I was just wondering if anyone had some advice for me as I feel so lost right now.

I had a meeting to discuss benefits at the jobcentre yesterday and I'm now on Universal Credit, but I have no idea how I'm going to cope with the requirements.

I've been suffering with anxiety (general, but specifically social, with bursts of agoraphobia) and OCD for most of my adult life, but it was only a few years ago I went to my GP to actually get help. I've had a course of (group) CBT and it helped on some level - I was barely able to leave my home before but now I find (after some effort) that I can push myself to go out for a bit every day.

I've been caring for my mother who is severely physically disabled for years. Over the last two years however she developed Alzheimer's disease, which has progressed to the point where she has gone into a home. This is, along with the CBT, part of what has pushed me to start venturing out, so I can visit her but it's so hard and I feel so drained all of the time. She used to be my rock, she suffered with agoraphobia when she was young and I could always talk to her about anything - but now she doesn't know who I am.

I told them I suffer with an anxiety disorder in the UC interview today and while they seemed very nice overall they stated that while there may be measures added to help me into work it will just be added on and that it isn't going to "get me out of anything" which has really upset me. I think it's partially because it confirms how intense this is going to be and also because it sort of sounds like I'm being viewed as the kind of person who would take advantage of an illness like that.

I want to get into work, but I don't think the brute force, 5 hours a day mandatory jobseeking is something I'm going to be able to cope with. I need to find something which I'm going to be comfortable with and it's going to take time, but I can't survive without money in the meantime.

Sorry if this is a little long. I guess I vented a little, just really need a bit of advice on how to get through this.

Thanks.