Support for people with Depression

Sazbo

:easter_ba :easter_ba :easter_ba

Tiff_2

Hi miro!
Thanks for your reply, hun. I can't believe you sent katie and the sazzter shopping together - you know what they're like! I can just see it all now......!!!
Methinks I'll have to keep a closer eye on those two from now on.

Right hunnie, on to the issues at hand. You explained yourself really well miro - and what you wrote didn't surprise me one bit! More on that next time - suffice to say I can empathise.

As you know hun, I always advocate breaking things down into smaller pieces to prioritise them. Right now, the immediate thing is tomorrow's medical. I don't know what time it is at tomorrow so I'll do some urgent tiffing now. Everything else can wait until tomorrow hun, but please believe that neither I nor anyone else here, would let you struggle through any appeals or anything else on your own. So that's not even going to be a problem, so now you can strike that off your list.

Again I'm not a professional hun but I'm more than willing to throw my two cents in and help where I can regarding information. And btw, you haven't failed the medical yet so let's not pre-empt that, as tempting as it may be.

Yes, I think you should write the list miro and take it with you. It's very common to have a poor memory especially under stress and that's exactly the reason to do it. Further more, I think you need to tell them that you have had to write a list because of your poor memory and concentration, which is part of your mental ill health. Also, don't be afraid to make notes yourself on what they're saying while you're at the medical - and don't let them rush you to give answers or agree with something they say when you don't really agree.

Please also tell them that you have had these suicidal thoughts on and off over a long period of time. This will show them that you have serious problems and that it is a long term health situation for you, that it's not just a minor health problem. It is also important to explain past events to them so they can see how and why your decline in health happened.

Don't forget to mention things like the fact that you don't socialise in any way either. You have to consider how all parts of your life are affected and how your depression and anxiety stop you getting all the help you need. Remember hunnie, depression and anxiety are two separate conditions.

One thing I will say right now angel, is that mental ill health alone can be enough in certain circumstances to upheave your life and health, as you know. You don't need to be physically ill too. This is a common misconception and one that we ourselves can sometimes hold. It's about time we stopped having to defend ourselves because our ill health is mental ill health. MIND and other organizations are currently running campaigns to end the stigma of mental ill health. It's not going to be easy but it's long overdue. You are not trying to commit fraud in any way - and those who do should be disgusted with themselves! - and you deserve the same level of care and support that anyone with another illness would get. I know it's hard to have to fight when you're low but there is help for you, even to do that.

I know you appreciate any help you get hun - no problem, you're more than welcome. I'll answer some other points in your post soon angel. Right, I'm orff to do my night rounds and see just where those two little minxes are.
Let us know how it goes, miro and be kind to yourself.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Miroslav

Tulip wrote: »

:hello: Everyone,

wipes the chocolate from my mouth at once to hide suspicion I hold my hands up saying I am not guilty but then I was sorting out the smartie cupboard and a few went into my hands and I shared with Saz as she had kindly offered to help me out

I am alright and had a good day.Used my new game today of Figure skating and its brilliant too.

watching Holby City soon.

love and light,

Katie xxx

Too late, you've been caught!

Saz is a bad influence on you

Hope you enjoyed your evening.

Miroslav

Sazbo wrote: »

:easter_ba :easter_ba :easter_ba

:eek::eek::eek::eek:

I've just had a great idea for a horror movie.

Smarties on MSE street - Saz and Katie on the loose :eek::eek::eek::eek:

Miroslav

Tiff wrote: »

Hi miro!
Thanks for your reply, hun. I can't believe you sent katie and the sazzter shopping together - you know what they're like! I can just see it all now......!!!
Methinks I'll have to keep a closer eye on those two from now on.

Right hunnie, on to the issues at hand. You explained yourself really well miro - and what you wrote didn't surprise me one bit! More on that next time - suffice to say I can empathise.

As you know hun, I always advocate breaking things down into smaller pieces to prioritise them. Right now, the immediate thing is tomorrow's medical. I don't know what time it is at tomorrow so I'll do some urgent tiffing now. Everything else can wait until tomorrow hun, but please believe that neither I nor anyone else here, would let you struggle through any appeals or anything else on your own. So that's not even going to be a problem, so now you can strike that off your list.

Again I'm not a professional hun but I'm more than willing to throw my two cents in and help where I can regarding information. And btw, you haven't failed the medical yet so let's not pre-empt that, as tempting as it may be.

