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

[Rah33]

I have not been able to work for 6 months and it has made my depression wayyyyyyy worse. When you work you have meaning and purpose in society, it can give you a sense of accomplishment and provide you with meaningful social connections. Try to keep working if you can because the grass is not greener unfortunately

[Guest_1584]

Thanks for that Rah nice to hear, in the obvious way from my front l mean but l'm sorry you've been off and feeling worse . Off from Covid or ? Been really surprised how much you do hear people missing work and this and that from working since covid. lt does give us many things for sure , admittedly sometimes l love or really enjoy some of the things , situations or even the people that pop up in my job.

l must admit , l usually have a fair bit of time off after l finish a job and in the end l actually start looking forward to starting the next one and wanna get out there again, not sure how much longer l'm gonna be feeling that way though lately.A lot has changed this yr almost like over night and l really have to push myself lately.

l hope you can get back to it soon anyway and sorry to hear of the sitch and it not agreeing with you. Hope your getting by ok.

rx

[Guest_1584]

Well it's taken 3mths but l'm finally getting back to some satisfaction with work again for now.

The job l'm doing is nearing the end and l must admit. lt might've taken double time but l'm very pleased with myself in the way that it's come up and it really is satisfying.

So at least that's something. lf l must work for now then it is nice to at least get some satisfaction from it.

rx

[Lillylane]

Hi RX,

That’s great to hear! Do you find you have the same momentum from start to finish? Or is the start of the job more difficult to get into than say, when it’s nearly complete?

I’ve been in my new job for 3 months now. I didn’t think I would last a week - it was so scary at first!

But with practice things are much better now and I’ve enjoyed the company of workmates as well.

And since my personal life situation has gone to poop, I’m glad when I can go to work and forget about it for a while.

Hey Rah - oh I hear you - I’m sorry it’s been a difficult time for you. I spent a few years out of the workforce and found it a struggle especially with mental health. Even though I’m an introvert, I’ve realised that I need to be around other people to have those shared goals and that focus. Hope your situation improves and you have that again soon.

[Guest_1584]

Hi lilly

Great to hear about your new job coming good , nice going . l hoped things would turn once you settled in , really nice to hear. l can well understand the work mates and it helping you in those ways too and just well , it's great when you enjoy it and the people too or at least some of them .

Ha , l'll join the club too my personal life's down the tube right now as well as been stressful too and l've had major daughter problems n stress to boot , may as well go the whole hog eh. But l must admit still working atm has been a huge help in those ways and takes me away .

Pretty well no momentum at all this yr tbh. Starting a job l'm usually keen and rev up about half way through but this yr's just been a push right through to get anything done actually. What l really enjoy is getting out there grabbing a chair , coffee , messaging people and studying the job a lot haha, l've been really excelling at thinking about it .

rx

[Lillylane]

Ah! Sitting down with a coffee sounds great.
My workplace has a coffee machine. The bosses often make us a coffee in the morning, or we make each other coffees or teas through the day. I think it’s such a nice thing to do and makes me feel valued.

[Lillylane]

I actually had an awkward moment at work on Friday. I tried to sneak out of the office without anyone noticing I was teary but someone noticed. They were nice about it. I’ve never had that happen before and it was so embarrassing!

Wish I could just maintain the illusion that I’m a super cool cucumber that can handle anything. But my cover has been blown I think.

I hope tomorrow it will be just work as usual.

[Guest_1584]

Funny.

Just saw a Charlie Watts interview , the Rolling Stones drummer.

He's bloody eighty , wow, Mick and Richards are 77 , Bill Wyman is wait for it, 84, and they're still touring. Said he's been with the Stones 60yrs he was 20 when he joined. She asked him why do they still play , why does he still do it. He reckons what else am l gonna do, sit around and think about cancer or something else getting me.

Quite funny really and here l am with another story. Anyone would think l'm trying to talk myself into working forever but nope , that ain't gonna happen.

rx

[Lillylane]

Gosh How do those guys do it!

I like to think when I’m their age I’ll be happy to potter around the garden all day.

[Guest_1584]

Same.

l've never even owned one Stones record although l've always liked them just not really my thing , but still , you can't help but admire them.

Funny isn't it though , when we're young we wanna be rock stars or singers , guitarists or something. But over time l look at band or singers that were around when l was a kid, and they're still doing it, or turned into nobodies again and back to playing in bars or no ones even listens or knows them for the last 20yrs now or something.Or still trying to look like a rock star. Or someone interviews them and always ask so what do you do these days and they always say oh l'm writing new songs or music all the time- but no one listens to them anymore so what a sad way to end up. So the Stones have done alright for sure .

But as you get older you see all these people going through all that or even if they are still getting a crowd you realize they must've sung each song 1000s of times and for 30yrs, 50 yrs , whatever and still singing those songs . That'd be a fate worse than any job in the end , for me anyway.

So l'm glad in the end l wasn't a muso haha.