You have to follow your work place policies in requesting additional days like do you have to file FMLA or you just bring a note or who do you talk about it. If it’s not one day, you’d need some type of documentation. At my place it’s FMLA if it’s sequential 10 days.

As about why saying anything, it’s up to you. I shared in a previous post that we tell each other at work if we are friends and many of us are friends. I might not tell everyone why I need days because it’s not everyone’s business. But usually everyone knows because we aren’t a huge facility and are close knit

I think you should do what makes you comfortable. If you are close knit, then ask the closest to you if they think you should share (what is it you are sharing I don’t know-that your extra days off are mental health related?).

We had people taking medical leave due to
mental health. It’s as good of a reason as physical health. There’s no judgement and it doesn’t effect anything. People come back from FMLA and resume their duties. You have to take care of yourself. If your place tends to judge people because of their mental health, then maybe you shouldn’t tell

You’ll probably get a more useful answer if you ask your closest friends at work. Ask them who they think you should share your reason for FMLA. If you are close knit, then why not ask them? We don’t know ins and outs of your work place and can only advise based on how things done at our work places.