Can the doctor write you off sick because of stress?

Created: 11/21/2022, 8:45 am

Mental health issues are still a taboo subject at work.

© picture alliance / dpa / Jens Schierenbeck

More and more employees in Germany suffer from stress at work - which can affect the psyche.

But can you get sick leave if you are stressed?

• Many people suffer from the increasing pressure in the workplace.

• Reports of illness due to mental illness continue to increase.

• But is it permissible to take sick leave because of stress?

Stress, overload and pressure to perform

 - more and more employees are suffering from the high pace and constantly growing demands in the workplace.

Many find it difficult to relax away from the desk and to recover sufficiently.

The result: Since 1997, the number of days absent due to

has more than tripled.

This emerges from a long-term analysis by DAK-Gesundheit.

Despite the worrying figures, psychological problems are still taboo in German companies.

Many employees fear that they will be misunderstood by their superiors and colleagues if they are temporarily absent from the job. 

Article from March 2, 2020: Sick calls: Mental health problems are the third most common cause

Mental health problems are uncomfortable for many people and they often do not want to admit what is bothering them to their doctor.

Anyone who describes the reasons for their exhaustion to their doctor usually encounters support.

In principle, "stress" is not an independent clinical picture, but many doctors know what it can do to employees in the long term.

According to the DAK report, in 2019 every 18th employee was absent from work due to

- an estimated 2.2 million people were affected.

The survey shows: the most common diagnosis is 

, followed by

.

Nationwide, mental illnesses are in third place among the illnesses that lead to sick leave.

This can also be attributed to a more open approach to psychological problems, according to DAK CEO Andreas Storm.

He also explained that patients are more likely to raise the issue when talking to their doctor.

"Employers also have to get mental stress and problems out of the taboo zone and offer their employees help," said Storm.

Stress and psychological problems: still many prejudices

In Germany there are still

against

.

In fact, many workers are uncomfortable with the idea of ​​telling their employer that they are staying home because of stress.

Those who suffer from

or an

often fear being stigmatized.

Although acceptance of mental illness in the workplace has increased significantly in recent years, many employees are still afraid to talk to their boss* about these issues.

Physical illness and injury are still considered more acceptable.

are not among them in many cases.

Also read

:

Sick leave: mental illness or just stress?

Whether it's a cold, a broken foot or mental illness -

there are many reasons for

However, you do not have to tell your supervisor why you do not show up for work.

Because employees are not obliged to give the reason for their absence price.

Still, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

As a rule, if the

is longer than three days, a sick note from the doctor must be available by the fourth day at the latest.

The doctor must then assess whether the illness is so serious that the absence is justified.

However, no diagnosis is included on the letter to the employer.

Only the

have access to the diagnosis.

Also interesting

: Sick leave: Three errors that are still circulating.

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* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Zentral editorial network.