I know I have a disability, but sometimes I find myself in denial about it. Even though working hasn’t been successful for me, I still want to keep trying because I feel that’s what society expects of me. Plus, if I move in with my partner, I would lose so much of the little independence I have. I would receive disability benefits, which is only £400 a month. But they’d take me off universal credit because he earns over a certain amount. How will I live on that? Sometimes I feel like I’m leeching of the system as it is.
5 Likes
To me it’s simple.
Disabled. Can’t work. On benefits.
I think you have a lot of self stigma.
4 Likes
Could your partner pay for things like housing and transportation and you can use the 400 a month for things like your food and clothes?
3 Likes
Just do what you can
2 Likes
Don’t allow your family members dictate to you what the norms are.
You legitimately have a disability whether you accept it or not.
Stop with the self stigma
4 Likes
The stigma comes from relatives who don’t have to live with this condition and don’t have a clue but expect that I work, keep asking what I’m doing as if I just sit there doiing nothing
2 Likes
You can just politely disagree with your family members.
My dad still thinks I can work, but I don’t care.
Some people don’t think we have a disability because they can’t see it.
Edit; Maybe it’s because you’re still seeking employment. If you communicate that you can’t work and won’t be seeking employment they might stop their questions. @Milly
2 Likes
I didn’t realise I grapple this much with self stigma. i mean if I told them I’m not gonna look due to disability, what are they going to do… call social services on me… there’s enough evidence collected with the nhs that says I struggle.
2 Likes
Lol. Sorry.
I don’t think they will call social services on you.
Who knows what they’ll think, but that shouldn’t be your concern.
I know my mom thinks I got it all figured out because I don’t have to work.
1 Like
You sound like you been scared into believing that everyone on disability is a fraudster.
5 Likes
Honestly, some people believe anyone receiving benefits is a scrounger.
Usually those are obnoxious people.
5 Likes
I’m sorry you feel like this, @Milly. I understand wanting independence. I often feel what you’re describing, but I took the disability route… and as a result, we lost our house. We’re doing fine now. We’ve always had joint accounts on everything, and hubby has never complained about me buying something. Bills get paid first, then if one of us wants something, we tell the other (unless I’m manic). It’s a system that works for us (also unless I’m manic, but hubby is patient, kind, and forgiving).
4 Likes
Its simple. You have Schizophrenia. A Severe mental illness. If the government decides your entitled to it, why feel guilty about claiming it.
Like Johnathan 2 said. Your always gonna get a knob head judging you for it. What they fail to realise is that we honestly suffer at times with our condition.
4 Likes
as someone who has two psychotic episodes in 14 years how much does the sz really affect me? they think I look well enough to work… but I have internal struggles they don’t seem to see or acknowledge .
1 Like
Ok I got to admit, I don’t like being told I have schizophrenia. Sorry. It might be true, but it’s still hard to hear to this day. I’m not saying don’t call me it, its just something I need to work on to understand myself more.
1 Like
I have this same thought. Spot on
1 Like
I’m a pensioner now, but when of working age I never had a paid job. I had conflicting feelings about that. On one hand I could rationalise things, and say to myself there were genuine barriers to my having a job. Barriers I needed help jumping over to make having a job possible. It wasn’t my fault I never got that help and support.
On the other hand ‘What job do you/did you do?’ threads tend to make me feel worthless and no good. That I should’ve been able to pull myself together. Got past the severe social anxiety and the bullying related trauma. Fixed the cognitive issues by myself.
2 Likes