Benefits

[nomorepanic]

** this is a general comment and not aimed at Piers alone **

Is not the real solution to this to make steps towards getting back to work ? If you want to live a better future then you have to start making steps to get a job and get the income you need/deserve/want.

I know it is not easy, trust me, but there is no other answer (really) than getting a job again.

[Lynnann]

In fairness there are not so many jobs out there and for someone with an existing issue?

If cuts have to be made then I would rather we gave up on hosting the Olympics, how much is that costing this country? Can we really we as magnanimous with foreign aide when we can't care for our own country in so many aspects?

Hey ho just a thought

Lynnann

[nomorepanic]

Surely it is only an issue if you make it one though?

Why does panic/anxiety have to be an "issue"?

I went to work and sat in the boss's office having panic attacks - it didn't stop me doing my job though

[debs71]

I think in all honesty though, it does depend on the job you do.

For me personally, I made the decision to resign from my job after I passed out at work following (what I didn't realise at the time) was a big panic attack. Although I also suffer from low BP and as it was recorded at 70/40 when I fainted, I at first put it down to that, but it was primarily exacerbated by a lot of work and personal stress around that time. For me it was a wake up call.

It was not feasible nor safe for patients I cared for to carry on battling my anxiety in that environment where I spent 10 out of 12 hours moving and on my feet going from patient to patient, in a high pressure environment. What if I had a tizzy during a blue light call (a child in resuscitation) or while caring for a very needy patient in the department? What use would I be?

I admire anyone who is able to do that, but as I say, you can't broadly say that you can deal with anxiety and panic with any job. Mine was particularly work related as well as I had struggled with the stress there for years, so even if I had dealt with my demons in therapy, I would still get right back there again.

I am now looking desperately to find another direction. I love and miss nursing but I value my health more. I am not in any financial position to make such a drastic change of career, but that is the way it is for me.

[nomorepanic]

Debs - can I just ask something here. If you were unable to care for patients as such should they be able to offer you another job to do somewhere else in the NHS (I assume this is who you worked for).

Surely they can't just get rid of you if you do suffer with anxiety and should have been able to offer you a less stressful position somewhere else?

[diane07]

After being a health care assistant for many years, i took a career change and worked with the elderly in their home, even through panic attacks i stuck it out.

Damn hard, and when agoraphobia came into my life it became harder, but i stuck with it, thankfully, i was actually grateful that such pressure to keep my head above water financially enabled me to deal with the panics and stick at it.

My elderly actually helped me deal with my agora, so for that i am grateful, but it wasn't easy.

[JaneC]

If I hadn't had to get out to go to work at the times I my panic was at its worst - I'm sure I'd have ended up never leaving the house at all. But I understand not everybody can do it.

[debs71]

Debs - can I just ask something here. If you were unable to care for patients as such should they be able to offer you another job to do somewhere else in the NHS (I assume this is who you worked for).

Surely they can't just get rid of you if you do suffer with anxiety and should have been able to offer you a less stressful position somewhere else?

Well, to be honest Nic, I never broached the subject of my anxiety with neither my colleagues or managers, I just did what a lot of us do and put on the painted clown smile and got on with things. I tend to internalise a lot of my anxiety until I reach a point like that. In all honesty I doubt that that option would even have been offered to me Nic. I wasn't senior enough to be relegated to a desk job, and I was a senior 'shop floor' nurse so it can't translate to a desk job.

I think had I remained and spoke to my manager about it I would have been offered in house counselling with occupational health without a doubt, but apart from that, it would have been a case of if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. The NHS can be quite tough about these things, they have to be to have an efficient workforce.

To be fair it was me who chose to resign and I am certain I wouldn't have been edged out (if I had been I would have taken it to my union, lol). I just reached that point of burn out I think.

So sorry to hijack this thread as well......I didn't mean to lol!

I think it is really hard for anyone relying on benefits, I just would like to see more of those benefits reaching the people who truly need it.

[JaneC]

You haven't hijacked the thread Debs. I find it interesting to read people's stories - what they have been able to do; what they haven't; the decisions they have had to make and so on.

The point I wanted to make earlier, in a post which I deleted because I felt it could be misconstrued, is that it's not only people on benefits who are struggling at the moment

[Nigel]

Geez...
3 pages now!
I said money was an emotive subject

The thing that annoys me is that the government (or the previous one) created this mess through the actions they took and the actions they failed to take, and it’s us at the bottom that are having to foot the bill for all their incompetence. How many politicians are suffering economically? Or top bankers? They’re still doing alright. It’s just us poor sods at the bottom who get all their shit dumped down on us. It pisses me off!!!!!

Anyway, Mr Angry has left the building.
Rant over!


Sorry Piers...

Having a good rant does make us feel a bit better but it doesn’t change the facts I’m afraid. Somehow you, and everyone, have gotta try and make ends meet. The thing is to sit down calmly with a sheet of paper and a calculator and tap away until you can somehow make it work. I know there are bound to be difficult and painful compromises to be made, and I’m sorry about that.

Regarding that water bill – and any others like it – contact them and explain the situation. But it’s no use simply saying; “I can’t pay”. This is where those figures and calculations come in. If you can show them evidence as to why you cannot pay that amount they’ll often come up with a revised payment plan. After all, they’d prefer to receive some money than no money, and they will try to reach a compromise in genuine cases of hardship.

Have a word with CAB if you haven’t already. They’re usually very helpful in drawing budget plans and prioritising debts.

Your sites look pretty good. I know what you mean about being reluctant to do too much work on the side. It’s OK if you can do enough to more than offset the cut in benefits. The system does little to encourage a gradual approach when what a person strives to earn in one hand is instantly snatched away by the other. Might be something you could build up though. It’s something you could largely do from home.

Although I’m out of work, I am fortunate enough to still have few savings left that I’m (very grudgingly!) living on. But I love saving money. Dunno about your area but Tesco down the road here do some pretty good bargains an hour before closing time. Ready meals for 10p sometimes. If you have a freezer you can stock up on a lot like that. Got a big bunch of fresh organic carrots for 25p last week. Even bread and cakes – if they’re still soft – can be frozen.

Mr Mean is happy

Good luck,
Nigel