Depression and Benefits

pmlindyloo

I do not think that Nada was being unkind.

Doing a placement in a school is totally different to being employed. You would have to interact with staff, follow 'orders' and be accountable to your colleagues. Working with children is not an easy option and I feel, with all due respect, that you may not realise the actual 'work' involved.

That is why I originally suggested some form of voluntary work to ease you into employment. Voluntary work can be totally different different to being employed as you always have the option of leaving. It is just a matter of finding the right kind of work.

Have you googled 'voluntary work' in your area.?

As for applying for benefits you will have to make some kind of decision soon.

Certainly if you apply for JSA (or Universal Credit) then you will be expected to search for work.

Based on what you have said, applying for ESA (if your doctor will support you with a fit note) is the sensible option. You can still do some voluntary work and move forward from there.

I get the impression that you are 'going round in circles'.

Stop worrying about the assessment for ESA. It will be months before you have one and, hopefully, things will have changed by then.

I can understand how overwhelming everything seems but please take that first step and speak to your doctor about a fit note and then come back and tell us that you have done it!

Claire_MUFC

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I do not think that Nada was being unkind.

Doing a placement in a school is totally different to being employed. You would have to interact with staff, follow 'orders' and be accountable to your colleagues. Working with children is not an easy option and I feel, with all due respect, that you may not realise the actual 'work' involved.

That is why I originally suggested some form of voluntary work to ease you into employment. Voluntary work can be totally different different to being employed as you always have the option of leaving. It is just a matter of finding the right kind of work.

Have you googled 'voluntary work' in your area.?

As for applying for benefits you will have to make some kind of decision soon.

Certainly if you apply for JSA (or Universal Credit) then you will be expected to search for work.

Based on what you have said, applying for ESA (if your doctor will support you with a fit note) is the sensible option. You can still do some voluntary work and move forward from there.

I get the impression that you are 'going round in circles'.

Stop worrying about the assessment for ESA. It will be months before you have one and, hopefully, things will have changed by then.

I can understand how overwhelming everything seems but please take that first step and speak to your doctor about a fit note and then come back and tell us that you have done it!

Thank you for your reply

Like you say claiming ESA would be the sensible option. How long is it roughly before you are called to an assessment ? I would be signing off in 4 months for a little 2 week break anyway, just to a Haven site in the UK with and paid for by family - think that should do me the world of good

Maybe I can find a little part time position or voluntary position somewhere befote then

Horseunderwater

Clair - There is a huge backlog of assessments due to ATOS giving notice that they no longer wish to carry out the WCA contract, so it really will be a long time before you get called to one. Ring up & claim income related ESA now - get a fit note asap. Your GP should be able to issue it for 3 months at a time with Depression & Social Anxiety as the reason on it. Keep a copy of it - send original with the ESA1 form back.

pmlindyloo

Claire_MUFC wrote: »

Thank you for your reply

Like you say claiming ESA would be the sensible option. How long is it roughly before you are called to an assessment ? I would be signing off in 4 months for a little 2 week break anyway, just to a Haven site in the UK with and paid for by family - think that should do me the world of good

Maybe I can find a little part time position or voluntary position somewhere befote then

You do not have to sign off ESA if you go on holiday.

Just let them know that you are going away for a couple of weeks in the UK paid for by your family.

Some would say that you don't even have to inform them if you holiday in the UK but I always think it is better to let them know just in case!

charmed1318

Hi there,
I see you have had a lot of feedback on here, just thought I would say hi.

I have gone off and on anti-d's once or twice and had a couple of years of being okay at work, but essentially wasn't addressing the problem.
You have now taken that first dreaded step of going back to Dr's Yey!

I was claiming JSA and volunteering (2/4 days) when 'the black dog' hit about 12 months ago, went to drs etc.
The decision after a discussion was to go on ESA, the having to sign on, worrying about being sanctioned if I couldn't get out of bed, or to the library. So I was 'signed off'.
Of course it takes a couple of weeks from you phoning-signing form-££'s but so would JSA. It took 8 months before ATOS even wrote to me with it being another month before my assessment. Even so, I was bricking it, but they are more sympathetic towards mental health than you think.

It will give you the rest. YOU NEED THIS TIME.
As for teaching I'm not going to say yes/no, but I think others are right in saying it could be too much too soon. Do you want to go there and finds its all too much? It might make you not want to go back.

