Back on the ESA merry-go-round

DepressedInsomniac

Face1992 wrote: »

Not much point posting if all one wants is to hear what one wants to hear.

No, I deal with facts. If someone asks my advice I answer based on the facts presented. I don't make things up as I go along because I think that's what they should have said.

You're another prime example, saying if I can jump on a train every morning to go to uni then why should an interview be a problem? Please point out to me where I've ever said I would be jumping on a train to uni every morning!

And don't even go there trying to compare illnesses as per your previous post, which I chose to ignore by the way. It's not something I would ever contemplate doing as all illness is subjective. You know absolutely nothing about me apart from what is written in this thread so can't possibly comment on how my illness affects me. I haven't even told you what my actual diagnoses are! :rotfl:

Muttleythefrog

Face1992 wrote: »

You base too much on the big bad guys ATOS pulling it out from you and and giving you stress and anxiety. The stress and anxiety you say you have is yours, not ATOS's doing.If you can face getting on a train every morning to travel to Uni, surely one interview wouldn't tip you over the edge?

MH problems rarely play out so simplistically and can be laced with superficial contradiction. Today I remarkably managed to do some gardening in the front garden which is exposed to the street and heavy footfall passing to the local school and rail station... at face value this should have been quite traumatic... it wasn't.. however my more secluded and pleasant back garden I couldn't enter. Why not... it doesn't make much sense. Well because the back garden raises some interesting problems for me.. I feel like I'm losing control of time and will die... I'm convinced people are watching me.. yet bizarrely in the front garden I'm convinced people think I'm watching them. MH problems can be highly situational in how the symptoms reveal... I can walk the 7 or so metres down the side of my property and have my mental state completely transformed. An ATOS medical could be extremely troubling for someone.. a lot is at stake... and having experienced one they can be quite unusual in terms of situation.... I actually responded to that in a way that I had not predicted.

xylophone

T

o my knowledge you cannot claim HB unless you have an actual tenancy agreement in place and this doesn't extend to renting a bedroom from your parents!

You also stated that any ESA due would be replaced by student finance. Again, not true! The Student Support Grant is ignored for benefit purposes and an amount for travel & books etc plus £10 a week is allowed to be kept from the student loan. Most students still receive an amount of ESA on top of their student finance, plus they receive it in full from May to September.

And finally, you stated I would have non dependent deductions made from my HB if I have adult children living at home. Again, not true! As one in receipt of DLA which you were aware of, no deductions are made.

As you are so au fait with your entitlements I am rather surprised that you needed to seek advice......

PippaGirl_2

Why are people so intent on attacking the OP? Is it necessary? Is it Kind? Is it helpful?

DepressedInsomniac

earthbound_misfit wrote: »

I mean no disrespect to anyone who does a 'menial' job - in fact I have great respect for them! I have always done this kind of work when working and not ill.
I think maybe the phrase "sort their life out" wasn't the best way of explaining it - I didn't mean making their life sorted and everything going perfectly. What I meant was more like being able to manage the day without breaking down/self-harming/being too frightnened to go out/dissociating from reality or any of the other things - and having something to live for and be able to hold on to some kind of job by the skin of their teeth.
For example, someone who is definitely too ill to work may find some comfort or help in having a hobby that they enjoy and put effort into. By the same token, they may find that after recovering a little they can do certain kinds of work, before recovering enough to do any job. In the same way, people without the same problems would find a job they are interested in/uses their skills is easier than one they find boring or demanding in all the wrong ways. For someone "on the brink", as it were, this may be the difference between being able to hold down a job or not.
With longstanding or recurring MH problems (as so many are) they may always struggle with employment, and in the OP's case, training for a job so she can work in a place that fits around MH needs seems pretty sensible. Especially given the current job market and difficulty finding employers willing to hire someone with current or even previous MH problems. Tbh, I think the DWP should be encouraging this sort of thing/their should be a system in place, rather than the short-term "back to work" schemes that make little difference to such people.
(I also think jobs should be paid according to how desirable they are, necessary but crap jobs should be shared out, their should be a higher minimum wage, a maximum wage, a shorter working week.... etc, etc, but won't go too wildly off topic for now!)


