Work Programme and Anxiety

anjose

I have just finished seeing a counsellor, who I have seen for around a year. I saw them because I was suffering from anxiety, and was on Sertraline tablets but I was able to stop taking them and have tried to continue normally ever since.

I have never claimed ESA or Incapacity (or whatever it's called), as I felt I could cope looking for work okay. That was until this work programme business started. My counsellor advised me to try it, and don't be negative about it until I know what it's like for myself.

Last week the jobcentre referred me for a work programme, ran by Ingeus/Triage. I did some Googling about them, and I am terrified now! I spoke to my doctor who told me to do as my counsellor said.

I got a letter from the WP - and that's when the fact was drove home into me - asking me to attend next week. Now I feel a little shaky and worried about being pressured to apply for 5 jobs a week (which I currently struggle a lot, but do look 5 times a week) and being forced to do unpaid work in charity/pound shops, etc.

In my thirties I feel quite stupid, nervous and worried - but that is part of my anxiety. I am unsure whether I should actually carry out the work programme and see how I cope. Or should I see my doctor for advice?

Maybe I can cope with the pressure, as long as it's not too much or I will just buckle and end up in tears - a bit how I feel now, teary. Or should I put my mental health first, and speak to my doctor?

HELP!

Elvisia

Could you see going to the WP as part of your rehabilitation? I completely understand how you feel, and I have to go off and do random freelance jobs and I always say "feel the fear and do it anyway" and I use every experience to learn how to cope. The first day there will be an introduction presentation (which should be short and in mine there were two of us!) then sitting with an advisor who goes through your options. So it's useful for learning how to deal with being in a presentation, then talking one on one to someone.

Your mental health should always come first, but you need to strike a balance between juggling your mental health and not letting it rule your life. I find it easier to divide my day up into sections so I am just dealing with one hour at a time. It all depends on whether you feel you are ready to start trying something out of your comfort zone, and what your medical team think.

bazza5070

Hi, I assume you are currently claiming JSA? If you get your GP to sign you off and then claim sickness benefit - ESA - unless you are put into the support group - which is very unlikely given your condition, you will have to attend the Work Programme anyway. However, WP through ESA is more likely to be better for you than through JSA. Good Luck.

DCFC79

Why dont you just attend to see what its like ? What you have read on the internet could be the opposite end of the scale to what the WP you are to attend.

Evilm

Calm down. If you walk in a bag of nerves and assuming that they are going to be nasty and OTT pressurising you will react badly to whatever they say and do.

Go and don't try to worm out of it.

marybelle01

bazza5070 wrote: »

Hi, I assume you are currently claiming JSA? If you get your GP to sign you off and then claim sickness benefit - ESA - unless you are put into the support group - which is very unlikely given your condition, you will have to attend the Work Programme anyway. However, WP through ESA is more likely to be better for you than through JSA. Good Luck.

Why is it unlikely the OP won't be put in the support group. Their condition is stable. They have completed counselling, and they are off medications. They have managed to be available for work throughout the time they were in treatment, so why would they not be now?

OP I agree with the others. Give it a chance. I can't say that I know whether the work programme is much good or not, but given that you want and need to get back in to work, what's the worst that could happen? Explain your background to your advisor so they can support you appropriately, but don't write off work experience or anything else as useless for you until you have tried it. Remember that people are much better at complaining than praising, and so all the reports you are reading are likely to be unbalanced.

donnajunkie

anjose wrote: »

I have just finished seeing a counsellor, who I have seen for around a year. I saw them because I was suffering from anxiety, and was on Sertraline tablets but I was able to stop taking them and have tried to continue normally ever since.

I have never claimed ESA or Incapacity (or whatever it's called), as I felt I could cope looking for work okay. That was until this work programme business started. My counsellor advised me to try it, and don't be negative about it until I know what it's like for myself.

Last week the jobcentre referred me for a work programme, ran by Ingeus/Triage. I did some Googling about them, and I am terrified now! I spoke to my doctor who told me to do as my counsellor said.

I got a letter from the WP - and that's when the fact was drove home into me - asking me to attend next week. Now I feel a little shaky and worried about being pressured to apply for 5 jobs a week (which I currently struggle a lot, but do look 5 times a week) and being forced to do unpaid work in charity/pound shops, etc.

In my thirties I feel quite stupid, nervous and worried - but that is part of my anxiety. I am unsure whether I should actually carry out the work programme and see how I cope. Or should I see my doctor for advice?

Maybe I can cope with the pressure, as long as it's not too much or I will just buckle and end up in tears - a bit how I feel now, teary. Or should I put my mental health first, and speak to my doctor?

HELP!

unfortunately the work programme is bad but i think you will find it isnt as bad as you fear. you need to try and control how you feel as much as you can as you dont want to end up saying the wrong thing. you are very unlikely to have to do a work placement. they may try to get you to do training of some sort. i know someone who goes to triage and while he does say they dont have a clue they also dont seem to give him a hard time at all. he said he rarely even has to go in there. dont be afraid to remind them when necessary about your illness and what impact it has.

anjose

Thank you all so much for your replies. I wish you all knew how much they mean to me, but unfortunately I can only click the the Thanks button and type words to express myself!

I shall attend the induction, and give it a chance. You are all right - I need to give it a chance, and the majority of views that I read online are bound to be negative and not full of "wow the WP is amazing, I found work so quickly through it" comments.

I might try to use this thread as a sort of blog, so people can help me if I need it.

What worries me is being pressured or forced to do things. I am already looking for work, I want to work - my log tells the jobcentre this already. But I would hate to be forced into a job that I know I wouldn't like and be back on the dole queue 6 months later!

Once again, thank you so much everybody!

KiKi

OP, don't forget that people are much more likely to complain than say positive things. On this forum, for example, people post about bad experiences of work and employment. But many more don't experience these things and so don't post.

As you've said, give it a chance and try not to let the internet info feed your anxiety. Assume it will be brilliant, and assume that anything you hear is intended to help you, and you may one of the many people who never post on an internet forum that it's bad!!

KiKi

imatt

As Donnaj says, the WP is not fit for purpose. However, not ALL WP advisers are the same. Some can be rude, surly and offhand with clients. Others are just incompetent. Some however actually DO listen, try to help, offer advice and do their best within tight constraints and limitations.

My advice would be to take deep breaths and see the WP as a challenge and not a brick wall. Hopefully, an advisor who is switched on and is prepared to LISTEN to your needs and concerns.

If you end up with a *** of an advisor, do not blindly accept it. If for example you feel they speak to you in a rude manner or they do not know what they are doing, tell them so. If this is no good, then tell their supervisor / manager. Do not be afraid to speak out.

grumpydee

I also suffer from severe anxiety and know that it is very easy to say give it a go but it is different when your anxiety takes hold and it won't allow you to physically do it.

Remember that your brain will be thinking up all the possible 'what if' scenarios. These are just thoughts and not you, so just tell them to get on with it, let them get on with it and you will find that when you focus on them they will quieten.

Good luck