I want to work and can't wait to get back into it, earning my own dosh. But I need to get my head straight.

BTW I'm not saying it'll take you a year. I had an episode 6 months ago which led to psychiatrist.
They have referred me to my local mind centre who help with a hold range of things.

Sorry no witty sayings, Hope any of it helps

x

System

Deleted%20User wrote: »

I would do this next week, I wanted to say before it is nice you have identified what you would like to possibly do, I can identify similar when I cared for senior citizens and some far iller then depression, I often think it is what helped keep me bounce able at it's absolute worse

Alongside Meds maybe think about alternative therapies- do you get aches and pains? Stress balls are cheap to pick up and as they say and it's true music saves the soul and time heals

Ultimately, do you want a life on benefits?

Just to address your final point, claiming ESA doesn't neceassrily equal a life on benefits. After my initial breakdown (and then bipolar diagnosis) i was on ESA (support group) for 3 1/2 years, i admit it took a long time from falling ill to becoming stable enough to come off it, but i did manage to return to part time work after those 3 1/2 years. It took so long partly due to the interventions i needed and trying many medications before finding ones that suited me. But that time off was needed and did benefit me massively. I would not be here now if not for being given time to "recover". I've now nearly been at my job for 2 years and i just wanted to say that even if things are bleak now, it doesn't mean you are consigned to a life on benefits.

Claire_MUFC

Thank you for the replies everyone, going to sort my claim out on Monday.

I think part of the fear for me is the assesment , it's bad enough going to a doctors having to explain to them how you feel and took me long enough to admit I finally needed help and can't carry on the way I am. But a scary doctor assessing you for benefits is something I am highly worried about. When i have trouble getting across how i feel at the best of times

But lots of you are saying it will be months before I have an assessment anyway, so that kind of eases my fear a little

I am a massive worrier and worry about things months before they happen

Claire_MUFC

Stuck what to do for the best

Spoke to an advisor at the job centre, and someone on the Universal Credit helpline who both think I'd be better off claiming ESA for a couple of momths. They said it will give my depression chance to stabilise, like I get bad days at the moment and they said you miss one appointment due to a bad day and.they stop your money. They said UC is lots more stricter than JSA ever was and you're expected to do lots more work search. With ESA i could claim for a couple of momths to get myself right and then move to UC

Now just got to try and get a fit note of the doctor, soonest they can get me in is for a telephone consultation with the doctor I last saw on Tuesday. Dreading it, last time i saw him he gave me a 2 month supply of the anti-depressants so asume he will see it as having them means I don't need a fit note. Home wise doing a tiny bit better but still having days where I can feel happy and instantly gor no reason whatsoever, my mood will flip. Add the thought of.claiming UC into that and looking for full time work and its not great. ESA would also give me chance to do what i am at the moment, and look for part time work off my own back for a bit without job centre pressure

My head just feels messed up knowing what to do for the best

After speaking to Universal Credit helpline, finished in tears because they said ESA would be better for a couple of months, but just know my luck my doctor will not see it that way or something

Also stopping gambling off my own back, started that a few months back.and.ran up debt. Blocked myself from all sites, just was something that gave me a high instead of feeling down, but obviously once losses start that high is short lived. Too embarassed to mention that to my doctor though

Have this telephone consultation with doctor booked for Tuesday, but part of me is saying cancel it as no way he'll give me a fit note, negative thoughts there.

Claire_MUFC

Any other advice on the above

System

You need to diacuss with your doctor about how this is making you feel, explain the worries about work/fit notes. Just because they gave you AD's doesn't mean they won't issue a fit note. Mine did despite me being on meds, they might start off with a few weeks at a time but mine gradually increased to 3 month ones once my GP saw the state i was in. You won't be the first person they've seen needing help and most will know about esa and fit notes.

Regarding the telephone call with your GP be as honest as you can about how this is affecting you and any symptoms you have, sometime sthey do these calls then decicded to call you in for a face to face appointment, which will give you a better chance at explaining things.

Well done on stopping the gambling, i know its embarassing maybe but do mention it to your doctor. One they may be able to offer extra support and 2 it could be related to you MH problems. I know when i am manic, i gamble, not a lot but i buy scratchcards and lottery tickets, for me thats one of the signs my mood is going manic