Faking depression

Katie1980_2

I think your "so called friend" is going about it the wrong way if he does not want to work then just quit the job but to actually fake depression and from someone who wishes they did not have depression that is actually pretty sick. I would love to hold down a fulltime job and beat the depression.

If he is doing it to claim benefits he will have to go through a medical and that is not going to be too easy to pull the wool over peoples eyes.

Katie

ninky_2

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Reasons for faking depression:

1) To have an easy life on benefits
2) To get popular recreational precription drugs to sell on

How are we managing to produce people with such little ambition. Lock him in a room with Ann Widdecombe. He'll probably have real depression after that.....

hethmar

I think he is just very immature and confused. The home background sounds a mess - ditto getting engaged and so on.

May be he does feel fed up or even depressed with a dead end job - you say he went to college? But he is only 18 now? The best advice you could give him would be for him to go to Careers advice about returning to some training to give him a future to look forward to.

Personally, I dont think he would have a snowball in hells chance of fooling a decent GP he is clinically depressed if he isnt. He wont know how it truly feels nor the physical symptoms - its not just a case of looking sad, believe me.

Pee

It does seem to me that the answer might be he is genuinely depressed. I find it hard to believe with the unfair stigma attached to mental ill health that he would chose to pretend to be depressed, if in fact he didn't feel at the end of his tether - possibly because of the stress of setting up home with his girlfriend on a presumably low wage. (Albeit surely better than the alternative of benefits?)

mickymellon

he sounds like one of life's real winners :rolleyes:

if he wants to fake depression at 18 working for a pizza restaurant, then he'll top himself when he has to deal with real life and responsibilities.

Additionally if he does succeed in being signed off work then this will be logged on his record and reduce possible work opportunities later down the line?

onlyforboards_2

JayZed wrote: »

I agree with all the comments upthread.

You may also want to point out to him that if he is signed off work with "depression", it will go on his medical records.

yep. I had depression for 6 months at 18, which you would think is fairly normal.
I was shocked decades later to see my records being used against me at work.

DCFC79

mickymellon wrote: »

he sounds like one of life's real winners :rolleyes:

if he wants to fake depression at 18 working for a pizza restaurant, then he'll top himself when he has to deal with real life and responsibilities.

Additionally if he does succeed in being signed off work then this will be logged on his record and reduce possible work opportunities later down the line?

thats why i want to try and discourage him as if further down the line he changes his mind and wants to go back to work his so called depression will go against him, then he would be up a creek without a paddle

MrsW82

As someone who's suffered with Clinical Depression, I can't begin to express my views about this guy!
(I haven't read the whole thread - it's making me realllllly annoyed!)
I just hope that he gets found out, if he does decide to go down this cowardly, weak route.
At 18 there are plenty of other options if he's unhappy doing what he's doing - going back into education for a start, or re-train.

Uncertain

MrsW82 wrote: »

As someone who's suffered with Clinical Depression, I can't begin to express my views about this guy!
(I haven't read the whole thread - it's making me realllllly annoyed!)
I just hope that he gets found out, if he does decide to go down this cowardly, weak route.
At 18 there are plenty of other options if he's unhappy doing what he's doing - going back into education for a start, or re-train.

I must admit that was my first (and second!) reaction.

However, the fact that he is even talking along these lines and behaving as the OP has described in a later post perhaps suggests there are some underlying mental issues?

Francesanne

maninthestreet wrote: »

It's extremely unlikely he will be able to pull the wool over the eyes of the medical professionals he encounters in his bid to fake depression.

Not entirely sure about that. I know someone who's managed to fake his so called 'depression'. My elderly Mum is suffering from severe anxiety and depression and is so serious medication, under care of hospital and seeing a therapist. I know how it's affected her life and how it's limited what she can and can't do. The guy I was referring to leads a very normal life. Spends hours decorating, cooking, looking after child. Basically doesn't like working and he's done a good job convincing his GP he's depressed. Makes my blood boil and I'm unable to do anything about it.