Benefits for depressed 20 year old

System

pcombo wrote: »

Well if the thread was entitled:
Benefits for cancer patient 20 years old.

I would say that exact same thing. So cancer is irrelevant to this current thread., Stop trying to make me feel guilty because it wont work.

In that case i pray you never get so ill you lose your job can't work and have nothing to live on...

bodmil

But at some point she's going to have to take steps to conquer her depression, surely sooner is better before as it seems to be worsening.

System

Depends on how severe her depression is. If its mild-moderate then working can help in those cases. If its severe it could actually hinder her. She needs to get medical treatment asap, but they don't work immmedietly though some people would like you to think that. If she hadn't resigned i'd have maybe said try a phased return back to work, but it depends on how severe it is. If she can work her way back up to it through volunteering or something that would be good but she needs to let her treatment kick in first.

If she had a broken leg would you tell her to walk on it? Or if she had a bad back would you tell her to lift heavy boxes? Or if she had cancer to work through the chemothrepay?

bodmil

We're not talking about a broken leg or cancer, both of which would physically impair one's ability to work and have distinct time frames. This is not the case. This is depression which is becoming worse with no knowledge of the influencing factors other than being out of work has come at the same time as the depression becoming worse. Yes, she needs to get medical help, who may suggest steps in order to rehabilitate her into the outside world and eventually into the work place. Seeing as she has a roof over her head and minimal outgoings, this should be of equal or greater importance to her financial status.

Muttleythefrog

pcombo wrote: »

How is more money going to cure someones depression, It should be a doctor shes going to not DWP.

She obviously has been to a doctor... but like many seems to get nowhere in terms of successful treatment. I'm sitting here on a 4th type of AD drug after seeking medical help for 2.5 years.. and I'm getting some significant negative side effects.. no other treatment is available or viable on the NHS for me (I wasn't put on the >1year waiting list for a few sessions of CBT as it would probably not have worked). Perhaps she is in a similar boat... where you see the GP and they look at you waiting for you to tell them what they can do for you and you say something like 'well a proper formal diagnosis would be a start'. (Took me 18 months fighting to get full diagnoses - probably could have had the same done within a couple of days for £300 privately).

Money itself won't cure these problems but it would potentially provide the resources to get 'better' treatment (like private counselling/psychotherapy at home... something I imagine the NHS won't provide) or overcome some symptoms... like having someone to provide supervision outdoors. Financial worries are unlikely to help anyone with anxiety or depression.

As above, I would look into the possibilities of applying for ESA (an out of work unable to work benefit as opposed to JSA the out of work able to work equivalent) and DLA (as a non means tested benefit for disabled). Anxiety and depression can both give rise to day to day problems that could qualify someone for both... but it often helps to do plenty reading up on the benefit criteria and possibly seek 3rd party support... like from Welfare rights, CAB or maybe a mental health charity (particularly if applying for DLA or when having to complete ESA50 after about 3 months on ESA).

..oh and yes... if going down the sickness benefits route, having the factual support of medical professionals involved in treatment/care/diagnosis or the like can prove pretty valuable. She ideally needs to get and keep documents relating to these things for potential future use.

Oldernotwiser

I have to say that it does sound as if her problem is being made worse by not working which makes it seem a poor tactic to pursue

If she can leave the house accompanied, I would've thought attending counselling sessions would have been possible if a friend or family member went with her.

clemmatis

pcombo wrote: »

How is more money going to cure someones depression, It should be a doctor shes going to not DWP.

DLA is for the extra costs of being disabled, ESA is for either inability to work, or severely limited ability to work. Neither is supposed to be about a cure.

Where I live, it takes eighteen months just to be assessed for your suitability for CBT. And in support of what muttley said, one AD made me so ill, social services called in carers to shop and cook, plus meals on wheels, because I was too weak, physically, to do more than get myself a glass of milk. That was after two other ADs had failed to help, and after waiting a month after stopping an AD, before starting a new one, for safety reasons.

But I wasn't claiming means tested benefits and I paid for almost all of the care package, so, nobody suggested, in my case, "cure" was better than "benefits".

And the young woman not only has seen a GP but left work on her GP's advice.

BrettMorganxD

clemmatis wrote: »

DLA is for the extra costs of being disabled, ESA is for either inability to work, or severely limited ability to work. Neither is supposed to be about a cure.

Where I live, it takes eighteen months just to be assessed for your suitability for CBT. And in support of what muttley said, one AD made me so ill, social services called in carers to shop and cook, plus meals on wheels, because I was too weak, physically, to do more than get myself a glass of milk. That was after two other ADs had failed to help, and after waiting a month after stopping an AD, before starting a new one, for safety reasons.

But I wasn't claiming means tested benefits and I paid for almost all of the care package, so, nobody suggested, in my case, "cure" was better than "benefits".

And the young woman not only has seen a GP but left work on her GP's advice.

Well said clem... people seem to think depression is an "excuse" not to work when in reality it is worst than some of the physical illness's out their!

Like I have said twice already, benefits are to help people while they can't week whilst they seek treatment. It isn't "cure or benefits" the benefits are there to tide you over

STOCKWIRE

clemmatis wrote: »

But I wasn't claiming means tested benefits and I paid for almost all of the care package, so, nobody suggested, in my case, "cure" was better than "benefits".

And the young woman not only has seen a GP but left work on her GP's advice.

"
Medication has not been effective and, although she has been offered counselling, she is unable to get to the sessions."

So we do nothing to find a "cure"
and claim benefits ?

BrettMorganxD

STOCKWIRE wrote: »

"
Medication has not been effective and, although she has been offered counselling, she is unable to get to the sessions."

So we do nothing to find a "cure"
and claim benefits ?

I don't think clemm was trying to say this stockwire.... sometimes it is hard to get rid of depression. It takes time, and she will need benefits to tide her over. The OP clearly stated her mother was struggling to keep both of them financially.

I was suffering from depression since 13 and only got help for it at 17. I started claiming benefit at 17 and came off it 18 weeks later. So it does take time. Sometimes the counselling sessions are difficult to get to, it is part of the low mood and anxiety.