Deneen – I Had to Force Myself Out of the House

Mental health challenges have been on the rise for a while now.  When I lost my sister to COVID on Mother’s Day 2021, I continued to work but was really struggling. Even though I was on meds for depression and anxiety, with therapy, I would have to force myself out of my house. I was spending more time alone, even working throughout the night cleaning my desk and answering emails because I wasn’t sleeping. I was not right, and my employer noticed. I was one of the lucky ones to have an employer that valued me, and they gave me the time I needed to get my head back on straight. While I still may have hard days, I can’t tell you how much peace of mind paid leave offered me. Everyone needs paid leave, sick time, etc. It is time to encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to give them the tools to do it.