Our Online Support Team is here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It could be a straightforward question or a bigger issue that’s troubling you that needs some extra support to address.

It’s easy to take the first step. Fill in some simple details including what’s on your mind and send it off to one of our trained advisors for a personal email response. Click here to try it out today.

Here are some of the questions we’ve been asked this week:

Question: I hope you can help me, I think I may be depressed and I’ve been going to see my GP about it. Every time I think things are going to be OK I have a sleepless night. My GP has prescribed anti-depressants and given me sleeping tablets, but I feel like I’m losing control and my job is going nowhere. I can’t seem to switch off at night, have lost confidence and worry all the time. Can you help?

Answer: Thank you for contacting the Online Support service. From what you’ve said it sounds like you are under a great deal of stress. Having difficulty sleeping is one of the first signs of stress, along with feelings of anxiety and worry.

Sometimes you will know intuitively what’s making you stressed; other times it may seem like everything is going wrong and you are unable to identify the cause of your stress. Remember that stress is rarely caused by an event in itself, and more often by doubts about your ability to cope with that event. You need to be very honest with yourself and face up to issues that could cause some distress.

As you are experiencing physical symptoms like sleeplessness you should certainly continue to visit your GP for advice.

From what you’ve said I think you may benefit from talking directly to one of our trained advisors here, the service is free and you can talk in total confidence. There is someone here to answer your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call our Support Line on 08000 562 561 (England), 0800 564 2270 (Scotland) or 0800 085 5088 (Wales).

You may also find these factsheets from our InfoCentre useful:

• Stress - understanding stress and dealing with it
• Your top tips for dealing with stress
• How do you cope with stress?

Question: I experienced problems with workload and anxiety previously when I was an NQT but was able to return to work and complete the year. But I’m again becoming increasingly anxious about my workload. I have now been prescribed medication and signed off sick. The school is supportive and my headteacher recommended I contact you.

Answer: It’s not unusual for those who work in education to have problems dealing with workload so please don’t feel alone in this. It’s also good news that your school is supporting you and your headteacher is aware of the situation.

You might want to think about some techniques for managing your current workload so that you feel you can move forward. We all know we should manage our time better, but it’s easy to rush headlong into things when we are under pressure. You don’t need to make big changes, establishing some simple routines for planning and organising can make a big difference.

You should also consider talking to your manager to see if some of the workload can be distributed better. You already have the support of your school so they will appreciate you taking steps to resolve the issue.

Don’t forget that our trained advisors are here to support you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us for free and in confidence on 08000 562 561 (England), 0800 564 2270 (Scotland) or 08000 855 088 (Wales).

These factsheets from our InfoCentre may also be helpful:

• Tips for managing your time and workload
• Time management
• Work-life Balance - what is it and how do I achieve it?