Yes, I think you should write the list miro and take it with you. It's very common to have a poor memory especially under stress and that's exactly the reason to do it. Further more, I think you need to tell them that you have had to write a list because of your poor memory and concentration, which is part of your mental ill health. Also, don't be afraid to make notes yourself on what they're saying while you're at the medical - and don't let them rush you to give answers or agree with something they say when you don't really agree.

Please also tell them that you have had these suicidal thoughts on and off over a long period of time. This will show them that you have serious problems and that it is a long term health situation for you, that it's not just a minor health problem. It is also important to explain past events to them so they can see how and why your decline in health happened.

Don't forget to mention things like the fact that you don't socialise in any way either. You have to consider how all parts of your life are affected and how your depression and anxiety stop you getting all the help you need. Remember hunnie, depression and anxiety are two separate conditions.

One thing I will say right now angel, is that mental ill health alone can be enough in certain circumstances to upheave your life and health, as you know. You don't need to be physically ill too. This is a common misconception and one that we ourselves can sometimes hold. It's about time we stopped having to defend ourselves because our ill health is mental ill health. MIND and other organizations are currently running campaigns to end the stigma of mental ill health. It's not going to be easy but it's long overdue. You are not trying to commit fraud in any way - and those who do should be disgusted with themselves! - and you deserve the same level of care and support that anyone with another illness would get. I know it's hard to have to fight when you're low but there is help for you, even to do that.

I know you appreciate any help you get hun - no problem, you're more than welcome. I'll answer some other points in your post soon angel. Right, I'm orff to do my night rounds and see just where those two little minxes are.
Let us know how it goes, miro and be kind to yourself.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Tiff :wave:

I'll post bits and re-edit again.could be a longish post

Saz and Katie told me if they went shopping, they could save me the blue smarties. When they came back and said their were no blue smarties....:mad::mad: I swear I could see blue shells in the bin

Well, my appointment is 1.30, so i'll pop online, PC working dependant, before I go.

I'll worry about the appeal later. I have known other people, with more support and medications, fail the medical, so i'm not hopeful in any way. I'll probably get the fail on my Birthday :rolleyes: Then again, that falls on a Sunday, but you never know, my local postie may have great glee at ruining it on his day off.

With writing a list, would they not view that as 'getting my story straight' rather than helping my memory etc? I don't want to come across as a story teller, when i'm far from that. Would taking notes look strange? I won't be agreeing to anything I don't agree with. That's far from who I am. If I disagree, I say it.

Will they allow me to explain things? I thought they had set questions and some may not involve all of what I need to say.

Although I see depression and anxiety as seperate conditions, i've only ever considered saying I suffered depression. I always leave anxiety out for some reason. It's like maybe people hear depression, but not anxiety.

People don't take mental health seriously. I've had many health professionals (regardless of their amateur ability) wonder why i'm referred. I don't look mentally ill and I don't cry all the time, so how can I be mentally ill? I'm guessing the person tomorrow will likely be the same.

I'm very worried and shall be whilst waiting for the decision. I'm worried that someone has been watching me, to see how I really am and they'll watch me after the interview as well. They will see a guy that doesn't smile, but dares to go shopping twice a week! Maybe that'll go against me.

If I lose the money (and it's £27.50) that'll do me in. Not to mention the pressure then to get a job. I need whatever time I need, not what someone tells me I need.

If you find Saz and Katie before I do, just say 'blue ones' and 'being chased with a feather duster'. Hopefully they'll understand it's nothing kinky and it's all about having blue smartie withdrawal symtoms

Post finished. I didn't stick

geminilady

Miroslav wrote: »

Tiff :wave:

I'll post bits and re-edit again.could be a longish post

Saz and Katie told me if they went shopping, they could save me the blue smarties. When they came back and said their were no blue smarties....:mad::mad: I swear I could see blue shells in the bin

Well, my appointment is 1.30, so i'll pop online, PC working dependant, before I go.

I'll worry about the appeal later. I have known other people, with more support and medications, fail the medical, so i'm not hopeful in any way. I'll probably get the fail on my Birthday :rolleyes: Then again, that falls on a Sunday, but you never know, my local postie may have great glee at ruining it on his day off.

With writing a list, would they not view that as 'getting my story straight' rather than helping my memory etc? I don't want to come across as a story teller, when i'm far from that. Would taking notes look strange? I won't be agreeing to anything I don't agree with. That's far from who I am. If I disagree, I say it.

