In debt with mental illness - bipolar.

Fuzzy_Logic_2

cherisong wrote: »

I am sorry that I cannot help with how to move forward with your debts as this is all new to me too. However I have a friend who is suffering with mental health issues at the moment. He told me that the CAB will give you an emergency appointment if you have a letter from your CPN or Doctor. It might be worth getting something from them to take along to the drop in surgery tomorrow. I dont know any more than this but wanted to let you know so that you could (at least) ask them if this is correct when you go tomorrow.
Good luck with your journey. It will be long but I do know that the people on here are so supportive and I have seen people change in a matter of days with the support that they have received.

Hello and thanks very much for your reply and support, it means alot to someone like me that people like you take the time to help me.
Went to the CAB this morning and took my mum for moral support, the appointment went really well and I feel a massive weight off my mind. Got to get credit report from experian, fill out a personal budget sheet and looks like I'll be going for a DRO.
Kind regards.

Fuzzy_Logic_2

dancingfairy wrote: »

Hi FuzzyLogic. Firstly the people sending you letters may or may not be bailiffs - sometimes debt collectors can confuse people and they think they are bailiffs. Anyway please don't worry.
Your main prioritity is to protect the roof over you head (rent/mortgage), pay gas/electric, council tax and feed and clothe yourself and your child.
Basically at the end of the day debt collectors can't have what you haven't got although they may try and persuade you otherwise.
You are doing the best thing getting advice and if there is anything you are unsure of then someone on here will know the answer.
Good Luck with getting it sorted.
df

Thanks for your reply and I'm totally bowled over by how many people have replied to this thread offering help like yourself.
Am going to be around this forum from now on as I want to help others to repay the kindness I've been shown here. People like yourself do make a massive difference to me so I sincerely thank you.

Fuzzy_Logic_2

barbiedoll wrote: »

Hi there
Just wanted to say, please don't get too stressed over £5000, I know it seems an insurmountable debt to you and it's very frightening when you first face up to your debts, having to cope with mental illness (or any illness come to that) must make it ten times worse, but as you have discovered, there is lots of help and support on here. As you go down the debt repayment path, you will be confronted by all sorts of scary tactics by debt collectors, ranging from letters and phone calls, to threats of doorstep collections and so on. You will not have to face any of this alone, just keep everyone on here informed and they will help you every step of the way.

Good luck with the CAB, (and with the letter) let us know how you get on. We'll be thinking of you tomorrow

WOW another fantastic post with great advice, so grateful for your reply. Went well with the CAB today and I have some hope, such a big weight off my shoulders. Kind regards

Fuzzy_Logic_2

bargainbetty wrote: »

Hello honey,

You could contact MIND, the mental health charity. A friend of mine is dealing with them due to the problems he is having with getting ESA (the government agency that deal with it have farmed it out to a private contractor who seem to think that the inability to leave the house on a regular basis due to bouts of crushing agorophobia and paranoia is no barrier to finding a job.)

MIND have been very good about supporting his claim and helping him appeal against dumb decisions. They can also advise you about applying for other benefits - do you get Disability Living Allowance? If you have been diagnosed bi-polar you may qualify for support payments. They offer help and support and may be able to help you deal with the baliffs/debt collectors. If the collectors do get nasty and try to take you to court, the judge will look very badly upon a group that are chasing a vulnerable person who has sought support from a charity.

I wish you all the best. Two of my best friends have the condition and it takes immense courage to get up every day and face the world - you are so much stronger than you think.

The appointment went well with the CAB today and I will contact MIND too for some support and advice. Many thanks for taking the time to reply to my thread, I'm so very grateful to you.

Fuzzy_Logic_2

tobstv wrote: »

If it helps we have 2 kids and they are not in the slightest bit worried about telling their friends that their dad has bi-polar. Yes, there is some stigma, but there is also plenty of people living with bi-polar and having very fulfilling lives. I am not sure if you saw a documentary a couple of days ago about Stephen Fry and his struggles with bi-polar - we found it rather interesting. There is a book called Impressive Depressives available from MIND - people like Leonardo, Churchill, Paul Gascoigne, Viviegn Leigh and Jean-Claude van Damme all suffered or suffer from bi-polar, so you are in good company :-D

It was only recently that I told my child about my illness, he took it really well and gave me a big hug. I have seen The Secret Life Of A Manic Depressive before with Stephen Fry, very interesting program and upsetting too as I could relate to much of what happened. Not heard of the book you mention but will try and find a copy. Many thanks for your reply.

