Anxiety about a possible DSP review

[StygianOwl]

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the place to post but I have nobody to talk to about this. I'm 28 years old and got the Disability Support Pension when I was around 17 or 18. It would have been from depression and anxiety which I no longer have any evidence for. When I was 20, I got diagnosed with Autism level 2, which I do have evidence of, which explains my depression, anxiety, plus a whole lot more issues I struggle with.

Over the years, I reached a point where I wanted to pursue university, as I was able to work on my mental health and became curious about working. I completed a program to get into university and got into a social work degree which I am doing part time. I moved out of home my first year and my parents also moved away to another state so with the DSP I can pay rent and anything I need. 

Here is where my anxiety is kicking in and it is to levels I don't think I've felt before. I'm almost halfway through my degree and I've been having thoughts of having to be reviewe. If I do have one and they cut my payment, I will be forced to either work and do uni, or stop uni altogther and move back with my parents.

I think I could work now, but since I'm at university, I feel like both would completely overwhelming and my mental health would decline much to where I was when I started DSP. I really want to become a social worker. I don't have any qualifications and don't know what else I'd do. The idea that I could be reviewed at any moment or even the last semester of my degree and denied payment is destroyting me mentally. I see a psychologist and am registered with the NDIS and see a support worker, so maybe I could get documentation by them? I'm just scared and afraid that the path I've carved out from being on DSP could be ruined by it as well. 

[white knight]

Hi, welcome

So, as I understand your post, you havent been told you are going to have a review, you are worried about Centrelink informing you will get one?

Worry can be really non productive and cause stress. That means anxiety. As I see it you have two choices-

• Try to lower your anxiety with deep breathing and other relaxation methods. Ask your GP about learning these
• Get a part time job that can supplement your pension up to the maximum amount you can earn before your pension is effected.

On point 2, there is many people like you that also work part time out of uni hours. Most workplaces like takeaway chains put you on a roster that fits in with your uni attendance. Having been on DSP for that many years I think your fear of entering the workforce is playing on your mind. That builds up fear and anxiety as well, yet, if you started in such work it has other benefits like it forces you to take a break from study, grows your self esteem and learning other people skills. This would benefit you in a search for future placings as a social worker in fact it would be crucial to getting a job. How many employers will employ a graduate of uni in a social worker position having never worked in a job?. That being on your resume will look a lot better than not working at all before 30yo.

This answer may not be the answer you are looking for but it is a common sense answer to your anxiety from an action from Centrelink that might not come. If it did come and you were working , then your devastation wont be near as bad.

I hope you see the logic in that answer but wish you all the best.

TonyWK

[StygianOwl]

Hey thanks for your reply, yeah the idea of a review popped into my head and sent me down an anxiety spiral then as you said other anxieties starting arising as well, which led to my post. Everything just bubbled to the surface. 

Your post makes sense to me and the choices are a succint way of how I can move forward, so thanks for writing it. I'm not sure what I really wanted either but I am grateful for your reply.