Will they allow me to explain things? I thought they had set questions and some may not involve all of what I need to say.

Although I see depression and anxiety as seperate conditions, i've only ever considered saying I suffered depression. I always leave anxiety out for some reason. It's like maybe people hear depression, but not anxiety.

People don't take mental health seriously. I've had many health professionals (regardless of their amateur ability) wonder why i'm referred. I don't look mentally ill and I don't cry all the time, so how can I be mentally ill? I'm guessing the person tomorrow will likely be the same.

I'm very worried and shall be whilst waiting for the decision. I'm worried that someone has been watching me, to see how I really am and they'll watch me after the interview as well. They will see a guy that doesn't smile, but dares to go shopping twice a week! Maybe that'll go against me.

If I lose the money (and it's £27.50) that'll do me in. Not to mention the pressure then to get a job. I need whatever time I need, not what someone tells me I need.

If you find Saz and Katie before I do, just say 'blue ones' and 'being chased with a feather duster'. Hopefully they'll understand it's nothing kinky and it's all about having blue smartie withdrawal symtoms

Post finished. I didn't stick

Miro,Just like to say i will be thinking of you tomorrow and hope it goes well .A couple of points in your above post made me think.I wonder if you have explained to the doctors exactly how bad your depression is? suicidal thoughts ect because i cannot understand why professionals would wonder why you were referred.Anyone who understands depression
would know that it does not always mean you cry all the time or look mentaly ill.Also i think you have been reading too many articals about people who fake phisical illness being followed.There is no way they can diagnose depression or decide people don't have it by watching and following someone so it would be pointless.Anyway hope you manage to get some sleep and let us know how you got on.

Tiff_2

Hi guys!
I hope everyone is in fine fettle this morning?

I thought I'd sneak in early to see if I can catch sazzy and katie tulip up to something. It would seem they are still abed; this is probably due to the fact that the sugar rush from the illicit smarties has kept them up all night!
Think I'll leave them a little reminder on the smartie cupboard door...




Okay, I'm off to tranquilize dart miro before his medical assessment - hopefully I can sneak up on him while he's asleep. That's one good thing about tall people - they make great darting targets!
Enjoy your day everyone.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Tiff_2

Hi guys!
Nearly forgot...




Be kind to yourself guys.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Sazbo

:rotfl::rotfl: poor mike - I guess he'll be there a while!

Wow gemini you were up late last night/this morning. Just wondered how you got on with the scan hun, last time I remember you were still waiting for an appointment? But not needing you to say on here, just sending you a hug sweetheart and hoping all is ok with you xxx

Miro - will be thinking of you today xx Me and katie will be ready with some extra smarties afterwards just for you:D :whistle:

Big hugs Tiffy hun I love you! And big hugs to everyone too. Hope you all have a good day, inspite of the weather:rolleyes:

Much love :wave:
Sazzy xxxxxxxxxx

beachbeth

Miro - I will be thinking of you at your medical. I hope you come online before you go. Here are a few points from the Benefitsandwork website - they are right on the ball with their information and are barristers, so they know what they're talking about.

Travelling to the medical - Give very careful consideration to how you travel to the medical, because you will be asked about how you did and enormous assumptions may be made on the basis of your being able to use public transport on your own, for example. It may be assumed that you can get up and dress, go out alone, communicate with other people, deal with changes in routine, motivate yourself and so on.

So if you don't normally use public transport, perhaps because it makes you too anxious, then try not to do so to travel to your medical. If you do have to use public transport and it is traumatic for you, make sure you explain this to the doctor who assesses you.

Mental Health Descriptors (showing points awarded)

Cannot answer the telephone and reliably take a message. 2 points

There are 2 tasks involved here - answering the phone and taking a message. If you can do one but not the other you will still score the points. Do you seldom answer the phone? Do you only answer the phone if you know who is calling? Perhaps you only answer pre-arranged calls or have caller ID installed and only answer to certain people? If your mental health causes such apathy that you don't normally bother to answer the telephone, then you may qualify for the points.

If you do answer the phone do you get confused or have difficulty concentrating if someone gives you a message? Do you have difficulty remembering the message or remembering to write it down?

