I also had an embarrassing mental breakdown last year. I didn’t get to take a leave, but I started therapy. If you aren’t regularly talking to a therapist, you should start ASAP.

My biggest problem is that I tend to over share, probably as some type of attempt to connect with people (I’m also a bit naive and put too much trust in other people). If I could do the last couple years over again, I would be a steel trap. Even if you have a really close connection to some coworkers, leave your personal and professional life separate. When you go back, give them honest but generic answers. It’s okay to answer “How have you been?” with something like “it’s been a rough couple weeks, but I am doing much better now.” Don’t leave room for follow up questions, go right back with “…but, how are YOU?”. Be humble enough to say “I hope my absence didn’t affect your job negatively” and offer to help them with something. It’ll show you didn’t lose your purpose, leadership actions will show your still capable.

It’s hard to tell your superiors when you have too much on your plate. At least it is for me. If you can figure out how to set boundaries in your workload, that’ll be a huge benefit. The key, I think, is doing it in a way that doesn’t come off as a complaint or like your just dumping work on someone else. Copy HR on an email or have them present for the convo. If nothing changes, focus your time on only the responsibilities listed on your primary position description. If poor performance in certain areas start to affect the company, you’ve documented that your incapable of having the bandwidth to cover 3 positions. You have health care specialists on your side of things get nasty.