Fuzzy_Logic_2

fluffyboots wrote: »

Hi there

My ex was bi-polar and had some manic episodes which were terrible. We split in 2000 mainly I have to say because of the illness as he would not seek help.However we are still good friends.When we split up we had £15000 in a joint acct he had a breakdown lost his job and the money disappeared. I couldnt do much about it as he was so sick.

However at the time I was quite solvent( ironically I am currently £33k in debt hence on here!!) and just had to try to close the joint acct which was hard as he would not face up to what was happening.He then got better and went back to work.I have to say that hiding the bills does not help.Go to CCCS or Payplan if you dont want to go to the CAB AND SEE if you can get immediate help as I know from experience this is all going to stress you out more.

Good luck I wish you all the best and hope it works out

I know how that feels to lose someone close as I split up with my ex 2 years ago for similar reasons. I was in denial about my problems, didn't want to get help and ended it shortly after the summer of mania debt that I found myself in. We still talk and are close though.
Sounds like you have had a tough time and I admire your strength to be dealing with your debts, I hope to gain the inner strength that you show in abundance. Kind regards.

Fuzzy_Logic_2

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Hi op sorry no time to read through the whole thread but I wanted to offer some advice. Firstly ave you thought about applying for Floating Support? Its a scheme run by Supporting People part of the local government. You can find info on the Supporting People website (this is what I do and often I work with ppl who are in debt. I have been able to get some companies to write off the debts - there are template letters on here and also national debt line - ur care co can write a supporting letter to say u were unwell when took out these debts and therefore sis not have the capacity to make these financial decisions. We had over £4000 written off from The Abbey because they kept increasingly one persons od even though he was clearly unwell). I worked with someone who had bi-polar (my speacialism is working with ppl with MH problems) and we set up an account which she didn't have easy access to for her main money, then she had it paid into an easy access account on a weekly basis. That way she wasn't able to spend all of her money when she was either very high or very low. Stay strong and well. Even if you can't get all of it written off you can offer them £1 per month etc and then forget about it, life's for living not for worrying about debt, enjoy being well xx

Never heard of Floating Support but I will do now you've given me such great advice. I only managed to get so far in debt because of the Nationwide sent me out a cheque book by mistake so I cashed every cheque for £100 each.
Now my basic bank account has no OD or cheque book so I can't repeat that and I don't own a credit card so cannot overspend. My mum handles most of my bill paying and rent because I don't trust myself with them any more.
Thank you for your reply.

Fuzzy_Logic_2

I am quite moved by all the kind people who have taken the time to give me such amazing help, support and advice. I thought I was alone in the suffering that these debts have caused me but I see now there are many people willing to help me and support me through this.
Today the man I saw at the CAB was brilliant, he was calming, supportive and he opened the letter I was scared of doing so. It was for £2,000 for Barclaycard (1stCredit now own). Have to fill out experian form and a personal budget sheet, he did say that a DRO sounds like the better option so I'm going to commence with this. He is taking over my problems and will be dealing with them personally. I broke down in tears when got back to my car, mainly through the act of human kindness and also immense relief that I was dealing with them.
To be honest I don't think I'd have gone through with today had it not been for the help I've been given in this forum. So I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Any one with mental health issues and debt like myself should never be afraid to seek support and deal with their debt problems.
I'll update this thread with future information in the hope of helping someone else in my shoes.

bargainbetty

So glad it went well - keep your chin up and know that you have taken a huge first step! It is not always going to be easy, but there are always good people on here who will help as best they can.

x

barbiedoll

So glad it went well for you today, I bet you feel so much better now that you've taken the first step! Good luck for the future and well done for facing up to things, you've been very brave. :T

We've all been in the same boat, things can only get better from now on. And don't forget to give your mum a big hug, she sounds like a real diamond!