Fraudulently Claiming Disability Benefit?

seven-day-weekend

You don't know anything about her.

My husband has suffered from depression and anxiety for over twenty years and has claimed Incapacity Benefit for it since 2004 when he took early retirement from Teaching.

Yet most people don't know this. If he ever tells them (which he doesn't usually), they are always amazed. 'Oh you are always so happy and smiling'. 'oh you are so outgoing and confident' 'oh well you are always off in the car taking photographs, how can you be anxious and depressed'.

Well what they see is the mask. Yes, his natural personality IS like that, but he pulls on the mask most time when he is meeting other people. They don't see what he is like inside, nor the price he has to pay for appearing friendly and outgoing. They don't know about the pains he has in his stomach most of the time due to the anxiety, nor the nightmares he has several times a week.

One reason that he does not tell anyone about it is precisely because of reactions like yours. That people will not believe him, because 'they've been cheesed off too', that they will think he is a fraudulent Benefit claimant because he shouldn't be the way he is if he is genuinely ill.

So, you don't know anything about her and I think the best think you can do is as someone else suggests, stop reading her blog if it upsets you so much and get on with your own life.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

She's probably a member on here; lots of the young benefits claimants seem to live like this!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
I do wonder though,why so may youngsters have anxiety and social phobias these days.
I don't doubt the symptoms are real but I wonder if they could be avoided.
In my day you just had to get over it if you were shy.
You never ever heard of social phobia and if you had anxiety you were told to just "get over it" because if you did'nt you'd be totally excluded from anything.

Is it perhaps that they just don't have enough real life and human interaction.
Kids don't play out all the time anymore,they sit with computers and it was stated on the news the other day they much prefer to use text than to be bothered to have a phone conversation even.
As I've already said I don't doubt they suffer but I think it could be avoided if people had to live in the real world a bit more from an early age.
I've seen this happen myself to family members so I do know what I'm talking about.

SingleSue

When I had my breakdown, most people didn't even know...I was still the bubbly and sociable person on the outside but it was all a persona I put on to appear 'normal' rather than admit I had problems.

I literally forced myself to keep to my old routine, even if that made me physically sick, all I really wanted to do was hide under my duvet in bed. Even now, I feel uncomfortable and sick about social situations but I go through with it in the hope that if I keep at it, one day I will be back to the old normal me...the one who could walk into a pub on her own without a care in the world.

I've never claimed benefits for my depression (or any other health thing either when it comes to me!) so I never had the extra worry about someone reporting me when I have been forcing myself to be social.

Brain is not quite working this morning but seven day weekend summed it up pretty perfectly....her husband sounds like me!

Flutter

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

In my day you just had to get over it if you were shy.
You never ever heard of social phobia and if you had anxiety you were told to just "get over it" because if you did'nt you'd be totally excluded from anything.

Being 'Shy' and having Social Phobia are completely different though.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Flutter wrote: »

Being 'Shy' and having Social Phobia are completely different though.

Fair enough but how come socail phobia is so prevalent nowadays.
Not being funny but a genuine question.
You never heard of it years ago.

Flutter

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

Fair enough but how come socail phobia is so prevalent nowadays.
Not being funny but a genuine question.
You never heard of it years ago.

Yeah, i know what mean. I'm not really sure.

Indie_Kid

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

You never heard of it years ago.

Doesn't mean it didn't exist years ago.

When I had my breakdown, most people didn't even know...I was still the bubbly and sociable person on the outside but it was all a persona I put on to appear 'normal' rather than admit I had problems.

I'm the same. I get up for uni each day and attend. I look as though nothing is wrong with me. Yet, that evening, it's very likely I will run away or do something like that.

I was depressed months before my hallmates found out - they only know because of the involvement of the police. (I didn't seem them much - due to timetables)

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

sh1305 wrote: »

Doesn't mean it didn't exist years ago.



I'm the same. I get up for uni each day and attend. I look as though nothing is wrong with me. Yet, that evening, it's very likely I will run away or do something like that.

I was depressed months before my hallmates found out - they only know because of the involvement of the police. (I didn't seem them much - due to timetables)

I'm not having a pop at anyone just genuinely interested at why young people are so prone to being so affected with this kind of thing nowadays and it's interesting to read your replies.
I hope you feel better eventually,good luck.

Indie_Kid

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

I'm not having a pop at anyone just genuinely interested at why young people are so prone to being so affected with this kind of thing nowadays and it's interesting to read your replies.
I hope you feel better eventually,good luck.

Thank you.:) I imagine there are many factors and it'll be different for everyone. I am shy (personality, I think) but don't have social issues as such. Yes, I can be quiet - but don't shut up when I start talking.:o

kaya

woodbine wrote: »

what are you after?do you want us to tell you what you should do?
if so my advice is stop reading her blog and get a life !

Wise Words indeed, let he who is without sin cast the first stone, and we are all sinners in one way or another, apart from the deluded amongst us who have obviously never done a thing wrong in there lives!