DLA with OCD?

bestpud

wottonby wrote: »

On the other hand, it is accepted that with mental illness, people are less likely to seek help and see their GP.

I get that - I have personal experience and I am still reluctant to see my GP now I am 'well'.

When I qualified for DLA, I had no choice to see a GP or not - I was so ill it was obvious to everyone and treatment wasn't an option.

I can say without doubt, that I have never gone to my GP and said I am suicidal in one breath and want to claim DLA in another!

Don't you think that's a little odd?

wottonby

bestpud wrote: »

I get that - I have personal experience and I am still reluctant to see my GP now I am 'well'.

When I qualified for DLA, I had no choice to see a GP or not - I was so ill it was obvious to everyone and treatment wasn't an option.

I can say without doubt, that I have never gone to my GP and said I am suicidal in one breath and want to claim DLA in another!

Don't you think that's a little odd?

I've got to admit that it is a little odd and no doubt will start bells ringing in the GP's head!!

Most people that I know of who have a mental illness, refuse treatment offered, tell the professionals that they are OK and refuse to open up.

And I would add, that quite a few are very intelligent and use that intelligence to bluff their way through a course ot treatment.
I can remember one instance when I actually told my psychiatrist years ago to ****off and threw the tablets at him across the room!

Even now, I have learned how to get round being open and honest, and tell them what they want to hear in a way that what they hear is the truth - you learn how to manipulate everything. Seeing the GP is avoidable, being seen to refuse treatment and not seeing the psyc's can get you locked up!!
Hope that makes sense.

bestpud

wottonby wrote: »

I've got to admit that it is a little odd and no doubt will start bells ringing in the GP's head!!

Most people that I know of who have a mental illness, refuse treatment offered, tell the professionals that they are OK and refuse to open up.

And I would add, that quite a few are very intelligent and use that intelligence to bluff their way through a course ot treatment.
I can remember one instance when I actually told my psychiatrist years ago to ****off and threw the tablets at him across the room!

Even now, I have learned how to get round being open and honest, and tell them what they want to hear in a way that what they hear is the truth - you learn how to manipulate everything. Seeing the GP is avoidable, being seen to refuse treatment and not seeing the psyc's can get you locked up!!
Hope that makes sense.

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean about saying what they want to hear!

I had a massive struggle to get shot of psych services, as I didn't think it was helping me in the long run, but I haven't managed to get shot of my GP!

I get called once a year for a review with them and they keep ringing until I go in.

I've been 'well' for several years now...!

Darlyd

bestpud wrote: »

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean about saying what they want to hear!

I had a massive struggle to get shot of psych services, as I didn't think it was helping me in the long run, but I haven't managed to get shot of my GP!

I get called once a year for a review with them and they keep ringing until I go in.

I've been 'well' for several years now...!

SNAP!

Since I moved 300 miles away 2 years ago, I have not once been called in for it though.

I never turned up for my review with the psyc either.

Am better too

bestpud

darlyd wrote: »

SNAP!

Since I moved 300 miles away 2 years ago, I have not once been called in for it though.

I never turned up for my review with the psyc either.

Am better too

Phew! Glad it's not only me! :rotfl:

LadyMorticia

I think it's amazing how services can differ in different areas.

When I lived in Cambridgshire, it was admitted that I needed alot of help but I couldn't receive it because the money wasn't there to fund it.

Then I moved here to Somerset and I'm finally getting the help I need. My CPN says that if someone in the area needs help, then they will be given it, regardless of funding.

caela_2

I do get what people are saying about me telling the GP at once that I was suicidal and wanted DLA, but it actually went that I was getting sacred for my life and having been suicidal before knew it would eventually pass, but wanted an emergency helpline set up as it were- something where I could kinda pull the cord and say I need help. I would need to have something set up first, I've tried to tell my GP this before but again I was ignored. I told him I constantly think about driving my car into things but he said it was probably morbid curiosity. The fact that I haven't seen anyone about my mental health in about 10 years probably reflects the truth that I don't want anyone involved with it and I've got more recluse with it. But perhaps to some extent, I felt I had got better during that time. Either way I am totally paranoid about these things and maybe that is why the GP didn't believe I was suicidal cos I keep trying to convince people I'm also OK and rationalise my crazy thoughts lol. It was the fact that she asked me what I wanted her to do for me when I said it might help if I actually had a carer it would help me feel a lot better cos I could get up during the day and get things done and would definitely lighten the stress and probably stop a lot of my symptoms.

I hope any of that makes sense lol. It's difficult to give a straight answer with a bent up head haha.

bestpud

caela wrote: »

I do get what people are saying about me telling the GP at once that I was suicidal and wanted DLA, but it actually went that I was getting sacred for my life and having been suicidal before knew it would eventually pass, but wanted an emergency helpline set up as it were- something where I could kinda pull the cord and say I need help. I would need to have something set up first, I've tried to tell my GP this before but again I was ignored. I told him I constantly think about driving my car into things but he said it was probably morbid curiosity. The fact that I haven't seen anyone about my mental health in about 10 years probably reflects the truth that I don't want anyone involved with it and I've got more recluse with it. But perhaps to some extent, I felt I had got better during that time. Either way I am totally paranoid about these things and maybe that is why the GP didn't believe I was suicidal cos I keep trying to convince people I'm also OK and rationalise my crazy thoughts lol. It was the fact that she asked me what
I wanted her to do for me when I said it might help if I actually had a carer it would help me feel a lot better cos I could get up during the day and get things done and would definitely lighten the stress and probably stop a lot of my symptoms.

I hope any of that makes sense lol. It's difficult to give a straight answer with a bent up head haha.

You have a job though, so you can get out of bed etc when you need to.

Have you considered CBT or some other therapy to help you find coping strategies?

It will do you more good in the long run than placing yourself in a position of needing someone else 'take over' your life.

Don't take this the wrong way, but there is times we'd all like someone to help us deal with the more mundane aspects of life! That doesn't mean it's the answer to our problems!

caela_2

bestpud wrote: »

You have a job though, so you can get out of bed etc when you need to.

Have you considered CBT or some other therapy to help you find coping strategies?

It will do you more good in the long run than placing yourself in a position of needing someone else 'take over' your life.

Don't take this the wrong way, but there is times we'd all like someone to help us deal with the more mundane aspects of life! That doesn't mean it's the answer to our problems!

My job is evenings so I can do it with a sleep disorder, I can't get up during the day. I have tried CBT it doesn't work with me, talking about my OCD made it worse. I don't want someone to take over my life, just to help me now while I need it by motivating me so I can get back on track and catch up.

bestpud

caela wrote: »

My job is evenings so I can do it with a sleep disorder, I can't get up during the day. I have tried CBT it doesn't work with me, talking about my OCD made it worse. I don't want someone to take over my life, just to help me now while I need it by motivating me so I can get back on track and catch up.

CBT shouldn't involve saying any more about your OCD than you'd need for the DLA application.

It's about looking at your area of difficulty (i.e. getting up during the day) and coming up with strategies for overcoming it!

The same sort of thing as getting someone to encourage you, but learning to do it yourself, which is better for you in the long run.

You'd have to explain the problem to a carer and that's what CBT is about; it's not a therapy that involves talking over your illness/life/past etc.