I thought because of being diagnosed with schizophrenia I would be able to coast through the rest of my life with SSI, Medicaid and low income housing but no. Because the BBB passed and became law I could lose Medicaid then I’d lose SSI then I’d lose my housing and I’d have to get a job so all my suffering I went through was for nothing. What was the point of all my mental health issues if I can’t get support for it?
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Everything you went through was learning. It is only wasted if you don’t actually learn from your experiences. I’m old enough and late enough in life now to be able to understand that some of the worst failures I had early on are the strongest part of the foundation under my successes now.
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Can you give me an example of that?
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The way I spent money on booze in my 20s, going bankrupt, taught me the importance of saving and investing. It’s why I’m comfortable now. Remembering how I was back then also motivates me to continue participating in AA. 33 years sober and counting.
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That’s great! I’ve only been sober for a few weeks.
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You only have to stay sober in the 24 hours you’re in. They can just add up after a while. 
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Im not trying to be rude but having schizophrenia is not a ticket to just coast through life having everything provided for you. Yes if you are severe and can’t work you should be entitled to some help but it doesn’t always mean it’s permanent.
I couldn’t work a few years ago. I have worked in the past and thoroughly enjoyed working. It gave me a sense of doing something for society. My job meant the world to me. I was heartbroken when I lost it due to illness.
I am not currently working as I have a 1 year old and 4 year old. But I don’t expect my benefits to last forever and to be honest I’d love to get a job now.
As I said you could be very ill at the moment but it doesn’t mean it will always be the case. And if it’s not the case I firmly believe in getting a job.
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I don’t have a safety net except for my family and close friends. In our country, being retired on medical grounds equals living hand to mouth, the money they’d give me simply wouldn’t be enough. If I have a part-time job it’s not only out of civic duty, but also a necessity. I am always fearful that my symptoms could resurface and I’d lose my job. I feel truly sorry for everyone with sz who is struggling to make ends meet.
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This is where the system needs changing. So many people afraid of going back to work in case circumstances change and they are unable to work again. They make it very hard getting those benefits back.
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@anon82948922 my step dad was the worst alcoholic I’ve ever seen in my life. I was a teenager when he was in the height of it….and I remember a dr telling him once the chances of recovery were like 10% or something like that. He never did recover.
If it were me I personally know I would never recover. My willpower is low.
sorry to hear about your issues with the benefits system, i for one would not be where i am without their assistance and i am grateful to having received what i have from the taxpayer.
Some people really struggle in life with disabilities whether that be physical, mental or whatever, we deserve some help bc that how civilised society is supposed to work, the stronger of society helping the weaker, its a shame that so many struggle throughout the world with little to no money, idk how they do it. 
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I agree. I need psych meds and I don’t want to lose my Medicaid health insurance next year and get worse mental health.
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I hear you, we need that help, its hard to survive or function without some financial aid.
tbh, i think some people think we are just putting it on in order to get benefit money and get a free ride but the actual truth is that we couldn’t fake this even if we wanted to, its such a complex illness that its impossible to fake, we go through observations and we have a long history of illness, even from the start they take there time to make sure its not just bull.
I didn’t even know anything about benefits when i was ill, i had no idea what was available until my psychiatric nurse mentioned it, even then i didn’t care bc i felt so worthless and fkd up, glad i got it though anyway.
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It’s not will power, it’s won’t power. That can be learned.
You’ve already decided you and your children won’t live with abuse.
Your dad could have learned from you.
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I didn’t either. I was in the psych ward and got diagnosed with schizophrenia then they had me involuntarily committed then one day when I was at the psychiatric hospital a woman came with a laptop and asked me questions and typed on her laptop then when my commitment was over I got SSI and Medicaid and two years later was able to get into the ACT program which helps me with my goals.
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It just shows to all those people who think we are just scroungers that we are not doing this ■■■■ on purpose, why the heck would anyone want to go through all of that just to get some money, i wish i had a better life and worked but i wasn’t able to :(.
If i could do it all again, I’d have loved to have joined thee cadets when i was young and maybe either the thee forces or if i found my talent earlier i could have gone to college and became a professional artist, i could have met a beautiful girl and had a family, this is in an ideal world for me, some people get the breaks then other don’t, its the whole yin, yang, good/bad roundabout that plays out every second of the day.
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I feel like this too. At some point I’ll have to get a job so I won’t be homeless.
You can still do art. If you aren’t working then you have time to develop your passions and hobbies and maybe you can make some money off them if that’s what you want.
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Yeah, Thanks, i am working on this atm, i am hoping to make it a profession and maybe write some fiction as well.
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I also need psych meds. If I had to go without psych meds I would not be able to work any kind of job. Frankly, I would probably be in a psych hospital within a month.
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I have anxiety about if I can work without psych meds.
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