Doctor refusing to give sick note, need some help/advice

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I don't think this falls under medical advice, not after that.

I have really bad anxiety (social), as well as depression. I used to be on JSA, but I got too ill from the pressure and the mandatory group sessions that I was forced to go to. I went onto ESA and was issued sick notes every month from the doctor.

Now the doctor is refusing to give me anymore and is essentially saying to go find work, but no matter how many times I told her I can't, she said she's sorry and that's that. I've not seen her in person for months and she's just not fully understanding my problems. What do I do from here? Ask for another doctor? Find work online?

Pretty stressed as normally my parents would help me with sorting this out, but they're in America for another week (I still live at home).

I know this solution would be easy for other people, but anxiety has really crippled me. I can't mentally work right now, but making others understand is difficult.

Do you think it's possible to find work online that offers around the same as I get from ESA? It's around £140 every 2 weeks.
 
find another doctor

go see a private GP (granted that might eat into your ESA payments but if they can sign you off for a month then it might be worth it still)

if you're genuine then just get a second opinion essentially

long term though your GP is probably right, you'd be better off trying to get back to work - sitting at home is not a long term solution, get some counselling or ask your GP about medication or get a book on mindfulness, join a gym etc.. it shouldn't be a reason to be off work permanently and being off work permanently isn't going to help it, it is just sticking your head in the sand. Tis something you need to deal with in the next few months as perhaps the next GP will want to stop signing repeated sick notes for you too.
 
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Finding work online that gives a reliable/regular income can be tough - if you have specific skills especially creative stuff then there are sites where people can post contracts, etc. to hire someone temporarily to do work for them i.e. create a logo but I'm not overly familiar with which sites are good for that and which to avoid, etc.
 
I understand your frustration, I went through a terrible period of depression.

I was on JSA at the time too, advisor's are not mental health workers so I didn't expect them to get it. But my time was incredibly unpleasant.

Are you seeing someone for counselling? you NEED to be doing that. I'm afraid it's all good being on the sicky but you have to get some form of treatment... depression is a cycle and you have to break it. You often need help to do so because it's self reinforcing.
 
Upgrade said:
I don't think this falls under medical advice, not after that.

I have really bad anxiety (social), as well as depression. I used to be on JSA, but I got too ill from the pressure and the mandatory group sessions that I was forced to go to. I went onto ESA and was issued sick notes every month from the doctor.

Now the doctor is refusing to give me anymore and is essentially saying to go find work, but no matter how many times I told her I can't, she said she's sorry and that's that. I've not seen her in person for months and she's just not fully understanding my problems. What do I do from here? Ask for another doctor? Find work online?

Pretty stressed as normally my parents would help me with sorting this out, but they're in America for another week (I still live at home).

I know this solution would be easy for other people, but anxiety has really crippled me. I can't mentally work right now, but making others understand is difficult.

Do you think it's possible to find work online that offers around the same as I get from ESA? It's around £140 every 2 weeks.
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What?

You got ill from going to a group session??
As in ill or "i cant face life" ill?

I dont understand
 
Glanza said:
Get help to try over coming your issues rather than constant sick notes?
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With those kind of conditions it is often the initial barrier that is the most insurmountable - especially tough when you are an edge case and don't have the outward signs the same as someone who is more heavily afflicted i.e. full on autism (in terms of getting help, etc.).

People see me dealing with people facing stuff at work and have no idea how deeply traumatic it is for me because I just get on with it and try and work through the issues I have :S (and those that have half an idea just think I'm shy, etc. which couldn't be further from the truth).
 
Why is the doctor refusing to give sick notes all of a sudden? What is the reason?

Have alternative treatments/therapy or other avenues been suggested that you have refused? Seems a bit odd that it would stop just because.

Without knowing the full story I doubt anyone can advise you properly.
 
So the doctor was happy to give you sick notes, but not refer you to somebody who could get to the root of your issues, and then decided to withdraw the sicknotes without actually taking any steps to actually help? Wow.
 
Have you been referred for Cognitive behavioural therapy? Push for that, it may really help.

Seek another GP, you can usually see any at your local surgery, you don't have to see your named doctor. Even an out of hours GP at a local A&E if you have one nearby.

Mental health issues are real, they aren't all cured by 'getting a grip'.
 
Thompson_NCL said:
Get a grip of yourself and stop being a coward. There is no 'anxiety' or 'depression' which cannot be overcome with sheer force of will. Time to join your fellow Übermensch in the sun!
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As someone who actually does man up and deal with clients/customers even though what to many people is a perfectly normal business/social situation can easily get my heart rate up, cold sweat/legs turn to jelly feeling and wanting to run for the door I actually resent that remark.
 
Rids said:
So the doctor was happy to give you sick notes, but not refer you to somebody who could get to the root of your issues, and then decided to withdraw the sicknotes without actually taking any steps to actually help? Wow.
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As I said above, I suspect this wasn't the case - it would need to be a really bad doctor.

Given the admitted inability to engage in things like group sessions or therapy and the like I think the doctor might have stopped giving notes for a genuine reason - it all depends on the OP's willingness to participate in out of the ordinary treatment (and constant sick notes that come with it). Maybe a subtle push by the doctor to encourage more participation? I don't know.

With something like social anxiety and depression, its very difficult to assess a situation without knowing everything about it - everyone's mindset is different.
 
Thompson_NCL said:
Get a grip of yourself and stop being a coward. There is no 'anxiety' or 'depression' which cannot be overcome with sheer force of will. Time to join your fellow Übermensch in the sun!
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Really?? You clearly have NO idea on mental health issues do you :rolleyes: Really nice comment that :mad:


OP, get a second opinion and tell them you want some sort of therapy (usually CBT) as you are finding taking the first steps too hard on your own. While getting out there and doing is the best thing, it isn't easy as some people seem to think (including some docs unfortunately)

have to agree with some of the above posters though, does seem a little weird for him/her to just stop the notes like that. Have you refused therapy or meds or something?? Because if they are trying to give you a nudge to do something against your anxiety causing issues, they should be supporting you with it too.
 
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you're doctor is probably trying to push you into sorting yourself out, sitting on the sick won't help, go outside find something to do, get some exercise, feel better and seize the day, its better than being trapped on a sick note. Ask the doctor to refer you for CBT or Psychotherapy
 
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