Black Dog of Depression - can we help each other?

LimeLight

Aaaarrrrggghhhhh.

I want to cry & scream loudly

thriftyscotslass

LimeLight wrote: »

Aaaarrrrggghhhhh.

I want to cry & scream loudly

((((Hugs)))) Limelight.

You go right ahead - if you're worried about about kids, family, neighbours hearing a pillow is wonders - you can give it a good thumping at the same time

Hope this morning finds you in a happier place.

thriftyscotslass

crazy_girl wrote: »

... one day i can be up for nearly 24 hours doing stuff constantly, then im stuck in bed for a day or two physically unable to get up...

I get the same energy peaks and troughs but not over whole days. Mornings are a nightmare for me. Yesterday, I slept the sleep of the dead until noon (13 hours straight through). I find it embarrassing if I have to tell anyone - they just don't get it and look at you as if you are a right lazy @rse.

Today, so much better - managed to get up to see Mr Thrifty off to work and dd off to school. I always find that my mood lifts as the day goes on - most probably due to anti-depressants kicking in.

SAD - now that is me+++ I am so not looking forward to winter and the darker, shorter days. I love bright, shiny days .

I hope everyone finds a calm, content and happy place for themselves today. Take care all, Thriftyxxx

crazy_girl

Thrifty- I've found that people think I'm lazy too or have the 'well It's alright for some, I have a real job' attitude.

LameWolf

Hi, people

Just checkin' in. Limelight are you OK hun?

System

crazy_girl wrote: »

Thrifty- I've found that people think I'm lazy too or have the 'well It's alright for some, I have a real job' attitude.

I keep getting this too, its like one glove should fit all but it doesn't!!!! it makes me so !!!!ing angry! if i could wave a magic wand and make it go away and be "normal" i would

crazy_girl

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

I keep getting this too, its like one glove should fit all but it doesn't!!!! it makes me so !!!!ing angry! if i could wave a magic wand and make it go away and be "normal" i would

youre not the only one there!

i really struggle money-wise coz if i cant work, i dont earn.

im a qualified adult lit teacher, if i was well i could earn a decent amount working full time doing that.

happymumto2

Hello all, haven't been about for a while, my dog got the better of me, and for the most part is ruling my life. Had my meds increased this week so am hoping it will calm him down a bit.
Am getting worse rather than better, not helped by the bloody benefit system! I am still employed (been on sick since March), so cannot get mortgage help as my employer pays me half pay which doesn't cover mortgage (so my house will be repossessed). However my children have still been going to childminder as I cannot face people to take them to and from school, but even though I am still employed and receiving a half wage I can no longer claim childcare tax credits as they consider me unemployed!
My eldest is old enough to take herself to and from school, but my youngest (who is disabled), has been home all week as I cannot take him. I don't want to end it all, but feel they would be better off if I wasn't around if you know what I mean. Don't know where to turn.

whitevanwoman

happymumto2 wrote: »

Hello all, haven't been about for a while, my dog got the better of me, and for the most part is ruling my life. Had my meds increased this week so am hoping it will calm him down a bit.
Am getting worse rather than better, not helped by the bloody benefit system! I am still employed (been on sick since March), so cannot get mortgage help as my employer pays me half pay which doesn't cover mortgage (so my house will be repossessed). However my children have still been going to childminder as I cannot face people to take them to and from school, but even though I am still employed and receiving a half wage I can no longer claim childcare tax credits as they consider me unemployed!
My eldest is old enough to take herself to and from school, but my youngest (who is disabled), has been home all week as I cannot take him. I don't want to end it all, but feel they would be better off if I wasn't around if you know what I mean. Don't know where to turn.

Hi, your situation sounds similar to mine - I've been off work sick since Feb but receiving sick pay from my employer so technically still employed, now on half pay, with a mortgage. My working tax credit stopped a few weeks ago, after my SSP had run out (after 26 weeks of sickness) so aswell as being only on half pay, I've also lost a substantial amount of income from losing tax credits.

However, when your SSP runs out after 26 weeks, you can claim Employment and Support Allowance. This is the new benefit which replaces Incapacity Benefit. It is a nightmare to claim as it all has to be done by phone and then they send you a printed form for you to check and ring up to confirm details or give correct details, and then you have to send in sick notes, pay slips etc but my claim is now in payment and I am getting approx £65 week which is a bit of a help. After 13 weeks on ESA you have to go for a medical which from what I have heard is a bit of a nightmare especially for mental illness but I'm trying not to think or worry about that at the moment.

The most important thing though is that after you have been on ESA for 13 weeks, you become eligible to claim mortgage benefit. They will only pay the interest on your mortgage and not cover any repayment of the loan so you will have to arrange to convert your mortgage to interest only but your mortgage provider should allow you to do that because of your circumstances. I don't know much info yet about mortgage benefit but it has been a huge relief to me to know that even if I get a month or two behind with my payments, it won't get any worse than that before I become eligible for mortgage benefit.

So you need to claim ESA - I don't know the telephone number off hand but you should be able to find it online if you google Employment and Support Allowance new claim. If your SSP has run out (even though you are still getting sick pay from your employer) you should be eligible. You might need to contact your employer to get them to confirm when your SSP runs out although they should write to you to inform you but its worth chasing as you can backdate an ESA claim to the date that your SSP ran out. My employer took 3 weeks to inform me that my SSP ran out but my ESA was backdated.

I was signed off at the beginning of Feb and my SSP ran out in mid August so it sounds like your SSP has probably run out by now, or you are very close to the 26 weeks.

Good luck, get an ESA claim in, I've heard alot of bad stuff about ESA but so far my claim has been straightforward and the main thing is that it is a qualifying benefit for mortgage benefit. Once you know you only have to wait 13 weeks to get some help with your mortgage, alot of the financial pressure and worry will be relieved.

Graemeyh

Hi. I wonder if anyone could advise me. I have been receiving esa for the last 7 weeks, although in the last couple of weeks I have heard that my application for ill health retirement as NHS professional has been accepted and will retire at end of November, which I informed DWP people about at "work focussed interview". Meanwhile I have had notification telling e to ring "within two days of receipt of this letter" for medical. I have no intention of claming any benefit once I start receiving Ill Health Retirement benefits and in fact intend to work part-time as self employed. The stroies I have heard about thesdee atos medicals on this and many other sites are appalling and frankly do not want to put myself through such a horrid process and further stress for the sake of what will be £300 - even thought I have paid into thesystem all my life. What do I do? Write to them and tell them I will not be attending and why and to take me off benefit? I know what I would like to say but I am a polite person and vulgarity never helps! Any advice welcome.