Atos Medical - Depression

System

confuseddaughter wrote: »

Both my parents suffer from some level of depression and both are medicated. Dad from the CMHTOP and mum via her GP. Neither see it as a reason on it's own to say that they are 'disabled' by it. I get depressed quite often, especially when trying to sort out their benefits with the DWP! Isn't depression whilst a genuine illness, just something that we all suffer from at one time or another simply because of the way we are made?

I disagree

There are different levels of depression, whilst your parents and yourself might be coping others may not fair so well. And under the equality act it can be considered a disability. My depression is perhaps different as I have bipolar so I have the other side of it to deal with but I do consider it a disability, the effect it has had on my life was devastating at the time and even now it still affects me (though am off ESA now so at least there is some hope)

confuseddaughter_2

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

I disagree

There are different levels of depression, whilst your parents and yourself might be coping others may not fair so well. And under the equality act it can be considered a disability. My depression is perhaps different as I have bipolar so I have the other side of it to deal with but I do consider it a disability, the effect it has had on my life was devastating at the time and even now it still affects me (though am off ESA now so at least there is some hope)

Thankyou. I am the first to admit that I know very little about mental illness, other than what I see in my mum & dad. You are probably right there must be degrees of it. It's just that knowing two people that suffer from it I can't see how depression by itself, no matter what degree it comes in is said to be always a disabling condition. I agree that the most serious of cases would be very disabling, but wouldn't those cases already be in the 'system' and probably be either in hospital because of it or receiving daily care from the mental health team?

[Deleted User]

nad1611 wrote: »

Love to know what you mean by this. I've never heard of this before. I know people with depression have difficulty in interpreting others facial expressions but haven't heard that people with depression have certain expressions other than the obvious. Not at all sure what you were being told here.

It meant something to me, can relate to what only_mee said, sorry to say, just a few weeks back when displaying faces which got me into a whole heap of trouble, I was very down and now it kinda makes sense! thank heavens x


I have since found out I have hearing problems confirmed finally as suffering with tinnitus, which could easily be packaged as depression at the time I guess or is it a result of this left untreated


The facial expressions aren't as severe now but the poster made valid point

Anchoress

vision2009 wrote: »

Even if you dont score enough points at the assessment you can put forward that:

Because of your physical or mental health condition or disability, there would be a substantial risk to the mental or physical health of any person, including you, if you were found not to have limited capability for work. (Regulation 29)
ie Your illness, mental health would deteriorate
This allows entry to the support group.

Or

Because of your physical or mental health condition or disability there would be a substantial risk to the mental or physical health of any person, including you, if you were found not to have limited capability for work-related activity. (Regulation 35)
This allows entry to the work related activity group (WRA)

If you have a GP who is supportive, or even better a consultant psychiatrist who would write you a report i would go for it. All evidence you can get is good and you cant have too much.
take care

I think you've got these two regs the wrong the way round. Isn't it reg 35 that gains you entry into the support group? Certainly it was for me.

HB58

You are correct Anchoress, the previous poster has the 2 the wrong way round.

Anchoress

I thought it was. It's an easy mistake to make with the very complicated benefits system we have

dibdabable

confuseddaughter wrote: »

Both my parents suffer from some level of depression and both are medicated. Dad from the CMHTOP and mum via her GP. Neither see it as a reason on it's own to say that they are 'disabled' by it. I get depressed quite often, especially when trying to sort out their benefits with the DWP! Isn't depression whilst a genuine illness, just something that we all suffer from at one time or another simply because of the way we are made?

I can say that until I saw a close relative with real depression I probably would have thought much like you. Since then I now understand that it is an incredibly debilitating illness, but like all illnesses will vary in it's degree. I think if you think that we all get a bit depressed, you're actually not describing clinical depression. Getting a bit down because life isn't always easy is in no way comparable to clinical depression, we are simply reacting to life's difficulties. The problem with clinical depression it often doesn't have a starting point it can do, but is often an isdious illness which may also be part of bigger picture such as Bipolar.

You would be amazed what isn't "in the System". The reason you don't see the worse cases is because they aren't out in public. They're stuck in a room somewhere attempting to get better. It is increibly difficult to get help within Mental Health, even when you're suicidal. Most people have an average pf 3-5yrs to even get a diagnosis, which is as you can imagine incredibly frustrating.
At worst depression can mean complete dysfunction. an dinablity to carry out even the simplest of daily tasks and to get out of bed is an achievement. So I would say no we don't all get depressed, we just react normally to good times and bad times, people with depression don't have any control over how they feel.

System

confuseddaughter wrote: »

Thankyou. I am the first to admit that I know very little about mental illness, other than what I see in my mum & dad. You are probably right there must be degrees of it. It's just that knowing two people that suffer from it I can't see how depression by itself, no matter what degree it comes in is said to be always a disabling condition. I agree that the most serious of cases would be very disabling, but wouldn't those cases already be in the 'system' and probably be either in hospital because of it or receiving daily care from the mental health team?

In an ideal world they'd get that help but mental health services here vary and generally get little funding. I only got a psychiatric assessment after I'd attempted suicide, that was an emergency referal and took 4 months, even after the suicide attempt (which they had to being me back from) I wasn't kept in hospital, there were times I begged to be sectioned but they never did, instead they had me seeing my psych weekly as the focus is care in ten community. I was lucky enough to have day services intervention, where basically every day I went to the day centre, but even that has been axed now I got discharged from my psychiatrist because they were restructuring the services to long term and short term, and they felt as as they'd finally found meds that worked (took 3 1/2 years for that to happen) they couldn't do anything now. And therapy? Nope, was deemed to unstable to benefit from counselling or cbt and even if I'd been allowed it the wait is roughly 18 MONTHS

I'm now stuck under the care of my GP though there's been talk of re-referring me to CMHT but I'm trying to avoid that as best I can

dibdabable

Deleted%20User wrote: »

It meant something to me, can relate to what only_mee said, sorry to say, just a few weeks back when displaying faces which got me into a whole heap of trouble, I was very down and now it kinda makes sense! thank heavens x


I have since found out I have hearing problems confirmed finally as suffering with tinnitus, which could easily be packaged as depression at the time I guess or is it a result of this left untreated


The facial expressions aren't as severe now but the poster made valid point

I don't buy it I'm afraid, if they could diagnose depression by facial expressions, they'd be singing it from the rooftops. There have been studies where they have identified that people with depression will have a different interpretation of a neutral face than someone without depression.
Obviously someone with depression isn't going to have a happy face and will often have a blank sort of face, but that wouldn't be enough to make a diagnosis on, anyone can look sad ot neutral.

I would love to be proved wrong but I really don't think this person was given sound advice here.

Suebnm

nad1611 wrote: »

Love to know what you mean by this. I've never heard of this before. I know people with depression have difficulty in interpreting others facial expressions but haven't heard that people with depression have certain expressions other than the obvious. Not at all sure what you were being told here.

Some or even most people with depression have facial expressions that psychiatrists look for. For instance they look and see whether the person makes eye contact with them, whether they smile spontaneously at an 'amusing' comment, whether they look down with their eyes the whole time, how their mouth is - is it turned down or slightly upwards. There are many clues a psychiatrist or indeed assessor will look for in a persons face or body language.