Dominic Abbott found himself experiencing a mental health crisis last Christmas when family health concerns and work-related pressures combined to trigger anxiety and depression.
He experienced a stress-induced fit in December last year and was unable to work for five months. It left him concerned he would have to find another job.
However, support from services including employment specialists at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) has enabled Dominic to feel better and return to work.
The dad-of-three from Chelmsford has shared his experiences to encourage others to come forward for help and to emphasise the importance of people feeling supported with their mental health at home, school and work.
Dominic, who has recently started work again with adjustments to his hours and role, said: “The support is helping me to go back into the workplace environment again but with more confidence.
“During my illness, every time I would pass near my workplace I would fill up with anxiety.
“If I didn’t receive this support, I wouldn’t be in a position to feel empowered to be able to return to the work environment.
“It requires a lot of work within as well. You have to put in work as much as you are receiving help. It requires a bit of discernment and looking at what you want.”
Dominic has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and an adjustment disorder, which affects his ability to deal with extreme amounts of change.
He has experienced significant episodes of depression at least five times since 2012. All have been linked to stressful changes at work or in his home life and feeling overwhelmed.
Dominic has felt supported by his managers in all those situations. But until the last episode in December 2024, he had believed the only way to remove the stress was to change jobs completely.
However this time in addition to therapy from Mid Essex Talking Therapies he also received support from EPUT’s Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in Primary Care Service.
The IPS service supported just over 2,000 people between October 2023 and the end of March 2025.
Of those people, 1,100 were out of work and looking for employment, and 900 were in work but struggling with their health and receiving help to retain their job.
More than 250 who were unemployed have started paid employment. And 700 have returned to work after long term sickness absence or have a plan in place with their employer to prevent them being absent from work due to health.
Dominic said: “The people I have been working with to get back to work have been nothing but supportive and understanding.
“Sometimes you need someone like the IPS in Primary Care team to give you courage and be in your corner.”
With help from a counsellor and employment retention specialist, Dominic has learned ways to manage change and stress, and become more open to receiving help.
He also makes more time to pursue his hobbies and interests, alongside his family and work commitments.
He said: “I think the important thing to be able to take back that control I lacking was to keep taking small steps forward and not remain stagnant.
“It’s better to keep moving in one direction rather than to not be moving at all.
“I’ve recognised there’s no 100 per cent certainty you overcome the unknown.
“Being comfortable with being uncomfortable has helped.
“Now I feel refreshed, I feel in control and I feel empowered.”
Dominic hopes sharing his story will encourage anyone else in a similar position to seek help.
“Do yourself the service of taking small steps to go in the direction you want,” he said.
“When you are going through mental health challenges, it’s a passing phase, you can either be consumed by the storm and fight against it or allow it to take its course, or take small steps to better understand how you think and do things because no-one else will know what’s best for you than you.”
You can find out more about EPUT’s Employment Services on our Employment Services webpage.