Disabled Students Allownace + Access to Learning

System

You have to see this from the DSAs point of view. If they gave you the money, they would rightfully have to give the money to anyone else with a psychological disorder of some kind ... which is practically everyone, if you look hard enough.

Consider yourself lucky you got funding the first time around!

mikescott86

candyflossing wrote: »

You have to see this from the DSAs point of view. If they gave you the money, they would rightfully have to give the money to anyone else with a psychological disorder of some kind ... which is practically everyone, if you look hard enough.

Consider yourself lucky you got funding the first time around!

From the DSA's point of view, depression is a disability. I never got funding the first time around because I've never applied for DSA before.

duchy

Guess education has a long long way to go with the likes of Candyflossing who is confusing "feeling a bit depressed" with diagnosed clinical depression.

roxalana

Hmm I haven't read all of the posts because some of the them seemed to deviate a little away from the supportive MSE atmosphere...

I think it is worth saying that regardless of our views on here the decision regarding the OPs support will be the result of what happens at the access centre and whether everything is ok under the DSA regulations.

Sometimes people with depression get support through DSA and some people don't because depression is a very individual thing. For example, although I'm suffering at the moment I wouldn't consider myself to meet the DSA requirements, whereas in the past (had i been studying at one of my darker periods) I am sure I would have qualified.

Mikescott - not trying to put you off from posting on here, but posting does invariable result in a wide range of views, some of which are quite obviously going to upset you and although I too would want to argue my point, I wouldn't want what started out to be a simple question to turn into an argument that might affect you badly... At the end of the day you won't really know more until you get your decision from your LEA and this kind of thing is really too difficult to predict.

System

No, that was exactly my point duchy ... if mikescott86 was indeed suffering from clinical depression, then medication would have relieved his symptoms to some extent. I am speaking from personal experience.

I do not believe that depression will disable a person in a manner, such that money will help them.

Money can buy a blind person an audioguide, it can buy a paraplegic a specialised computer, it can hire a deaf person a translator. How exactly is money going to help someone with depression?

In this case, Mikescott claims he wants to buy a new laptop so that he can use a computer privately, due to the 'embarrassment' caused in public by his ticks.

I agree with dmg24, you are creating a problem that doesn't exist. The university will gladly provide you with a spare room, or if you don't like it, you can work from home.

Besides, a more sensible thing to do, would be to explain this to your doctor and try to get therapy for your anxiety, rather than trying to avoid the source of the problem completely.

When you enter the real world, it won't be as easy as shutting yourself away in another room with a laptop.

mikescott86

candyflossing wrote: »

No, that was exactly my point duchy ... if mikescott86 was indeed suffering from clinical depression, then medication would have relieved his symptoms to some extent. I am speaking from personal experience.

Drugs do not always work, and in my case they haven't. Nobody cares if you're speaking from "personal experience". My GP is speaking from decades of her professional experience: I have clinical depression.

I do not believe that depression will disable a person in a manner, such that money will help them.

Again, if you read the case study then the DSA would beg to differ with your belief.

I agree with dmg24, you are creating a problem that doesn't exist. The university will gladly provide you with a spare room, or if you don't like it, you can work from home.

A University can not just provide a room willy-nilly to anybody who asks. I've walked around my department and there are no spare rooms. Those that aren't used for teaching are offices. Space is so limited that some lecturers share offices. The University can not give me a room. Work from home? On what? The laptop that I shouldn't be allowed?

Besides, a more sensible thing to do, would be to explain this to your doctor and try to get therapy for your anxiety, rather than trying to avoid the source of the problem completely.

As I've said: my GP has said that everything that can be tried has been tried.

DenBo_4

mikescott86 wrote: »

I do have a diagnosis and I've been living with depression for 10 years or so. I have anxiety which causes me to have phonic tics. For me that means I make squeaking noises in my throat, or sniffle loudly, or both. It can be quite embarrassing to work in the computer labs in the library where it's quiet and I'm making all these random noises.

Here's an example of somebody in a similar situation to me: http://www.hull.ac.uk/disability/mentalhealth/supporting/dsa.html He got a PC, not a laptop. But I'm sure if I can justify why I need a laptop, then I can get one. In my department we have a quiet common room where I can take a laptop to work in between lectures. Because there's usually nobody in there, my tics wouldn't be a problem.

I think if you apply for DSA, given your problems with depression and the phonic tics that you stand a good chance of getting a grant. Any laptop that they supply will be of high spec, they are generally very helpful and will give you what you need.

Ignore people's opinions on here as to whether you "need" help or not, apply for DSA and they will decide. Just lately the benefits section seems to be a place where people who ask for help end up being judged and ridiculed. This is not what this is for, it's meant to be a place for help.

System

Well, I give up, as Roxalana said, it's the DSAs decision, and tbh I don't really see why you posted on here when the DSA website gives you all the answers you need ... and then continue by making statements like "nobody cares if you're speaking from person experience" and "You don't know that your circumstances are the same as mine - there's more going on with me than I care to share in a public forum." - Why on earth did you post on a public forum, and then proceed to attack everyone who disagreed or shared their experience? If you think you need the laptop then apply for it!

mikescott86

I never posted a complaint, I posted a few questions. The fact that some people were too immature to answer them and instead proceeded to attack me is not my fault. How can you expect me to not defend myself? How can you turn things around to make yourself look like the victim here?

Thank you to all the people who have posted constructive replies.

System

I don't think people were attacking you. They were attacking the DSA system.

I'm not trying to "look like the victim" ... that's a tad hypocritical, from someone who tells people on a public forum "I've got myself through several suicide attempts" in response to a message merely telling you you should buy your own laptop.