Mental Health and Debt Help Booklet Discussion

Marru

I got in a pickle with council tax and bailiffs when depressed. I am now back on medication and as the situation is still not sorted I am finding it very hard to deal with it.

Anyway if anyone can help the story is HERE

surfgir1

Thank you thank you thank you.

I am sitting here literally crying because this issue has been recognised and you've been kind enough to not only produce a booklet about it, but one which handles the subject so sympathetically.

I don't want any unfair, illegal freebies from the state, but for years now I haven't been able to see a healthy way out of the debt I have gotten myself into. I am generally considered by those who are not part of my close circle of friends and family to be a normal, relatively hard working, intelligent, successful and even high-flying human being. On the inside however the truth is miles away from this.

I suffer from depression and epilepsy, and as such am entitled to a few benefits (such as the travel one) but I am ashamed to admit I gave up applying for it two years ago as it was just too much for me to manage.

Likewise changing my electricity and gas from pre-pay to bills - it took me four years to manage to apply for it, and when the pre-pay company raised an objection I was paralysed into non-action and so it fell through.

A few years back I had issues with council tax, and I've had issues with many other bills as well. The tragedy for me is that none of these relate to me not being able to afford to pay them (luckily I had savings to live off for most of the 18months I was at rock bottom and I am currently hanging on to a well paid job, a daily struggle of stupidly huge proportions, but a blessing nonetheless), that's what's so stupid - it is the bureaucracy that affects me unbelievably badly (even I look on in amazement at myself when I look at it from a rational point of view) and the slightest hint of it sends me into a spiral of denial. Even my bank introducing the card reader thing for internet transfers caused havoc as I couldn't coordinate having it with me.

The worst thing is that even to me it all sounds so silly and I'm ashamed of my inability to do the simplest admin - naturally this doesn't help and I only have to tackle harder issues tomorrow and the next day because of each today's failures. Add to this (and the logical knowledge of this) my epilepsy wiping out my memory in chunks from time to time and I've often thought it would be no bad thing to simply give up, leave my dogs with someone who will look after them and take the "easy" way out.

I'm stronger now than I have been in the past, still £20k in debt and still fighting depression but now very slightly hopeful I will pay it off one day, but I will never forget the ghastly hopelessness of life with spiralling depression and debt, and I am awed that you have produced a booklet that may help others find a healthy "easy" way to get back in control.

If I had my way you and FLYlady (someone who runs a home tidying/cleaning/organising site that does for your house what Martin does for your money) would both have knighthoods of the highest order.

beanielou

What a lovely post surfgirl.

weightlosslass

Hi

I'm having trouble opening this guide even though I've got the latest adobe, and have given it time to open. Has anyone else had any problems?:o

GillyFlower

Is it possible to get this booklet as a hard copy?

Our daughter who is in hospital, for the 4th time, with Bi-Polar. She has debts to come home to so I would like to give her a copy. She lives on her own and just maybe the way this booklet is set out would help her feel more in control.

To download all those pages, and I do not have a colour printer which would make it more attractive, is really not ideal for me. It would be so much easier to have a hard copy and I would be more than happy to pay the printing costs if it were available.

superbabe612

GillyFlower wrote: »

Is it possible to get this booklet as a hard copy?

Our daughter who is in hospital, for the 4th time, with Bi-Polar. She has debts to come home to so I would like to give her a copy. She lives on her own and just maybe the way this booklet is set out would help her feel more in control.

To download all those pages, and I do not have a colour printer which would make it more attractive, is really not ideal for me. It would be so much easier to have a hard copy and I would be more than happy to pay the printing costs if it were available.

If you still need a hard copy PM me with your address and I'll print it out in colour and post it to you. Hope your daughter's ok

lilmofie84

With regards to Mental Health problems how do you prove you have a problem and need help? I ask because even now after many years of suffering with depression I still find it hard to ask for help. I feel like I'm not depressed enough to be recognised as an individual who needs serious help but depressed enough for it to affect my day to day life. My doctor has made recommendations in the past for me to see a therapist and a counselor which I attended for a short while until things became too difficult to handle. I've been on and off anti-depressants after been told many times that it's not good to become reliant on them and as soon as I feel better I just stop taking them. I then go back to square one and the cycle continues...
I've self harmed, contemplated or attempted suicide a few times (all of which I have told my doctor) So as far as my medical notes are concerned am I deemed as someone who suffers with depression? Or is there some classification process where they send you off to do tests and when you're done they just place a big red stamp across your notes with either 'crazy' or 'normal'? How do you get recognised medically as having a mental illness?

I think the most terrible things. Hate people, can't stand to be around the general public although they wouldn't know because I'm never rude. When I'm working I'm very sociable and comfortable chatting to customers but when I'm not working I just feel out of my comfort zone. I hide things, well. I keep my thoughts and feelings locked away as I have done for years and this is the only way I know how to deal with things. But when it comes to benefits and such I never talk about my situation. When I've been miserable and things have gotten too much and I've left a job because of this I then panic knowing I'll have no income. Drag myself to the Jobcentre and sign on JSA (only ever for short periods of time. I can't stand not earning plus they do place a great amount of pressure on you to find work, which I can understand but I then end up in a job that I pretty much hate). I've gone without money, been homeless and generally hit rock bottom because I am unsure of how to prove that I am in despair. Once I tried for ESA, had my medical and failed as none of the questions related to depression. I left feeling like everything I experience is in my head because I have been deemed fit by a questionnaire.

I don't want to not work, I just wish that when things get to the point where I can't get out of bed for feeling like I have no purpose in life that I knew what to do or where to turn...

All I want to know is how do I prove my depression, preferably without having to break down in front of a stranger. Because I worry that I only ever cry behind closed doors and no-one truly takes you seriously unless you're having a mental breakdown in front of them. I also hate the thought that people would think I'm using it as an excuse....

Hopefully this post won't get jumped on like another I posted last week. I notice how unsympathetic people can be when it comes to benefits and depression but I don't need your cruel words, not again, thank you.

poppy10_2

lilmofie84 wrote: »

How do you get recognised medically as having a mental illness?

Sounds like you have already been medically recognized as having a mental illness, and have been offered both pharmacological (antidepressant) therapy and non-pharmacological (counselling/psychological) therapy. Is there anything specifically that you're looking for? If, as you say, the antidepressant were beneficial, then you should stay on them, at least for 12 months, rather than stopping as soon as you feel better and relapsing. They're not addictive or habit forming, don't worry.

cuddles19562003

hi my son has mental health probs, but is due in new year to renew dla, his phychiatrist has decided he is ok now???, so when he asked for second opinion he said none of the women there wanted to chat with him as they were too scared..im lost...he is going to lose his home,i dont know what to do, his moods are terrible and im afraid one day of walking into his place and hes dead.....he has tried before

tallulah73

Im just about to take a look at the booket.

I got into debt while suffering with post natal depression, sat at home all day spending away on the internet just for the buzz of a parcel arriving from the courier.
I went to my gp and am now taking citalopram and tackling my debt head on!!!