*UPDATE* I asked for the FMLA at work last Monday

[liberalmuse]

3. I'll bet you feel so relieved!

Take care of yourself first and foremost. I've been out on leave twice and did not go back to the stressful job the 2nd time. There is nothing wrong with you that separating yourself from a highly stressful environment won't fix. It's not you, it's the job. I found this out as soon as I quit my stressful job and oddly found out I didn't need all the medications I was on for stress, anxiety and I stopped drinking alcohol to unwind at the end of the day. Some days I'd come home shaking so bad I would down a beer just to relax.

Stress can really take a toll on your mental and eventually physical health. I feel bad that you were scared to ask for time off. There is something horribly wrong with the work culture in this country when most people feel guilty and afraid to ask for greatly needed time off to care for themselves. Sadly, most employers don't care about you as a human being. It's all about the bottom line and bonuses at the top of the food chain. They treat people like they were machines, and they treat machines much better. I've worked in places where a couple of people dropped dead - one right at their desk. It's not worth it. I wish for the best for you for SSDI.