Mental Health and Debt Guide Blog Discussion

lolababy

Id put forward the hidden benefits out there ie council tax disregard for people with severe mental health problems. You just fill out a short form take it to your gp or psychiatrist to confirm your mental health condition and give it to the council.

Support groups such as the carers centers that can help with advice on what help is avaliable.

social services can help with repairs of essential goods ie washing machines.

Ex service personell can get help from the services they belonged to .You only need to be in the services one day to get help. To qualify you must be in need.

Hope this is of some help as it has for my family.:D

rahrah71

hello,
I got into financial difficulties following a series of upsets, included a relationship breakdown, losing my job and being forced to move home. I had no history of mental illness, but the stress really meant I couldnt cope.

a friend suggested a CBT therapist, and i was advised to tell my creditors I had suffered a 'stress related breakdown', rather than suffering from 'depression', as this would carry more weight. It did, and I got a good response, buying me time to put things in order, with the help of citizens advice and a consumer dredit charity.

It was a truly horrible time, but the practical advice and emotional support was invaluable. It gave me a clear pathway when i was totally foggy and unable to think. I never thought I'd be an official 'nutcase', but the whole experience shows that life can disintergrate and thats when we need help.

Thankfully after 26 months Im about to make my last repayment, and Im feeling so much calmer.
I hope the mental illness guide (mental health sounds better?) becomes a reality soon

vintage65

hi, im new to this site. i was diagnosed with depression and was suicidal earlier this year. although ive been depressed before it was the first time i actually asked for help.I'm still struggling sometimes but having read so much on this site about debt it really has helped me to focus in a positive way to sort my finances out. Since summer this year i paid all my credit cards off, although it was with a loan put on my mortgage, it worked out so much less than i was paying individually. I have one card left and have decided to take Martins' advice and use my little ISA to pay it off. I came across a site called livinglifetothefull. I hope it helps.

kayla99

I got sent a PM, by someone who I presume to be a 'board guide'?

I deleted the message by accident, but I am willing to give any input I can.

Hope you read this

Kay

inthegreen

I know a few people who would look forward to this guide. One has a family member who has a lot of problems with managing money due to her mental illness and my friend spends a lot of time managing her money for her on top of working full time and looking after her own 2 kids. There have been several scary incidents which I won't list on a public board but several of them have been to do with institutions selling or mis-selling unsuitable products to someone who has no capacity to understand what she is signing up for.

Go Martin:j

whitevanwoman

Why don't you ask for input to the guide from people with mental health problems and debt problems?

lolababy

Great to see the thread alive and kicking. This guide needs input from people with mental health needs, carers and the financial bodies. Im sure that the cab and mind would be glad to add to the guide.
There is a guide called the big book of benefits. Its format is really simple and gets the message across with humor . I found that a lot and of information was long winded and used complicated language.in some other guides.
Make it simple with a sense of humor and you will have a captive audience.