IS THIS A DISABILITY ?

[mirry]

I just wanted to know how others view there anxiety? ,
I firmly belive that Panic disorder is a true disability.......
we are restricted in many ways and I feel its unrecognised by many.

I would like to know if anyone knows of someone who has been registed disabled because of there Panic/anxiety or gets any sort of benefit relating to it ?



mirryx

[Madwoman]

I think anxiety and panic is definately a disability, although not life threatening we think it is at the time and nobody who has never excperienced it will understand.

People with nerve trouble are classed as disabled, isnt that the same sort of thing?

madsxx


why dont sheep shrink in the rain?

[existential crisis]

Its definately disabling - there aint no doubt about that. I know someone who gets incapacity benefit for having depression so if you can prove it to the social security that you've got it, you'd probably get something. I mean depression and anxiety are best mates arent they?! I dunno whether I'd feel comfortable calling myself disabled though - Maybe it's just me but I still think I'm very lucky to be physically healthy - and my anxiety is something that I can change if I try hard enough. I wouldnt expect someone who was physically disabled to have much sympathy for me because they would probably kill for the chance of an active, healthy body. I mean if you are severely physically disabled then you probably will be for life whereas at least with anxiety there is always a chance that one day you will be totally back to normal. x

*I think, therefore I am.*

[mirry]

I know what you mean about being physically healthy as I know someone in a wheelchair whos young and has had no diagnosis as to why he cant walk anymore (past 3 years).

One Mental health doctor said to me when diagnosing my son with aspergers syndrome "A hidden disability is one of the saddest disabilitys to have because no one makes any allowances".
I now understand what he meant.

mirryx

[Alice]

I agree that panic disorder is disabling and incapacitating but im not sure that i agree its a disability. I consider a disability something from which you cant recover, such as paralysis, arthritis etc. I do think that people with panic disorders should receive incapacity benefit, but i dont think they should be labelled disabled. I think the process of labelling someone disabled may make them more likely to accept the label and not strive to recover as much as they would otherwise.

The fact that some people can recover completely from panic disorder and agoraphobia with the correct treatment suggests to me that its not a disability in the legal sense of the word. But i understand that when someone is in the grips of panic disorder they are disabled and incapacitated, and should receive benefits. I would be reluctant to class them as disabled though, as the term is very final.

[jill]

Hi Mirry

I would agree with you that panic disorder IS a true disabilty, but and ITS A BIG BUT I would have to say that I would NOT want it labeled that way.

My daughter suffered PA's, anxiety form the age of 3, if she was labeled as being disabled, I would have given up becasue to me this word means forever, she is now 12 and doing very well.[^]

As for me I came to this site suffering with Pa's and liveing in fear 24/7, again if I thought of being disabled Mr anxiety would of played on this. Well at the time of finding this site I was convinced I was going to be like this forever anyway. Becasue of ths site I am now PA and high anxiety free. Since finding this site, I have found out that I have been suffering GAD all my life, thats another story, so I wont bore you[|)]

I totaly agree that you are retricted in sooooo many ways, my daughter missed out on soooo much, and it took me along time to right the wrongs. Even with myself It was a battle, a fight I thought I would never win.

I agree that there should be some sort of benefit and I think a friend of mine's sister got sickness benefit, while she learnd how to deal with her anxiety.

I have always viewed my daughters anxiety as something that CAN be fixed, As for me, it was only when I found this site and learned how to deal with the panic, learning that what I had been suffering with all my life ( GAD ) that this could be fixed too.

I firmly belive that you CAN learn how to feel better, but I also know how dame hard it is becasue Mr anxiety is alway there telling you all her negative's.

I want, like everyone on here sooooo much for this disorder to be reconginsed., but I would NOT want it to go under a heading, disabled.


TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXX

[wobily_lin]

hi,

yeh when you have such conditions as we have, it is so debilitating in so many ways. yes incapasity is available. on my first session with my psychiatrist she advised me to apply for disability living allowance as this is affecting my life in so many ways and stopping me living my life. i was shocked as i have a son who suffers from autism and learning disabilities and i receive that for him which i totaly agree with. i really had to think about that one. i havent applied although i know from what my doc said i will get it but i would feel so guilty if i did. i m not physically disabled. i dont know. this is a hidden illness. although mine is also physical to the point i shake uncontolably most if not all of the time as well as the other symptoms we all have. i dont think its a disability but if it affects your life so badly that you are unable to live a normal live without fears such as ours, i suppose it is.

but should it be recognised as a disability. i dont know. mental /pschological ilnesses are so complex. like i said its hidden. maybe maybe not. i like to believe i will get well, but my son never will.

take care.

ptsd sufferer.

lin x

[Shadowwin]

About 2 years ago.. i tried my hardest to convince Social Security that Panic attacks/Panic Disorder are a disability.. sadly they were biting. Mind you I am agoraphobic.. mind you for 3 years I couldn't walk out of my house.. I couldn't be in a car without loosing my mind.. I couldn't work.. I could hardly function... yet when it came time for the hearing for Disability I was ruled Perfectly Fine to work!!

I still believe it is a disability it robs you of parts of your life, it takes away the things you like or need to do.. I just wish the "important" ones saw it that way.. but why should they care it doesn't affect them.

[mirry]

Wobblylin, my son has aspergers (a form of autism) and other ass learning disabilitys, he also has anaphylaxis to foods, I didnt know we could both apply ?

mirryx

[Meg]

I agree that anxiety and panic brings enormous upheaval to lives and can temporarily cause disability but I agree with Jill and Alice that the label does imply that it is long term and I firmly believe that this severity of anxiety can be overcome and improved on so life is manageable again.

I understand that for financial assistance the word disability may be the only one that works within the current system

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?