ESA and alcoholism

danyjb123

sh1305 wrote: »

Many people with those type of problems have mental health problems.

I know you are probably thinking i'm trolling here but those with drug addictions, rather than being paid ESA/IB should be offered a proper drug rehabilitation course, residential and forced if need be, rather than paid cash with which to feed their habit and left with zero support, and zero chance of ever contributing to society, and little chance of living a full and healthy life.

foggytown

danyjb123 wrote: »

I know you are probably thinking i'm trolling here but those with drug addictions, rather than being paid ESA/IB should be offered a proper drug rehabilitation course, residential and forced if need be, rather than paid cash with which to feed their habit and left with zero support, and zero chance of ever contributing to society, and little chance of living a full and healthy life.

Pity the NHS doesn't see it that way. And how can you say that someone driven to alcoholism by their aberrant mental state is "self inflicting" their condition? There's even some strong evidence that the condition is genetic in some.

mumma_ib

I'm saddened to think that alcoholism and drug addicts are seen as self inflicted illness. My daughter had these problems but it stemmed from the age of 11 when she became anorexic, she would be well for a while and then some other addiction would replace the one before. She committed suicide in December 07 leaving us with her son, selfish some people might say but when your in that mental state who of us can say. Please don't judge and that old saying walk a mile in their footsteps springs to mind, and foggytown give your friends my sympathy they surely need it.

idvi

of course alcoholics and drug addicts should be allowed to claim it as an incapacity

of course its incapacitating, does anyone think alcohol or heroin addicts like their lives?? a lot probably hate it, cant look after themselves and its physically and mentally ruined a lot of addicts.

its a genuine illness because it makes you so ill physically and mentally its impossible to hold down a job. its probably very degrading and humiliating

im talking about genuine alcoholism, drinking every day, getting up and having horrible super-strength beer or vodkafor breakfast etc because its all you know/all you can manage

must be horrid.. i would rather work cleaning toilets for minimum wage than being an alcoholic on esa.

someone badly alcoholic can probably cope with life less than someone with scitzophrenia! :eek:

self inflicted or not, they cannot be left to die or become homeless, but they should receive mandatory help (ie alcoholics anonymous) alongside esa payments. sadly this government isnt good at tackling substance abuse.

i dont see it far removed from self harming.. ie coping mechanism. a lot of people start heavy drugs and alcohol use to self medicate, when going thru depressed patches, breakups with partners, bad family lives, poor upbringing and before they know it it leads to alcoholism (and once you actually are an alcohol oir drug addict, its easier said than done to just give up, so at that point its no longer self inflicted because there is a physical need for it or you become very very unwell and can die from cold turkey withdrawal)

i reckon 95% of smack addicts and alcoholics would fit the diagnosis criteria for depression, personality disorders etc if not other psych illness

baza52

idvi wrote: »

of course alcoholics and drug addicts should be allowed to claim it as an incapacity

of course its incapacitating, does anyone think alcohol or heroin addicts like their lives?? a lot probably hate it, cant look after themselves and its physically and mentally ruined a lot of addicts.

its a genuine illness because it makes you so ill physically and mentally its impossible to hold down a job. its probably very degrading and humiliating

im talking about genuine alcoholism, drinking every day, getting up and having horrible super-strength beer or vodkafor breakfast etc because its all you know/all you can manage

must be horrid.. i would rather work cleaning toilets for minimum wage than being an alcoholic on esa.

someone badly alcoholic can probably cope with life less than someone with scitzophrenia! :eek:

self inflicted or not, they cannot be left to die or become homeless, but they should receive mandatory help (ie alcoholics anonymous) alongside esa payments. sadly this government isnt good at tackling substance abuse.

i dont see it far removed from self harming.. ie coping mechanism. a lot of people start heavy drugs and alcohol use to self medicate, when going thru depressed patches, breakups with partners, bad family lives, poor upbringing and before they know it it leads to alcoholism (and once you actually are an alcohol oir drug addict, its easier said than done to just give up, so at that point its no longer self inflicted because there is a physical need for it or you become very very unwell and can die from cold turkey withdrawal)

i reckon 95% of smack addicts and alcoholics would fit the diagnosis criteria for depression, personality disorders etc if not other psych illness

Well said.

beclee

danyjb123 wrote: »

You can claim ESA on the grounds of alcoholism, also illegal drug addiction.

Wholly wrong that the state should support a self-inflicted condition in my opinion though!

The thread was seeking advice not opinions. Addiction is in a way a mental illness that affects someones ability to go about their day to day lives - its very rarely a choice for someone to be addicted to anything- and if all somebody needs is a little support in adjusting their life to prepare them for work why should they not get that help?? Work based support groups on ESA help people prepare for work and if all that takes is giving someone a little confidence in themselves then they should do it.

I agree that many people use addiction as an excuse but the majority of addicts that are trying to be clean should be given support and assistance they need, not judged, after all if we treat people as if they are not worth more then what incentive do they have to change their lives??

Sorry if anyone disagrees but my boyfriend is an addict and always will be, im just lucky that he has seen how amazing life can be without his addiction and has turned his life around - He always tells me it was my belief and confidence in him that gave him the "guts" to face life and change his goals. Maybe if i had given up on him and treated him like just another addict then he would have continued on self destruct.

Sorry for the rant but i hate stereo-typing

Bec
x

foggytown

mumma_ib wrote: »

I'm saddened to think that alcoholism and drug addicts are seen as self inflicted illness. My daughter had these problems but it stemmed from the age of 11 when she became anorexic, she would be well for a while and then some other addiction would replace the one before. She committed suicide in December 07 leaving us with her son, selfish some people might say but when your in that mental state who of us can say. Please don't judge and that old saying walk a mile in their footsteps springs to mind, and foggytown give your friends my sympathy they surely need it.

In this young woman's case it's a terrible waste. She is educated (university), bright, personable - and almost totally intimidated by life.

Dreamnine

Alcoholism is fatal, progressive and incurable.. I'd urge her to try out AA again - very little else works.

WhiteHorse

foggytown wrote: »

It seems that her anti-religious views are incompatible with AA's 12 step model incorporating a "higher power".

Then her refusal to at least try the most popular (and successful) route is a matter of choice. Can she afford to let her views close off a potential escape route?

In any case, AA is not religion based. Perhaps her belief that it is (and her problem 'sharing'), is indicative of a more deeply rooted psychiatric problem? Perhaps look deeper than the alcoholism?

She is educated (university), bright, personable - and almost totally intimidated by life.

It would seem therefore that something went wrong at some point. If that is found then perhaps it might suggest a way forward.

WhiteHorse

idvi wrote: »

... does anyone think alcohol or heroin addicts like their lives??

Yes, actually a lot do.

Those that don't, and genuinely want to be rid of it, should be assisted.