Affirmative Action did in extending rights to minorities facing discrimination based on race.
Rest.
Can you cancel classes since you teach adults? What does your contract say? I'd go to the doctor any time you are ill so they know it's not under the PTSD umbrella.
I think I get 7 sick days a year and two personal. At this point, I think I've got something like 70 sick days. And that's AFTER using a bunch when I took of for the birth of my daughter. I'm not bragging. I'm just disorganized! It's WAY more work for me to make lesson plans for a sub than it is just to come in. I've been lucky where I've not been sick as a dog- just under the weather (touch wood).
That being said, many teachers take "mental health days" with a wink and a smile. They use the time just to catch up on laundry or grade papers. Just don't go golfing. (One teacher lost their job because a school board member saw them on the fairways! That's misappropriation of funds and technically, a felony, since it's state funds.)
I find that many times, I come down with a little bug at the start of the year. I think our immune systems are put in jeopardy with the stress and the schedule.
Ginger and garlic, my friend.
I then left my boss's office phone a message that I was going to take a half sick day just canceling my morning classes so I could see the doctor. I have a once a week 3 hour night class tomorrow night that I'm not canceling with that plan, so I think it's the smart way to go.
This time it's nothing to do with PTSD, you know? Just germs & viruses that give us colds and coughs. I ought to be able to take time out to see the doctor and get better. You all helped me see that to act on it.
Gracias, amigos.
I'm probably sweating the small stuff here, I know. But I've only been "out" about PTSD at work since 2011 so I'm still learning how to advocate for myself.
I've actually got a super boss, a really great lady. It's just that it's still up to us even to educate the nice ones, you know? And talking here helps me clarify my message so I don't alarm or confuse my nice boss. Thanks for that, everybody.
posted about PTSD and being sick.
Because of the support I got here, I
went to the doctor.
Turned out I was
developing pneumonia. Long story, but
with C-PTSD I have trouble gauging how
sick I feel and how sick I dont feel.
My boss was cool with me taking days
off and that it wasnt PTSD, it was
germs like anybody else. Big step for
me at work. --Muji