Sample answer: "I only answer the telephone if I have arranged beforehand for someone to call. Otherwise I wait for them to leave a message on the answering machine and decide whether to call them back"

Often Sits for Hours doing nothing. 2 points

Often - there is no case law defining what counts as often for this descriptor. Make it clear how many days in the average week you would sit for hours doing nothing (most days or every day?)
Sits - it probably doesn't matter if you lie on the sofa or stand for hours doing nothing, but decision makers can be rather literal about these things. If you stay in bed for hours doing nothing, make it clear that you're awake.
Hours - this suggests at least two hours at a time.
Doing nothing - if you have the tv or radio on but do not pay any attentions you are doing nothing. Repetitive and obsessional thinking should also count as doing nothing.

Sample answer: "I often find that the hours have passed while I have been sitting thinking about what I ought to do today or trying to get the confidence to go to the shop. This happens most days"

Cannot concentrate to read a magazine article or follow a radio or television programme. 1 point

If you don't read magazines or books, is this because you have difficulty concentrating? Do you have thoughts or feelings that stop you concentrating if you try to listen to a radio programme?

Sample answer: "I hardly ever listen to the radio because I find it too difficult to concentrate. I watch the television, but if you were to ask me the plot of what I'd just been watching I wouldn't be able to tell you. If I start to read a magazine article I don't normally get past the first few paragraphs before I start thinking about something else"

Cannot use a telephone book or other directory to find a number. 1 point. This is a specific descriptor. It is not a literary test - if you cannot read well enough to use a telephone book this is unlikely to be accepted as grounds for scoring the point. However, if you can go on to show that your literacy problems are connected to your mental health this may allow you to score this point. For example, if as a result of your mental health you have always had problems concentrating this may have affected your opportunities to learn to read a telephone book.

Sample answer "I cannot concentrate well enough to look up a telephone number."

Mental condition prevents him from undertaking leisure activities previously enjoyed. 1 point.
If you have physical health problems and this is the reason you have stopped for example, playing sports, this is not relevant. It must be to do with your mental health. Leisure activities previously enjoyed: what leisure activities did you previously undertake that you no longer do because of your mental health? You may have to think back a long way. Leisure activities can be anything from going to the pub, going for meals, playing sports, meeting friends or relatives, reading, going to the cinema etc. We would include religious and spiritual activities such as going to church or synagogue etc.

Sample answer: "I used to enjoy meeting friends for a drink and a chat. I am now too depressed to want to meet anyone. I also used to go to the cinema and eat out occasionally, but now I stay indoors and avoid people."

Overlooks or forgets the risk posed by domestic appliances or other common
hazards due to poor concentration. 1 point

leaving the cooker, kettle, electric fire or iron switched on;
leaving taps running; burning yourself on hot dishes, pans or oven doors.

or other common hazards

: there is no case law on this. It could be things like: leaving the front door open; leaving cigarettes or candles burning; stepping into the road without checking for traffic.
poor concentration: the reason you overlook or forget risks should be to be to do with poor concentration rather than, for example, a phobia. Poor concentration may be the result of your condition or caused by the medication you are taking.

Sample answer: “I sometimes leave pans on the cooker and they boil dry and it could cause a fire. I have left the

bath taps running and flooded the bathroom. I sometimes put lit cigarettes down and forget about
them.”

Agitation, confusion or forgetfulness has resulted in potentially dangerous

accidents in the last 3 months. 1 point

Agitation, confusion or forgetfulness

: the cause of your accidents must be one of these three states

of mind, brought on either by your condition or the effects of your medication.
Potentially dangerous accidents

: ‘accidents’ suggests that you need to have had at least two to
score this point.

Sample answer:

“I have left pans to boil dry twice in the last fortnight.”

Concentration can only be sustained by prompting. 1 point

This applies if you lose concentration or become distracted when undertaking tasks and need to be prompted to continue, or if you frequently lose the thread of what you are talking about.
Sample answer:

“I often start things and then forget I am doing them and go off to do something else. I frequently find half made drinks and unfinished household chores such as washing and washing up.”

Needs encouragement to get up and dress. 2 points

Encouragement:

could come from another adult or even from a child. It could be in person or it could be someone telephoning and asking if you’re up yet. Get up and dress: if you get up without encouragement but don’t get dressed until someone encourages you to do so, then you should score the points.

Sample answer: “I wouldn’t get up till late and probably wouldn’t bother dressing properly at all except that my partner makes sure I am up and dressed before she goes to work.”