It is extraordinarily hard to get mental health help - especially now they've cut services. Basically, if you think someone needs mental health support, they usually don't get it; if you think they need to be in hospital, they might just about get support; if you think they need hospital URGENTLY, right now, and are totally loopy/have attempted suicide/run down the high street wearing only a tinfoil hat, they might get hospital for a couple of nights. Mental health services do not help a person recover back to 'normal' life - they just help you recover enough to not quite qualify for their help anymore. They have even been known to drop people from their books if they don't appear to be recovering - doesn't fit with the target-driven culture. It is also down to diagnosis rather than severity, now more than ever. Eg, a friend of mine is very unwell right now, hearing voices, having black outs from reality and 'coming to' in a different location/with self-inflicted injuries. His urgent referral took 3 weeks until an appointment, and as his daignosis is at present "severe depression with psychotic features", so he is considered less in need of help than someone with a primary diagnosis of psychosis.
My own experience is of having the mental health team repeatedly ignore referrals from my doctor (or rather, keep discharging me back ino his care before they've done anything). Their reasoning? - they cannot help me and I need therapy! But how to access it without them? By chance, I was once put through to a psychologist when calling the NHS trust, as the person was so worried about me. Now this psychologist has taken it upon herself to oversee my case and make sure I get therapy. I have just joined the waiting list, after being unwell and on ESA for two years. And I'm one of the lucky ones...

Thank you for taking the time to read my previous post. Please know that I do understand what it is like to be frustrated that others seem to have it easier/have special consideration whilst you're working your socks off. But I have also seen both sides of the story now.

What a wonderful post and thank you so much for speaking out on my behalf :A

I do hope it helps others understand a little of the anguish and pain we suffer and how little help there is actually out there for us.

I had some very good news today in fact. having spoken to the relevant departments it seems I will be able to continue claiming HB even if the ESA was to stop as I'm eligible for the disability premium. And also, disabled students are automatically classed as having limited capability for work and therefore can claim or continue claiming ESA whilst studying. It's still unclear as to whether we have to undergo the WCA medical as it's all dependent upon what's written on the ESA50 (i.e. no contradictory evidence).

I must say, a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders so now all I need to worry about is actually getting to uni to start my course! That in itself is scary enough :rotfl:

DepressedInsomniac

PippaGirl wrote: »

Why are people so intent on attacking the OP? Is it necessary? Is it Kind? Is it helpful?

I'm feeling quite mentally strong today and able to ignore them but any other day comments such as the ones in this thread would have me in a quivering mess on the floor, reaching for the stanley blade. They would never have the satisfaction of knowing they had caused such distress though, as that's what bullies feed off, especially internet bullies.

DepressedInsomniac

xylophone wrote: »

T

As you are so au fait with your entitlements I am rather surprised that you needed to seek advice......

But I wasn't seeking advice on benefit entitlements. As you've pointed out, I already know what my entitlements are. I'm just surprised somebody who claims to advise people professionally doesn't appear to :rotfl:

Face1992

Muttleythefrog wrote: »

MH problems rarely play out so simplistically and can be laced with superficial contradiction. Today I remarkably managed to do some gardening in the front garden which is exposed to the street and heavy footfall passing to the local school and rail station... at face value this should have been quite traumatic... it wasn't.. however my more secluded and pleasant back garden I couldn't enter. Why not... it doesn't make much sense. Well because the back garden raises some interesting problems for me.. I feel like I'm losing control of time and will die... I'm convinced people are watching me.. yet bizarrely in the front garden I'm convinced people think I'm watching them. MH problems can be highly situational in how the symptoms reveal... I can walk the 7 or so metres down the side of my property and have my mental state completely transformed. An ATOS medical could be extremely troubling for someone.. a lot is at stake... and having experienced one they can be quite unusual in terms of situation.... I actually responded to that in a way that I had not predicted.

I suffer from mental health issues as well.

Face1992

DepressedInsomniac wrote: »

I'm feeling quite mentally strong today and able to ignore them but any other day comments such as the ones in this thread would have me in a quivering mess on the floor, reaching for the stanley blade. They would never have the satisfaction of knowing they had caused such distress though, as that's what bullies feed off, especially internet bullies.

Mental note to myself and others: never give any advice to someone who has posted on the internet incase it's the wrong advice and the person cuts themselves with a stanley blade and blames it all on you.

Oh my goodness!!!

Face1992

DepressedInsomniac wrote: »

No, I deal with facts. If someone asks my advice I answer based on the facts presented. I don't make things up as I go along because I think that's what they should have said.

You're another prime example, saying if I can jump on a train every morning to go to uni then why should an interview be a problem? Please point out to me where I've ever said I would be jumping on a train to uni every morning!

And don't even go there trying to compare illnesses as per your previous post, which I chose to ignore by the way. It's not something I would ever contemplate doing as all illness is subjective. You know absolutely nothing about me apart from what is written in this thread so can't possibly comment on how my illness affects me. I haven't even told you what my actual diagnoses are! :rotfl:

Do buses do first class these days? Or are you flying to Uni?