We live in a society where excelling in our career is highly valued. We tend to associate a person’s success and achievement with his or her career path and prowess at work. It goes without saying that this pushes some people to the end of their rope, as they experience intense pressure from their supervisor, their colleagues, but also from those around them. Faced with a forced sick leave, whether due to a burn-out, a health problem or because their body can’t take the pressure anymore, these people find themselves alone with an intense feeling of guilt.
In the following, we cover the guilt that some people feel when they are forced to a medical leave. We also explain how our therapists can offer concrete support during this ordeal.
Burn-out and depression: two common causes of sick leave
Burn-out is a state of intense fatigue, generally caused by permanent and prolonged stress. In most cases, it is directly related to professional responsibilities.
Depression, on the other hand, refers to a state of sadness, a marked drop in energy level and motivation at work or in daily life. We no longer feel like doing the activities and hobbies we love. In addition, this can be accompanied by the feeling that one is not worth anything, either as an individual or as a professional.
Other reasons that may force a sick leave include various injuries and health problems. In all cases, there are generally two typical profiles of people when faced with sick leave:
- First type: His attitude toward work allows him to step back from his work responsibilities, and this is to accept the need for rest.
- Second type: He has difficulty accepting this period of forced rest. He feels indebted to his colleagues or is afraid of losing his “competitiveness” in front of them and in the eyes of his superiors.
Dealing with guilt
As you can see, this is the second type of person who often has difficulty coping with the forced sick leave and feels a certain amount of guilt. If the sick leave is caused by burn-out or depression, you will most likely be referred to a psychologist. This is an excellent way to understand the guilt you are feeling and to learn the right strategies to deal with it.
The psychologist can be an important support to:
- De-dramatize the situation;
- Take stock of the factors that led to the sick leave, understand them and their implications;
- Identify the sources of the problem and find strategies to deal with them or mitigate their effects;
- Drain the emotions and understand them, whether they are positive or negative;
- Drain emotions and understand them, both positive and negative; and Review issues with the partner, family and co-workers.
It should also be noted that the therapist can help prepare for the return to work by giving the tools to get through this period of doubt. He or she can also provide valuable advice on how to avoid repeating the behaviors or situations that led to the sick leave.
Clinique GO’s psychologists offer in-home services as well as online consultation services in psychology. Contact our team to learn more!
Approuvé par Francis Desjardins
