MSE News: Half a million could lose disability benefits

dori2o

bigboybrother wrote: »

Can someone actually walk 100 metres - yes, can they demonstrate that they can't walk more than 20 metres - yes.

But it's not as easy as walking x meters, the wording of the criteria is much more than that.

If I have to, i..e if I have no choice, I can walk 100m. I have to walk from my car to my desk at work which s approx 60m (it would be more but I have permission to use the goods lift from the basement car park rather than use the stairs which I severely struggle with).

I don't have a choice but to walk that distance. However, I am considered to be 'Virtually unable to walk'.

I cannot take a single step without being in severe pain. This pain never goes away. It is worse when walking but not much.

I couldn't however be able to make that journey twice in the space of an hour.

Medical breakthrough withstanding I have this to look forward to for the rest of my life. There is no cure for my condition.

The criteria for benefits are not a black and white thing, hence why there is so much case law out there.

Dunroamin

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I said severe mental illness, i.e. bipolar disorder, schizophrenia etc., or even clinical depression, which again is a far more serious and debilitating condition than reactive depression, which, as you discovered, is usually 'cured' once the source of stress is removed.

I can assure you treating severe mental illness involves a hell of a lot more than just picking up a prescription from the GP every 3 months!

Oh, and I doubt very much you'd have fooled your GP into believing you felt no better. There are far more visual and verbal clues to go by than whether you're wearing make-up or clean clothes

Wow - it's good to hear that I didn't suffer from severe depression and wasn't I lucky to be able to take ill health retirement with a full pension, just for being a bit miserable!:rotfl:

Having suffered from depression on and off for over 15 years, I can assure you that most depression is treated by GPs by medication, possibly combined with counselling and/or psychotherapy. You can check with the NHS if you don't believe me.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Depression/Pages/Treatment.aspx

Also, "clinical depression " isn't another way of saying really, really depressed - as you can see in the above link, clinical depression can be mild, moderate or severe. Neither is it the other side of the coin from reactive depression, which is actually referred to as endogenous depression, which isn't necessarily caused by a specific event. You'll find some useful basic terms on the subject on the following link.:D

http://www.depressionalliance.org/help-and-information/depression-terms.php

HTH

clemmatis

Dunroamin wrote: »

Wow - it's good to hear that I didn't suffer from severe depression and wasn't I lucky to be able to take ill health retirement with a full pension, just for being a bit miserable!:rotfl:

Having suffered from depression on and off for over 15 years, I can assure you that most depression is treated by GPs by medication, possibly combined with counselling and/or psychotherapy. You can check with the NHS if you don't believe me.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Depression/Pages/Treatment.aspx

Also, "clinical depression " isn't another way of saying really, really depressed - as you can see in the above link, clinical depression can be mild, moderate or severe. Neither is it the other side of the coin from reactive depression, which is actually referred to as endogenous depression, which isn't necessarily caused by a specific event. You'll find some useful basic terms on the subject on the following link.:D

http://www.depressionalliance.org/help-and-information/depression-termsR.php

HTH

"Reactive/exogenous" depression and endogenous depression are logical polar opposites, so I really do doubt the first is "actually referred to" as the second.

Not that I know how valid the binary's thought to be now.

~Chameleon~

Dunroamin wrote: »

Wow - it's good to hear that I didn't suffer from severe depression and wasn't I lucky to be able to take ill health retirement with a full pension, just for being a bit miserable!:rotfl:

I never said you were "just being a bit miserable" - your words not mine, or maybe that is how you view people suffering reactive depression? *shrugs*

Having suffered from depression on and off for over 15 years, I can assure you that most depression is treated by GPs by medication, possibly combined with counselling and/or psychotherapy. You can check with the NHS if you don't believe me.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Depression/Pages/Treatment.aspx

I don't need to check, I'm quite well aware of the definition of depression and how it affects people, both reactive and clinical, and also the different treatments used for such, including ECT for the more severe forms of depression.




Also, "clinical depression " isn't another way of saying really, really depressed - as you can see in the above link.....

Again, I never said it was. It's a totally different beast and affects people in a completely different way.

I don't need to read your links. I'm quite familiar with the different mental illnesses and how they affect people, thank you.

dktreesea

dori2o wrote: »

But it's not as easy as walking x meters, the wording of the criteria is much more than that.

If I have to, i..e if I have no choice, I can walk 100m. I have to walk from my car to my desk at work which s approx 60m (it would be more but I have permission to use the goods lift from the basement car park rather than use the stairs which I severely struggle with).

I don't have a choice but to walk that distance. However, I am considered to be 'Virtually unable to walk'.

I cannot take a single step without being in severe pain. This pain never goes away. It is worse when walking but not much.

I couldn't however be able to make that journey twice in the space of an hour.

Medical breakthrough withstanding I have this to look forward to for the rest of my life. There is no cure for my condition.

The criteria for benefits are not a black and white thing, hence why there is so much case law out there.

The government does seem to be trying to change the goalposts when it comes to what is considered disabled at the moment. Not just how much pain does one have to be in to be considered disabled, but even whether pain is something the taxpayer should pay a premium for over and above normal level benefits.

nannytone_2

disability isnt just about pain.

dori2o

nannytone wrote: »

disability isnt just about pain.

I don't think anyone said it was.

My condition isn't only about pain, but pain is a big factor. My mobility is restricted. I don't have full movement in my knee, I can't put full weight on the knee or it gives way.

However, for people who only suffer from pain, it makes them no less disabled as someone who has no legs, or is blind.

nannytone_2

im not criticising any of the posts.
but the government seem to focus on pain as being all that disability is about.
when they ask how far you can walk for insyance ...

i think i could walk until i was told to stop!
but i wouldnt be able to do it safely unless i was on a treadmill!

my disability is sensory, but the only kind of disability that the forms seem to consider fully, are physical ones

sunnyone

dori2o wrote: »

But it's not as easy as walking x meters, the wording of the criteria is much more than that.

If I have to, i..e if I have no choice, I can walk 100m. I have to walk from my car to my desk at work which s approx 60m (it would be more but I have permission to use the goods lift from the basement car park rather than use the stairs which I severely struggle with).

I don't have a choice but to walk that distance. However, I am considered to be 'Virtually unable to walk'.

I cannot take a single step without being in severe pain. This pain never goes away. It is worse when walking but not much.

I couldn't however be able to make that journey twice in the space of an hour.

Medical breakthrough withstanding I have this to look forward to for the rest of my life. There is no cure for my condition.

The criteria for benefits are not a black and white thing, hence why there is so much case law out there.

You have a choice, you dont have to walk at all though from my experiance the pain from CRPS certainly dosnt go away once you cant weight bare/walk at all so if the increase in pain is bearable you should try and stay on your feet as long as possible because it allows you so much more freedom when compared to being stuck in a wheelchair.

They cant even cut the damaged nerves to make life easier, it can make the pain worse according to my Neuro.

Disability isnt all about pain but pain can certainly make you disabled, especially conditions like CRPS where the pain isnt "normal" pain.

But I certainly dont think discomfort can cause disability.

nannytone_2

im sorry of i have come across as saying pain isnt an issue.
i cant imagine what it must be kije to live wuth pain. and vertaonly it is dibilitating.
im just saying that from the DWP's perspective, pain is everything.
these reforms are so devisive, and are probably designed that way.
physical pain must be awful ... but that isnt the total measure of disability