Is it worse to live in western Europe or USA with SZ/SZA?

I know in Britain I have it pretty good even with this debilitating illness. I get lots of support from social services and good housing with plenty of benefits. I’m not isolated. I’m fairly happy with the support I get. I’ll never be homeless even if I get kicked out the group home as social services have to find me another placement. I get to go aboard fairly often (pre covid). I have a-lot of disposable disability income. In the group home I have good friends.

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You’re very lucky. A cheap single bedroom apartment averages about $1000/ month where I live. I get $700/ month for my disability. It’s not enough at all. No one owes you anything in the US. They don’t have to help, and they usually don’t

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So true.

15151515

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You are correct. I was living in New York and at that time I thought I would be homeless without family support.

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I have no family support. My rent is £800 a month for group home. The government pays it all and have done for 10 years.

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There is a ‘thing’ in America where ‘I earned it’ so why would I give it away.

It’s actually a very big problem over here.

The times they are a changin’ tho friend

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Absolutely. I would have hope from Biden but the imbalance in the supreme court killed that hope a long while back.

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No, people are just tired of working for ■■■■ pay and in ■■■■ conditions is what i was getting at.

Nothing to do with Biden really, other than his 50 years in the US senate.

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If you’re thinking about treatment and benefits when you don’t have any work income, then definitely western Europe. Otherwise it probably varies depending on your financial situation and which country/state you’re comparing.

I’ve always had a lot of resources in my area in California. I’ve been in nice hospitals and nice group homes. My parents found a mental health agency in a very affluent town when I was really sick. Got me into a nice group home, a vocational program, supported housing, family group therapy and later a transitional home.

And of course there’s Medicare and Medicaid. And just several years ago a new health plan formed that combines the benefits of Medicare and Medicaid into one single plan. Hell, I’ve been seeing psychiatrists and therapists for free for almost 40 years. And my medication has always been free. I go to clinics where I get tests and specialists free of charge. When I had a skin cancer scare I got treated for free. Through my health plan I’m eligible for all kinds of preventive tests.

I belong to a mental health agency now that rents me my apartment for $580 a month; which is peanuts for this area. I have all kinds of groups available to me and I haven’t even got into what is available for me through NAMI. Yeah, I hear all you guys horror stories but health wise and for mental health treatment I usually have what I need. When I go get my monthly shot they’re all friendly and nice. I have a case manager, a counselor who comes to my apartment every three weeks and we talk for a couple hours. And if I really want to complain about my neighbors I can complain to a lady from the agency and she will look into it.

I think I’ve just been in the right place at the right time. I get SSDI and my family and my therapists always said it wasn’t enough but I think it’s the best deal in town. Of course I would want more but I’m satisfied with what I get.

My view is it sucks that we get hit so young no matter where you live

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my case history of abuse couldnt be worse i have gotten molested many times plus i was forced into a marriage and hadn’t done anything to ‘deserve’ it. all because i h ad sz.

i h ave been so abused in ways i don’t care to mention here (not by family). my life has mostly been a nightmare.

judy p.s. i live in michigan (usa)

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I live in the USA and my hospitalizations and meds and all medical treatment is paid for. I pay a small fee for rent, it’s subsidized. I get disability check each month and one for having worked. It’s good. I need about $150 more a month than I get. I never eat out, or buy beverages out either. I live in a safe and ideal neighborhood. But all the institutions in the USA have closed, otherwise I’d be hospitalized, it’s forced me to stand on my feet.

I don’t get any of that I still live with my mum at 37 and I’m in the uk.

Australia is pretty good for healthcare. All the hospitalisations, doctors attention, nurses, food, medication and other things i can’t think of right now have all been paid for by the government. I haven’t paid a red cent. Well there is a Medicare levy but it pails in comparison to the costs I’ve racked up.

I am pretty lucky. I don’t pay anything for my meds, therapy, or psychiatry as I have 2 health insurances. One of them is through the state and another is through my work. Besides that I don’t get any assistance through anyone. I pay rent in full, $1000/month for a studio apartment. I pay for all of my other expenses myself as well.

Very little safety nets in the US and varies state by state how much help you will get. Unemployment for example was good for the very first time due to federally funded supplement cause of covid. But that support ended early in some states and gone completely now but it was good and how the goverment should work normally. You better be financially stable with a job that offers healthcare to even get psychiatric help. A lot of people here in their late 20s and 30s have no medical care. I am very lucky - diagnosed while having a good paying job and healthcare. That made SSDI process so much faster than others who don’t have work credit. That allowed me to continue to get good healthcare through medi-cal - only offered if you have worked, after losing my job. So I lucked out. I feel bad for so many Americans with mental illness and are homeless. From this side, it looks like most European nations take better care of their people than the US, so I would bet its better to be in Europe for most people with SZ/A.

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I’m doing fine on SSDI (Disability) in the US. I receive $1,741.00 a month. I think I get this much because I had a good paying job when I was a young man, even though I started out in the mail room when I was 19. I worked and went to night school at a private vocational/technical school. I didn’t get sick until I was 30, but I managed to work another year or so before I couldn’t do it anymore. I was fired from my job and moved in with my mom to survive.

My rent is $575 a month, but I’m living in charitable retired teacher’s housing. My mom was a public school teacher, and I worked as a substitute teacher for a while after I got sick.

I would say teachers here aren’t paid much and frequently leave their profession for good paying jobs in private companies.

My mom was offered a job with the FBI when I was in the 3rd grade, but we would have had to move to Washington DC. She couldn’t leave because her parents were helping to take care of me and my sister.

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I think The States is nicer when you’re rich. Europe is nicer when you’re poor or lower middle class.

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Are you eligible for SNAP for food?