Can I Get Disability?

[VanZan]

I have been getting unemployment benefit for quite a long time. In recent times I developed an anxiety about standing in queues. I get very anxious and start to panic so it's difficult for me when I go to the welfare office to sign on (long long queues).

I also have anxiety when crossing bridges. After doing a bit of Googling it seems that it might be a touch of agoraphobia.

Anyway to get to the point would I be able to get disability allowance because of my PTSD? My T was very keen for me to get employment whereas I would prefer the safety of my bedroom.

Thanks.

 

[Stickler]

I find that lack of a job is bad for my mental health, that my depression gets MUCH worse, that my agoraphobia also gets worse because I'm less motivated to fight it.

You know yourself best.
Can you face these fears? Because if you can and don't, it gets harder. But if you can't, not even with meds and support? Then you can't.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I dont know, can you?

You live in a different country than I, i not only have PTSD, BPD, GAD, i have anxiety so bad that i explode but black out so have no idea what im saying or doing, i have extreme fear of people that going to walmart is horrible and i ended up during xmas time disassociating and ended up currled in the handicapped bathroom stall in the corner and have no idea how i got there, i have been caught 3 times exploding on customers at work on the phone, (was given FMLA 2 extra 15 min breaks when need) but i also fell off a ladder 3 stories up & broke my back, was out of work for 2 yrs as i couldnt get out of bed, still in chronic horrific pain where driving my car makes me cry in pain because moving my leg from peddle to peddle feels like someone is tearing the skin off my legs but i was denied disabilty because im 34 yrs old....

So i dont know but the best ones to ask is your country's & city's disablity office.

 

[Justmehere]

I highly recommend working at least part time. I went on disability, and I regret it. I needed it, but I still wish I would have found a way to work part time. Now I am working my way off disability, and it's much harder than if I had gone from full time work to part time work and then back to full time work.

I could be wrong, but I believe your country has a partial disability benefit. This may be a useful option for the very short term.

Your therapist is smart to recommend for you to avoid total avoidance of working. Anxiety symptoms get worse with total avoidance. Your bedroom may feel safer, but the more you isolate, the more anxiety you will have. The more anxiety you have, the more you will want to isolate. It's a vicious cycle.

Edited to add:

Case in point: You have been isolating lately, and new anxieties are forming that you did not have before. Your isolation is not leading to less triggers and less anxieties, but leading to more of them.

Gradual exposure is the best way to reduce anxiety.

 

[Anarchy]

One of our members came up with the term "Bubble-ising" to describe what happens when you try to live in a bubble, to avoid triggers.

Your limbic brain doesn't stop watching for possible threats, and what ends up happening is the bubble keeps contracting as you find more and more things turning into triggers.

gradually increasing safe exposure to triggers, has the beneficial effect of de sensitizing them (Justmehere put it better).

Getting a job is a great idea.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Completely agree w/ both of you. I self isolate but anxiety ended worst. Now trying to gradually desensitize.

My point was i have both mental & physical reasons to be on disability, dont really want to be out of work as the 2 yrs i was it was MADDENING but its a great way to add more anxiety on top of the anxiety you have then more on top of that etc. Only tried because i was living off my dad and felt bad that i couldnt walk let alone work...and the US said "nope, you're too young"; dumbasses! I talked to a guy younger than me on disability for depression; ive been severely depressed my whole life. Not to mention those that are on it that dont need it.

Anyway, glad i didnt get it, i would been worse off now than i am right now. Probably not a good idea.

Plus you gotta pay the bills while you wait, and wait, and wait....

And if you're trying to prove you cant work, you cant work while waiting or you'll be denied cuz you can work....

Anxiety is better conquered gradually increasing what your scared of. Desenitising.

 

[LuckyDuck]

Your country might not be the same as mine for disability. What options do you have for employment while on disability? Is there a cut from your pay, like percentage, or hourly maximums in a week/month? Is it "no work" for a significant period of time?

Yes, there is a level where being on disability can turn into a mental barrier. But it does provide the support for when you are unable to work.

In the end what I'm asking is "why not both?" but then I do not know how disability is where you live.

Weigh the options. See if you qualify. If you do, learn with help through research and the support of your therapist and others how to reach a healthy balance while also having a net in place.

LD

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Yes, there is a level where being on disability can turn into a mental barrier. But it does provide the support for when you are unable to work.

In the end what I'm asking is "why not both?" but then I do not know how disability is where you live.

I think they answered that question and honestly their own:

In recent times I developed an anxiety

My T was very keen for me to get employment whereas I would prefer the safety of my bedroom.

Anxiety was recently developed while being unemployed and their theripist prefers employment so they dont do what a lot of us have done with anxiety, self isolate, which makes anxiety worse.

The only way to combat anxiety is to desensitisze to what is making them anxious, people (and bridges) but sounds moreso people to me and to be on disablity and self isolate more will make it worse and worse and worse until they wont be able to leave their house.

Full time is around people more, what they need.

Just my 2 cents; from someone with PTSD & GAD. I obviously could be wrong be I agree with their therapist, as well as mine whom doesnt like me as isolated as i am.

 

[LuckyDuck]

I think they answered that question and honestly their own:




Anxiety was recently de...

I meant the Disability Support program of Ireland. Applications can take time. Supporting ones self while seeking out is something that usually happens in my country. It may be the case here, too. The program here in my country helps those who made that version of transition to keep employment as the benefits are recognized and encouraged.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I meant the Disability Support program of Ireland. Applications can take time. Supporting ones self wh...

Oh i see.

Do they support the person with the disabilty? Like to get them back to work?

They have some sorta of programs like that here, just not many and i hear bad things about them.

I dunno, to have anxiety support/help would be good but they're stating they want to hang in their bedroom and more isolating will make the anxiety worse is all im saying.

Good suggestion if they have job/mental disabilty/anxiety help to have the goal of full time employement.

 

[EveHarrington]

I'm not sure if it's a great idea to say what other people "need". Some people do best when off work so they can focus on healing. Others do best while maintaining some sort of employment. I don't think anyone can say for sure what is best for another.

 

[Deleted member 29920]

It depends how much your symptoms would affect your ability to work, and if certain work environments would make you worse that you can't do your job safely, to the required standard.