Depression Support Thread

Tulip

:hello: Everyone,

Morning! hope all is well,I am fine today,not doing much as cleaned my bathroom and kitchen floors last night so I dont have to do them today.Going to have a lovely day.My Parents are coming over to see me soon


love and light,

Katie xxx

La-Cara

got an email from the student counsellor saying she had a cancellation today, so will see her later. Hopefully it will help, but I don't really know what to say to her

Horasio

Hi

Since I last posted

Feel really tired, could not sleep, feel tired. Keep waking up because I stopped breathing when I slept. Still got a cold.

Feel really stressed when my family give me hell on top:(

beachbeth

Sorry to hear how you are feeling CCStar. Obviously your OH and your mother don't help your situation. It would be good if you could treat all their comments and feelings like water of a ducks back and not let it affect you (this is sort of what I do with my own mum - its her problem that she is the way she is and not mine). Of course, this is easier said than done. I don't blame you for reaching for comfort - I reach for alcohol when I feel like that.:o

Hugs for you.

La-Cara, can you just think of the problem areas in your life and perhaps things you would change if you could and talk to her about these?

beachbeth

absolutebounder wrote: »

so Im wondering if you have been reported by someone who knows or lives near you. This is quite common.

Its only just this minute struck me after reading your post that if someone had reported me, what would they have reported me for? Its not as though Im claiming IB for being unable to walk properly and Im then out and about climbing ladders and running around the park! Even if people that knew me and knew I claimed IB wanted to report me - how the hell do they know how bad I am? Im frequently in tears and regularly pull up in front of the house in my car and have to dash inside because Im crying, so if anyone was watching my movements they wouldn't have much to go on when trying to discredit me!!! There aren't many people I know that haven't seen me in a state or in tears at some point or other.

Horasio

La-Cara wrote: »

got an email from the student counsellor saying she had a cancellation today, so will see her later. Hopefully it will help, but I don't really know what to say to her

I never go with a script, I would see how it pans out. Even if you say nothing for a few minutes or they may ask you questions which could prompt you.

A lot depends of their personality whether you will gel or not. I like people to be quiet when I speak but hate the ones who say nothing at all. You might as well talk to yourself in your bedroom and it is a lot cheaper too.

La-Cara

thanks beachbeth and CCStar. The woman was nice, and asked me a lot of questions which was easier than trying to think of everything off the top of my head. She suggested doing CBT online which some others have mentioned on here so I'll give that a go. Got another appointment booked for next week.

whitevanwoman

For Beachbeth

You're obviously still fretting about the IB situation (and I don't blame you, I would be too, the whole situation is enough to cause anxiety and depression in itself, and it's as if the onus is now on you to have to prove just how "sick" you are).

Here's a few links to some good pages with info about IB tribunals, with particular reference to mental illness.
http://www.lampdirect.org.uk/Publications/WRIB1.pdf

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GettingAdvice/WelfareRights/Factsheets/incapacity.htm


And this makes interesting reading - [FONT=Arial,Bold][FONT=Arial,Bold]Medical Evidence and Incapacity Benefit Appeals: Evaluation of a pilot study[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Bold][FONT=Arial,Bold]A study carried out on behalf of the Department for Work[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Bold][FONT=Arial,Bold]and Pensions[/FONT][/FONT]
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/ih2003-2004/IH129.pdf

And here's another MSE thread about IB and tribunal - asking for advice and info http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1419169

This link is to a complicated ruling regarding IB & bi-polar disorder but I think it is essentially saying that you are exempt from having to do the Personal Assessment Test for IB if you have a severe mental illness, and that you are classed as having a severe mental illness if you are on long term medication with anti-psychotic meds including mood modifying drugs
http://kidsneedmums.co.uk/2009/01/12/case-law-on-incapacity-benefit-claimed-by-bipolar-woman/

I think this is a little out of date but is fairly easy to read and understand and has some useful info
http://pb.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/23/5/260.pdf

And this looks like an excellent site giving info about the PCA test
http://www.disabilityalliance.org/pca.htm

I would suggest that you prepare yourself a statement in which you give alot of detail about your day to day difficulties such as struggling to get out of bed, difficulties in eating/sleeping/doing regular activities/self-care etc. You should also explain that sometimes you might appear "normal"on the outside but are highly anxious, get confused easily, panic about little things, get upset easily etc. Put in as many examples of things as you can think of - start now and keep a diary of what affects you on a daily basis and use that as evidence. You can give the tribunal a copy of your statement - I know that I can prepare myself for something (like a job interview) but then my head goes blank so you can explain this and give them something in writing in case that happens. It seems like the more info you give, and details of how you are affected (compared to what you used to do) then the better.

However, I really think you should go to CAB or contact the Disability Alliance for proper advice as I think, if you are on long term ADs or mood stabilisers, then you are classed as having a severe mental disablement and therefore you should never have had to go for an assessment in the first place. Is there a local Mind in your area? The one in my area has an advocacy service which helps people with tribunals etc. Plus they will be able to give you loads of info about mental health and have regular drop in sessions with advice workers from different organisations.

It's rotten that you are having to go through this and that this process is probably making you worse, especially considering that it might be that you should not have to be going through it, they got it wrong.

Get as much info as you can - forewarned is forearmed.

x

Tulip

:hello: Everyone,

Morning! hope all is well,I am fine today,I am off to the doctors soon for an appointment and then I am back home to wait for a man to come and do my gas safety check that I have to have done yearly.

I hope you all have a lovely day.Off to Mums later for lunch.

love and light,

Katie xxx

Tiff_2

Hi guys!

Morning my little fruit flies - how's us doing?

Sorry for being absent and for the lack of tiffing folks but the Tiffster has had more 'stuff' to deal with here at Tiff Towers and I have to phone the 'vet' (gp) this morning, , ('cos Tiffy's been feeling poorly for a while now and I think my back end has gone,), plus DS is having a crisis in confidence and everything else down in London too!
It's okay though - I'd hate to give anyone Upstairs the impression that I might actually like a quiet life for a change!

Starting my morning off with a sincere to jamespir (james) - come on in and join the clan hunnie. Your comments were very much appreciated and I'd like to say that it's really nice to see someone speaking up for someone else with depression. It proves there are still some ''good guys'' out there who understand and are willing to help. That is so encouraging for people with mental ill health to read when they're at their lowest - thank you.

Also sending a warm welcome back to completely lost! You know you're always welcome here sweetie and I'm sorry you're having a hard time. I know it's hard for most people with depression but we have to learn to stop comparing ourselves so much to others, for any reason - and I'm guilty of that too, angel. Easier said than done, lost, I know - it seems to be a very common symptom. Actually, if I think about it, it's a naturally human thing to do whether we're ill or not - but we just take it very much to heart and we tend to believe everyone must be better than we are, which isn't true.

Sending out extra hugs and curious hellos to sazzy, gem, ettie b, elona, flis, ilgd, beth, rbk, alba, mezer, donny, lm, katie-tulip, ccstar, may, rosep, s7, cara, blues, kl, sf, sp, fairy, cb2, ab, budd and jo.

Wishing everyone here a better day today than they had yesterday. Be kind to yourself, guys.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx