Chronic Anxiety & Depression - ESA?

ab.da54

LadyMorticia wrote: »

If someone has a condition like Bi-Polar, it could be very possible for them to be doing loads of "fun" things during their manic phase, but being manic is just as dangerous as being low when Bi-Polar.

I'm just trying to put a different perspective on it.

What if there is no manic phase? What then?

It is always good to have a different perspective, definitely.

Anubis_2

What fun stuff are you referring to? Have you come across many with MH issues who don't work in real life and do loads of this "fun stuff?"

ab.da54

Anubis wrote: »

What fun stuff are you referring to? Have you come across many with MH issues who don't work in real life and do loads of this "fun stuff?"

Yes, Anubis, few.

I am not the only one and, although I can see where you are leading, it is something that genuinely puzzles me.

I do not suggets there are huge swathes of people claiming they have mental health issues, when they don't. I am saying that it is strange that some can do lots of fun stuff but cannot have the same control when it comes to more formal aspects of life and I wonder why.

Dunroamin

Anubis wrote: »

What fun stuff are you referring to? Have you come across many with MH issues who don't work in real life and do loads of this "fun stuff?"

There was a heated discussion recently about one regular member who has both physical and mental health problems(claiming DLA HRM and HRC) and yet regularly goes to music festivals and had a month long holiday Interrailing around Europe totally alone.

I still can't get my head around that one.

ab.da54

Dunroamin wrote: »

There was a heated discussion recently about one regular member who has both physical and mental health problems(claiming DLA HRM and HRC) and yet regularly goes to music festivals and had a month long holiday Interrailing around Europe totally alone.

I still can't get my head around that one.

That was also in my mind when I posted.

I do not understand it. I also do not understand why, the minute there is questioning of benefits, you are suddenly the devil incarnate.

Quite often, the longer you watch - or read - the bigger the picture you build. There will be different perspectives on the situation, as Lady Morticia pointed out, but, why too ready to dismiss the one perspective that could be the reason for plenty of fun stuff going on and panic attacks when formal 'work' situations are imminent.

Anubis_2

ab.da54 wrote: »

Yes, Anubis, few.

I am not the only one and, although I can see where you are leading, it is something that genuinely puzzles me.

I do not suggets there are huge swathes of people claiming they have mental health issues, when they don't. I am saying that it is strange that some can do lots of fun stuff but cannot have the same control when it comes to more formal aspects of life and I wonder why.

No, I don't mean it that way. I just wondered what "fun stuff" you meant is all - if you have come across a few, what type of things do they do?

As you mention "lots of" fun stuff I was wondering if you mean they do a plethora of different fun things on a daily basis?

I guess with hardly leaving the house I am struggling to think of lots of fun things I think, I don't know what is out there today in my hometown, completely out of touch :eek:

Dunroamin

Anubis wrote: »

No, I don't mean it that way. I just wondered what "fun stuff" you meant is all - if you have come across a few, what type of things do they do?

As you mention "lots of" fun stuff I was wondering if you mean they do a plethora of different fun things on a daily basis?

I guess with hardly leaving the house I am struggling to think of lots of fun things I think, I don't know what is out there today in my hometown, completely out of touch :eek:

Not mental health but I can remember a poster who couldn't do an office job because she was in pain if she sat down for more than 10 minutes but was also posting about disabled reductions at the cinema because she went a couple of times a week.

Obviously the MSE "Fairy" who needed her BF to support her off the loo because of her dodgy knees but also boasted about her weightlifting prowess was in a league of her own!

ab.da54

Anubis wrote: »

No, I don't mean it that way. I just wondered what "fun stuff" you meant is all - if you have come across a few, what type of things do they do?

As you mention "lots of" fun stuff I was wondering if you mean they do a plethora of different fun things on a daily basis?

I guess with hardly leaving the house I am struggling to think of lots of fun things I think, I don't know what is out there today in my hometown, completely out of touch :eek:

I see what you mean. Please accept my apologies for misinterpreting your post.

I mean going on holiday, going to clubs, pubs, meals out, the seaside, the fairground, concerts, festivals, and so on.

Not just one thing in years but weekly things.

ab.da54

Dunroamin wrote: »

Not mental health but I can remember a poster who couldn't do an office job because she was in pain if she sat down for more than 10 minutes but was also posting about disabled reductions at the cinema because she went a couple of times a week.

Did she have to stand up every eight minutes or take extra strength painkillers in order for her to go several times a week?

I have to wonder if people realise what they are writing, sometimes.

Muttleythefrog

ab.da54 wrote: »

Yes, stress can play awful on the mind and lead some to a breakdown.

It is true that those who play on it, make it much worse for others, but I think that is true of many an ailment at the moment. Those who play on it have caused the current situation with regards benefit changes, in my opinion.

I do not understand the panic attacks when leaving the house, but going to the seaside, or the unable to leave the house but a regular in Tesco, or the garden centre, but asked to go to the ESA medical and panic, panic, panic.

It is strange what can be observed when you sit quietly. You are right though, there is not the resources for the DWP to be physically checking every claim, so how do they dispute that x can actually do y?

I'm reading what you're saying. I think I'm going to use what seems to be becoming my catchphrase on MSE... failure of imagination. If you analysed what I can do and what I can;t do... what I don't do and what I do do... anyone would logically come to the conclusion I'm either making up illness or a plain liar because not a lot of it makes sense.. it isn't consistent. I was out at the weekend and was life and soul of the 'party'.. actually a post-christening meetup in pub. I didn't feel stressed or panicked. Yet I panic if I try to go towards the back of my house..lol.. suffer extreme anxiety when in my kitchen... yet as someone who avoids people and has social phobia I had no issues at the party. I will have been observed to be eccentric and odd by people.. especially family. Let me just give some examples of apparent contradiction in my reality.

I suffer depression but will always be observed to be upbeat (I rarely am observed)

I cannot maintain my self care yet I'm always presentable and groomed when out (I rarely am out)

I have to have extreme order in my environment yet my garden is in chaos and the house a mess with tools lying everywhere (depression prevents me atttaining the order I crave so I am always anxious)

I am hoping to have a reunion with old Uni friends and therefore stay away from home for a couple days... yet I am unable to use a shop within walking distance of my house.

I could go on and on. But let me quote directly what a psychiatrist said to me on friday "you are very evasive", "you are saying a lot without telling me anything about you".. and similar... and yet on MSE I get the opposite response from people. Oh... and to add... I found the ATOS medical extremely causing of anxiety.. in lead up to and at the event... yet I'm also someone who has been in situations that would cause any regular person immense distress and yet they barely registered with me at all.. I'm thinking being shot at from close range.. I'm thinking being interviewed by police for very serious offences. It's easy for someone to then say... so you're telling me you weren't stressed at being interviewed by the police regarding crimes yet you struggled to cope with meeting a nurse for 30 minutes.

People's mental illness often won't make a lot of sense when played out in reality. I tend to reserve judgement on people's integrity surrounding the matter for precisely the fact I must look like an obvious case of someone taking the proverbials. In fact I get ESA and DLA because I pose a risk to others or require supervision.. yet I would think I must be one of the best behaved people on this website... how can that be.. I even get on with people I absolutely despise.. a saint with a keyboard and a maniac with a hammer?