What to say when calling in sick with Anxiety

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here

Calling in sick is never easy, but it’s even harder when anxiety is involved. You’re worried about what your boss will think and you’re worried about what your coworkers will think.

Anxiety can make you feel like you have the flu, and that makes it hard to call out of work. It’s a vicious cycle: anxiety makes you sick, and calling out of work makes your anxiety worse.

It’s a lot of pressure, but it can be done. Here are some tips for what to say when calling in sick with anxiety, as well as other useful information.

What to say when calling in sick with anxiety

If you’re calling in sick with anxiety, it’s important to realize just because you’re feeling fine physically, that taking a mental health day is still important.

Here are some phrases that employees can use when talking with their boss:

I’m not well enough to come to the office. I’m going to take a day off to get better and, hopefully, I will be OK to come back to work tomorrow.

“I will let [team member] know, too, and will forward on any information they need while I’m off. I will also be available by phone or email if there are any urgent queries. Thank you for your understanding.”

or if you don’t want to give any details, you can use the excuse that you need to take care of someone else and say:

My child has a stomach bug and won’t be allowed to return to school for 48 hours, so I need a couple of days off to look after her.

“I will be available by phone and email throughout and will do any work I can from home. However, I will need to reschedule my meetings for the next couple of days. Sorry for any inconvenience this causes; I appreciate your understanding.

How to call in sick to work script

The best way to call into work is to be honest. If you can’t fake a cough or pretend you have the flu, it’s better to be honest and say you don’t feel well. If you sound like you are in good spirits, your boss will be less likely to worry about you and more likely to give you a break. You can do this by saying: “I am sorry, but I am not feeling well today.” This is usually enough information for them to know that something is wrong.

It also gives them a reason why you can’t come in, which they will appreciate. It is better not to exaggerate your symptoms or try to fake being sicker than you are, because then they may doubt your abilities at work or think that if they give you a break today, then you will take advantage of them again tomorrow.

Mental Health Sick Day email template

If the thought of talking to your boss over the phone makes you feel worse, sending an email is a good alternative. Here’s a sample email template you can adjust for your needs:

Dear [Name],

I’m writing to let you know that I won’t be able to come to work today since I feel unwell. I’m taking the day off to rest and recover.

If you need anything from me, I will be available by [phone/email]. Thank you for understanding, and I hope to see you soon. [Name]

What to know about calling out sick for mental health reasons

We all know that feeling of dread when we have to call in sick as an employee. It’s not fun to be the one who has to tell your boss that you can’t make it in. And it’s not fun showing up to work when you really shouldn’t be. But what if you had a mental health condition and calling out sick meant staying at home and avoiding the anxiety, depression, or other symptoms you were experiencing? It can be tough to know how to handle a mental health crisis at work without causing too many problems for yourself. But there are things you can do.

Here are a few tips:

1. You don’t have to explain yourself. You don’t have to tell anyone what is really going on if you don’t want to. You can just say that something came up and it’s better for everyone if you stay home today. This way no one can accuse you of taking advantage of your illness by calling out sick too often (but also no one will know what’s going on!).

2. Don’t feel guilty about taking time off. It’s OK if this is the only day off work that week; mental health conditions happen sometimes! It’s better for everyone if you stay home instead of trying to force yourself through work with no energy or motivation at all — not to mention putting pressure on yourself because of all the guilt around calling out sick!

3. Don’t forget about self-care! Even if this means binge-watching TV shows while eating pizza — as long as it makes you feel good! — make sure that even though staying home might seem like a break from responsibilities, it actually isn’t one! Remember that self-care is just as important as caring for others when they’re ill, so make sure that even though it might seem like a break from responsibilities, staying home isn’t actually one at all! 6. Make sure your boss understands how long this absence will last.

Don’t Overshare

When you need to call out sick, it’s important to be truthful and avoid giving information that could be used against you. But if you’re calling in because of a mental health issue, it’s also important to be as truthful as possible. You don’t want your boss or coworkers to think that you’re trying to get out of work or school just because you don’t feel like going.

On the other hand, you don’t want them to think that your mental health issues are so severe that it can affect your performance at work or school. Here are some tips for calling out sick when it’s for a mental health issue: Avoid saying “I have depression/anxiety/PTSD/etc.” This can make others uncomfortable and may lead to them treating you differently.

Instead, say something like “I have some personal things I need to take care of today. I hate having to call in sick when I feel okay physically, but I just need some time off and feel better knowing that my job is covered by someone else today.” If someone asks about how you are feeling physically, say “I feel physically fine but mentally not so great today. When I take care of myself, I tend to feel better physically as well.”

Don’t give too many details about what’s going on with your mental health. If someone asks about what’s going on with your mental health, try saying something like “I really just need some time away from work today and some space at home.” You don’t want anyone thinking that this is about you personally or that they should treat it differently than if they were taking time off for

Benefits of mental health days

If you’ve ever been in a bad mood, you know that it can affect your ability to perform at work. In fact, studies show that negative moods can impair employee performance on cognitive tasks by almost 50%! That’s why mental health days are important. They allow you to take time off work to get back on track.

This is why you need to take a mental health day if you need it. Taking a break from work allows you to recharge mentally and physically so that you come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the tasks at hand!

How You Should Spend Your Mental Health Day

What you do to control your anxiety on your mental health day is just as important as taking it. Take some time to relax and enjoy yourself. Call a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. Take a bubble bath or read your favorite book. Watch an old movie or go for a walk through the park. Do whatever makes you feel good — just don’t spend it worrying about what everyone else is doing! You deserve a break, so take one! It will help you get back on track when you return to work tomorrow. You won’t regret it!