Needs alcohol before midday. 2 points

before midday but try to avoid drinking until later then this may also count. A commissioner has

held that there is “a fine distinction between desire and need” which decision makers would need to consider. You would have to explain the symptoms of needing alcohol that you

experience, such as powerful cravings, anxiety or trembling. However, you are unlikely to score points if, for example, you are in recovery and so do not give in to your ‘need’ for alcohol. The descriptor doesn’t deal with other substances such as non-prescribed drugs, solvents, cannabis,
heroin or methadone. It would be worth arguing that they are similar in their effects on everyday activities and therefore points should be scored in the same way if you need them before midday.

Sample answer:“I usually have a drink mid-morning to steady my nerves.”

Is frequently distressed at some time of the day due to fluctuation of mood. 1 point

to score points for this descriptor you need to show that you were distressed a significant number of times during the day – once a day
was not enough. However, a more recent decision disagrees and says that if episodes of distress happen frequently over a period of days, that is sufficient even if they don’t happen every day.
Distressed

: the Commissioner also decided that it’s the frequency rather than the ‘significance or quality’ of the mood change that matters – it doesn’t have to be a dramatic mood change. Distress could perhaps be tearfulness, anxiety or confusion.
Fluctuation of mood: if you remain in the same state of distress all day this will not count. You need to show that your mood varies throughout the day.
Sample answer:“I am very up and down all day. I don’t seem to have any control over my moods. I find myself getting upset and tearful at the smallest thing. It might be something someone says, something on
the radio or for no real reason at all.”

Does not care about his appearance and living conditions. 1 point

You need to demonstrate that you don’t care about your appearance and you don’t care about your living conditions.
Appearance

: this can be about the way you dress, how often you wash, change your clothes, cut your hair, etc. Even if your appearance is within normal bounds, did you used to be lot more careful about your appearance? If you have a partner or family member who makes sure you have clean clothes, what would happen if they weren’t around? Would you wash and iron clothes and bathe regularly?

Living conditions

: this is generally taken to mean how often you do housework. If you have a partner or parent who does all the housework what would happen if you had to cope on your own?
Would you hoover, wash dishes, put out the rubbish, etc?
Sample answer: “I no longer worry about what I look like. I often just get up and pull on the same trousers and tshirt I was wearing yesterday. I do very little housework – just do the odd bit of washing up if I need something to eat off.”

Sleep problems interfere with his daytime activities. 1 point

Sleep problems

: this could be sleeping too much, not sleeping enough, sleeping at the wrong time or sleeping enough hours but waking up feeling as if you have hardly slept at all.

Interfere with

: you may fall asleep during the day; not fall asleep until the small hours and so not wake up until mid-morning; feel anxious, irritable, emotional, unmotivated or unable to concentrate due to fatigue caused by lack of sleep. A commissioner has held that if daytime activities are prevented completely, or are only possible at certain times of day or can only be done very intermittently or very slowly as a result of sleep problems, then you may qualify.

daytime activities:

what activities do your sleep problems interfere with? For example, do they interfere with: getting up in the morning; motivating yourself to do everyday things like shopping, housework and leisure activities; being with other people because you are too tired to bother or
you are irritable with them?
Sample answer:“I sleep very badly, often waking up at 2 or 3 am and not able to go back to sleep. As a result I constantly feel tired, lack energy and find it very difficult to motivate myself to eat properly or go
out of the house. Everything I do takes much longer because I feel so drained.”

Mental stress was a factor in making him stop work. 2 points

Mental stress

: there’s no precise definition of mental stress, so the term should be given what you consider to be its everyday meaning.

A factor

: mental stress doesn’t have to be the only reason you stopped working. Perhaps you took voluntary redundancy because of your difficulties coping with work; you may have been dismissed for poor timekeeping or absenteeism connected to your mental health. A Commissioner

Sample answer:

“I was off sick for a long time due to my mental health. I was asked to either resign or come back to work and I decided to resign.”

Frequently feels scared or panicky for no obvious reason. 2 points

for a reason to count as ‘obvious’ it should be something that
wouldn’t normally give rise to those feelings. So, if you get scared or panicky in crowds or closed spaces or because of involuntary memories of a traumatic incident, this should count in the same way as if you get scared or panicky without anything at all happening to trigger such feelings.

Sample answer:“I frequently get very anxious for no reason. My heart starts to beat very fast, I breathe very quickly and I feel as if something bad is about to happen but I don’t know what. This can happen
at any time of day or night without warning.”