Dealing with Centre link and Job providers.

[Ddom]

finally got over my anxiety for now lol to ask for advice and strategies in dealing with Centre link and Job providers????

little about me. 7 yrs ago i was able to work full time and was working long hours before i started to get sick and exhausted weekly I resigned when they did not implement my idea's, ways to reduce my stress and dependency on me running the company so i could actually have a sick day and to focus on health and family. 3 months later i ended up needing multiple surgeries over 2 years for a cyst that was causing the infection and multiple hospital visits for septicaemia.

I have seen every specialist (no definitive results and causes). I am limited to bed most days and now have a herniated disc in my lower back to add to the fun. so pain and fatigue permitting i am limited to at the moment to 3, 15 min activities a day. needless to say depression and mental problems social anxieties have arisen. Some from me dealing with my new life as well as past trauma. I am and have been trying to ways (medication,CBT,BT) of dealing with such mental issues. available but have had limited actually mental diagnosis.last time was me seeking assistance to deal with depression 3 months ago.

Every time i think i am well enough mentally and physical to even think about work i try to engage people and apply for Centrelink.my anxiety over explaining my issues and vulnerabilities or even asking for help from randoms is one thing, dealing with them and their lack of compassion and understanding when i am exhausted and mentally unstable has caused depressive episodes in the past.usually ends in me having payment suspended.

5 years after the last surgery i have nothing and am soon to be homeless again. I had already been struggling with anxiety about dealing with them.and have now had 2 panic attacks (not diagnosed) When forcing my self make contact this month.

thanks for taking the time to read. I will check replies when able .

peace out.

[PamelaR]

Hello Ddom

Wow, you've had a life of difficulties hey. It's so good you've found your way to Beyond Blue (BB) forums. Welcome!!

Working with government departments can have it's frustrations can't it. Especially when you've got to go into all the details about how and why you can't work. Talking about yourself and what you've been through can be so difficult. I expect that it triggers your anxiety that then leads to your depression. What steps do you take when you get depressed? for example, go to your doctor?

Is it okay if I ask you some questions? for example, are you a current mental health plan through your doctor and/or therapist? Do you have a mental health nurse that could perhaps help you out when you visit Centrelink and or apply for jobs? I'm not sure if the nurses do that though.

There are organisations out there that help people find accommodation. for example Red Cross, Mission Australia. these organisations may be able to help you. Also I understand you can talk to a social worker at Centrelink. Maybe you could explain your situation to them about how you become depressed when you have to tell your story.

I'm not sure how much I've been able to help you. Let us know how you get on.

Kind regards

PamelaR

[Ddom]

Hello Pamela,

Thank you for you for taking the time to respond.

to answer your question

Q:current mental health plan through your doctor and/or therapist?

A: no mental health plan this year. the last contact i had with professional health care was January with a call to the Acute Care team in Mental Health. they came out to my place of residence which was a godsend. just talking to them during the time allowed me a moment of reprieve.

with the depression and chronic figure i use medication,sunlight, cbt, bt,breathing,exercise (limited most day), stretching, cleaning, force food intake,strategy gaming,, attempt to keep sleep patterns to a normal.gardening, colouring, painting,most of it is limited to not exacerbating the chronic fatigue as then i can not even force my self to do anything. my sister has given me her old laptop so some funny movies and BB now 😉

mostly i keep trying to focus on the fact i may be useful again in the future lol.

chronic fatigue,depression, crippling pain,anxiety, now panic attacks have made it difficult to contact and talk to people never alone people that i need assistance from. even calling people to tell them i need to reschedule appointments when i have bad days. to me it is and has been one of the hardest things to cope with. most day i am to exhausted i am unable to even leave the room to clean my waste bucket or shower or basic things. never alone explaining my situation and begging random people like centre link for money and job search people over and over, having payments suspended time and time again when i am to sick to do the basic in life is demoralising to say the lest.

I have been leaching of the assistance from family members when they have the time. they drop over bottles of water and tins of tuna and crackers. as these can be kept close by.

when next i am able i will seek out my doctor for a new mental health plan. to exhausted and no money to get there so will talk with family next time i see one of them.

applied for housing assistance 3 years ago was told it was for people who need lol it ..some of the things people come out with i have to laugh or i would cry all the time.

peace out

DD

[PamelaR]

Hello Ddom

Thank you for getting back to BB.

It's good that your sister gave you a laptop. Now, you maybe able to add help chat lines to your list of approaches to help with your depression. BB has one available between 3pm to 12am. This might be a good option for you if you find talking to people hard.

Having chronic fatigue and feeling like you not getting out of bed and relying on family must be frustrating for you. One of the things I've recently learnt from my psychologist is that being active helps to reduce depression, or helps to reduce the symptoms. I've found this to be working a little. The more I do in the yard, getting out to the shops, going for a walk around the block - the more I feel like doing.

I think that getting a mental health plan is really important for you. And to set up a regular visit by a Mental Health team worker would be a great way to go. As you indicated you found them a godsend. Maybe you can get a family member to help to the doctor's surgery?

Kind regards

PamelaR

[white knight]

Hi Ddom

I have only limited advice. The best of that is to describe Centrelink and other Govt departments as a game. You have to play their game. Certain requirements, documentation, interviews and so on- all a game. Of course it isn't to them but the effect of it to the claimant (you) is a game.

Once you view it that way it becomes easier to be a player. Always have all your relevant documents in a safe place, of what they need maybe at a relatives place in the corner of their garage?

I'm on DSP. Have been since before they tightened things up. Then it was a case of meeting 30 points on a form, I got 28, fail!. Was told to return and give it another go. I went away, recalled that I had a bout of 10 months in 1987 on compensation for stress and reapplied. Pass.

So put everything down even if you don't think it will help you.

Apart from that, remain positive and hopeful that life will improve, it often does.

Thanks for being on the forums.

Tony WK

[Ddom]

Thank you Pamela and white knight and BB today has been helpful.

At the start It was hard to differentiate when the exhaustion was chronic fatigue/Me or depression.

it was only just being mentioned 5 yrs ago as being a real thing. not to mention acceptance/perception of mental health being important.

having learnt some new coping mechanism,noticing triggers and surviving the ones that didn't work have helped keep me alive to date.

When i am mentally and physically able to i will as white knight put it kindly play the game again.

of course the housing and power will be gone in a couple of days (can not wait to see how they are going to be able to move me) as i said have been lucky most day this week to even clean my bucket and shower.

Although today the darkness and mental anguish is there i have not needed the bucket. I have even showered, only cried once and migraine only lasted 2 hours tired yes but not exhausted 😉 not to forget chatted on BB so still better than last week. i will get there and in the future maybe a useful productive member of society again.

peace out

Ddom