ls it healthier to work and live while having depression , or is there a centerlink disability pension, and if so , which is healthier ?

[Guest_1584]

Hey people .

l've met people on all kinds of Centerlink disability things over the yrs but can you get onto something due to depression ?

But then as in the title , maybe it's actually healthier for you to actually be out there in life and working and functioning ? - bloody hate that word but it's the only description l could think of . So what does everyone do , and which do they find is better ?

At one stage through a really bad patch l just didn't feel l could work or cope. So l asked Centerlink they told me l'd have to see the gp , get referrals ,go and get assessments and all kinds of other things can't remember exact details , but it was a nightmare l'd worry that l'd spend wks or mths putting myself through and then maybe get nothing anyway. But ok l'll just start with the gp and see where that goes first. And they told me it could get me 3mths , what, 3mths, but then l'd have to do it all again to get an extension or another 3mths and then again , and again , or some rubbish can't remember the exact details but it sounded far worse than the alternative and just struggling on to me.

Well, what a useless stressing , draining effort that was , here's a grown man in the mess l was in felt like l just couldn't even go on let alone cope or do real life , work , pressures buttt, saw a gp yet all he said was l'll give you a certificate for 2 days off . Two days, wt - to keep it polite here, 2 days l needed 2 wks just from the stress of dealing with him that once , without adding in my real problems. He wouldn't even give me a referral for the next step. Acted like there was nothin wrong with me meanwhile l'm wondering if l wanted to go on l mean that's the state l was in.

Centerlink also wanted me to enroll with a job agency and so here l was having to tell some 19yr old girl with a button and computer and the power to send me packing with no damn clue how  l was or living , threatening to stop any payment if l didn't jump through their hoops too in the meantime, it was insanity .And all that took about 2 wks of stress driving sitting round waiting and explaining myself over and over and what little money l had at the time on petrol , it was a nightmare and left me in worse shape than l started.

rx

[Guest_1584]

Yeah right , well good luck anyway eh.

l've got a mortgage and costs so for me it's either work Centerlink or live in a car.

l must admit though in many ways l've thought that's a good thing bc it does give you reason and purpose , and l make kinda targets for myself and stuff too so there's more of it in those as well. lt also all kinda motivates me into life and doing things too. And l can buy things and spend money , that's bloody nice to bc on centerlink with my mortgage and bills , surviving , there'd be nothing left and none of that so.

Tbh , l'm really hearing what many are saying here and around in that not working they feel like they don't have that purpose and probably not much of the other stuff either soooo, maybe working for me is a good thing, for now anyway. Juries still out but just having started back this last mth , which l actually felt like getting back into it. l'd just had a few mths off and must admit , atm l am quite enjoying it and the feelings and things that come from being back at it again , even the routine.

rx

[Yolzy]

It’s under table 5 Mental Health. Try looking it up in google

[Yolzy]

I wish I was my own boss! 😝

What type of job do you do?

[Guest_1584]

Hi yolzy

How about yourself do you have to work and whathaveyou , how are you finding things ? l dpn't like to say too much bc there might be someone here l know and l'd rather stay anonymous as no one really knows about my mh struggles , or should l say wants to know , well apart from gf. But probably a little bit tucked away in here's ok . l buy sell rv's and campervans and bc l'm home based l have no over heads so l only have to do 2 or 3 a yr gets me by. Met a guy once in depression so he'd had a lot of time off but he use to buys/ sells small planes for a living and we talked about all this stuff and struggles of keeping the mh under control. Then l didn't see him for 12 mth but last time l did he tells me he was going back to work and he'd just bought his first plane, apparently he usually bought and sold 2 or 3 a yr , well he was a different person it was all over him. He was all exited his personality had come back and he had some spring in his step again , it was his first plane in 3 yrs or so but after seeing him that day and the difference in him l hoped that one went well and he got back into it . Haven't seen him since, 2yrs now lost contact with him , often think of him though and wonder how he's going. He still had about 12yrs working life left too so there was a lot of living he could do if he found his way back. Well for him and seeing that time the good it did him after he'd just bought his first plane again for the yr yeah , it's stuck in my mind ever since , really hope he's back on his feet mentally and with life. rx

[Guest_1584]

Weird isn't it. Even though l've read all these studies and ranted the results of hw good it is for us to keep moving , working , living , l still don't feel like l can handle even one more yr right now. Tried to talk myself gack but it ain't working so far and l know myself well once l start losing heart or mojo with something it doesn't return. Damn , but l tried.

What l don't understand is that just 12 mths ago or abouts l was just saying to gf l'd quite happily work until whenever l enjoy it and it's so good for me, and l have a very cushy job hours and free time wise, but here we are only aa yr or two later whenever it was and l feel like this.

rx

[Guest_1584]

Not to mention coming across so many older men lately still going that l can see with my own eyes the difference in them compared to others and admired the hell out of them. But yet , l feel like this and as if l just can't find it again.

rx

[Guest_1584]

lt seems once you drop your guard for a second and allow yourself the luxury of some negativity for awhile , spirits decline pretty fast. rx

[Lillylane]

Hi RX,

I’m sorry you’re finding things difficult at the moment.

Positive thoughts will return again - I know it’s impossible to see that at the moment. And it’s totally ok.

I was reading back through the thread and it’s interesting that you’ve talked to many different people about their work experiences and I admire that you keep an open mind and can see things from different perspectives. Hope you get to see that plane guy again you mentioned. What an interesting story!

Are there any projects you do that are just for yourself? Not for work?

For myself I’m trying to focus on a very small project/interest, I want to buy a stylus to be able to draw/write on an iPad. So I’m comparing prices etc and looking up tutorials. So it’s keeping me occupied and gives my mind a break from thinking about work and other stuff.

Anyway, here if you want to chat more about what’s been going on for you.

Take care RX!

Lillylane

[Guest_1584]

Hi lilly

Yeah funny ,l meet all sorts in my jobs customers too but l've never met anyone who buys and sells planes before though. Did have a customer whom l suspect was a mobster once he sent his driver and a couple of guys to pick up the job in a 150k gorgeous truck . l suspected over the phone but when these boys turned up and got out of this truck l'm thinking hmmmm, think l'll just make this really quick and outa here.

Hows the new job going now feeling any better , settling in ?

Yeah l have a lot of things going on as far as renos and projects , too many actually.

Good luck with the ipad pen , never used one though l do draw a lot - or use too.

Thanks lilly and you take care too hey. rx

[Lillylane]

Sounds like you meet some interesting people! 🙂 I guess there would be pros and cons with being you’re own boss.

Yeah settling into new job and it’s definitely better than the first week was.

I had a difficult time the day before the public holidays. I freaked out (in my head only) about a particular task and felt like I had absolutely no clue at all.

Usually I just try and push through that feeling and in time I’m ok again but it wasn’t working that day.

I haven’t really been able to relax over the long weekend which is annoying.

Tomorrow is a new day though. Hoping I can tackle things better tomorrow.

Thanks RX!