When Burnout Hits: How I Used FMLA to Protect My Mental Health
Each year, 15 percent of U.S. workers take leave for reasons covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act, according to New America. Yet many of us with mental health conditions don’t realize that FMLA protects mental health just as it does physical health. I am grateful for the Four Pillars Model because my psychiatrist has worked with me for eleven years, helping me maintain stability and recognize when I need to step back. That framework, along with the right supports, has been invaluable, especially during times when burnout starts to trigger mental health symptoms I normally manage well.
A few years ago, while working at Masonite International in Stanley, Virginia, I reached a point of burnout that began to make me physically and emotionally unwell. I was scared to speak up because I didn’t want to be seen as weak or incapable, but deep down I knew something had to give. That’s when I made one of the hardest but most important decisions of my life. I took a four-week FMLA leave to focus on my mental health. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what FMLA could do for me. I thought it was mostly for physical illnesses or maternity leave. But the truth is, FMLA protects mental health too. It gives you the legal right to take time off work to address serious health conditions, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and others. For me, that leave wasn’t about time off. It was about survival.
As mental health advocates, we talk a lot about awareness, recovery, and resilience, but we don’t always talk about rest. I’ve learned the hard way that even when you’re doing meaningful work, burnout can sneak up fast. I’m incredibly grateful for the support team around me who knows when my body and mind need to rest. They remind me that I can’t pour from an empty cup and that sometimes the most powerful form of advocacy is slowing down long enough to take care of yourself.
That’s what my four-week FMLA break gave me: space to breathe, heal, and reconnect with the supports that keep me balanced, what I call my Four Pillars of psychiatry, therapy, family, and faith community. When those pillars are strong, I’m grounded. When one weakens, I feel it. My Four Pillars have carried me through the hardest seasons of my life, and I think they offer a powerful reminder of what we all need at home, at work, and in our communities. Taking FMLA was a pivotal step for me, as it prevented a fourth hospitalization in an inpatient psychiatric unit. I will forever remain grateful to my manager and HR director at Masonite for their understanding and kindness throughout the process.
Taking those four weeks off taught me more than any job training ever could. I learned that healing takes time, real intentional time. I learned that when I push past my limits, I end up doing more harm than good. And I learned that it’s okay to step back, reset, and come back stronger. That time also reminded me how important it is to have people in your corner, family, friends, clinicians, coworkers, who understand that caring for your mental health is not a weakness but a form of strength.
If you’re reading this and you’ve ever been afraid to ask for help, I see you. If you’ve stayed up at night wondering if you’ll lose your job for being honest about your mental health, I’ve been there. You have rights. FMLA exists for a reason, and it’s okay to use it. It doesn’t make you weak; it means you’re taking your mental health seriously. And as advocates, it’s something we all need to stay mindful of. We can’t uplift others if we don’t allow space for our own healing. Advocacy is powerful, but rest is too.
Mental health recovery isn’t linear. Some days, I still struggle. But I know now that part of staying well is knowing when to pause and giving yourself permission to do it. The Four Pillars have kept me standing, but FMLA gave me the space to rebuild them when I needed to most. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: we can’t be strong advocates without first being gentle with ourselves. Taking a break doesn’t mean you’ve stopped the work. It means you’re protecting the part of you that makes the work possible.
To learn more about FMLA and your rights, click here to visit the Family and Medical Leave Act page on the U.S. Department of Labor’s webpage.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a U.S. law that allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for certain family or medical reasons.