To some extent I understand why others go for it but I’m not easy on myself when I talk about claiming it. I don’t like myself for it don’t feel I deserve yet I struggle to even hold down a job.
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It’s very American to think welfare and government assistance as leeching of the system. Is this the case in other countries?
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I think so. In the UK it’s frowned upon too. I don’t tell a lot of people because I’m worried what they’ll think.
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No one in my family knows except one sister. I have kept my SZ and disability a secret though. But I know in general, my family feels government assistance is a bad thing. The government gives out too much in their opinion. I hate my family.
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Google “scrounger rhetoric” “hate crimes”
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A famous quote from Mahatma Gandhi springs to mind here: 'the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members '.
Or those who need help. Society provides health and monetary benefits for those who get in the position to need them. Many people fall in life, it can happen to many people and if you want to be cynical about it, people in power are just looking out for themselves with social security. Their parents or neighbors or friends or ancestors or family etc. needed help at one point and got it and they’re giving back for the rest of us.
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Friends, the social net security income is 200-300 dollars per month here. Given to all citizens if applied, regardless of disability. It is possibly one of the leading causes of suicide. People are tired…I’m also afraid of ending up in that position.
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According to what you’ve said about your family, a lot of the stigma your facing about going on disability is coming from some of your family members
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Yeah, I felt the same. I did it anyway, i had to. I was struggling on the base universal credit rate, but its not even been one month and im already looking to go back to work in four months.
I’ve found having nothing to do or look to do during the day has made my mental health worse and definitely my physical health.
My best advice is to not care about how others view your cirumstances, they couldnt survive if they were suddenly put into the same place.
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The American thought process is work until you die. Work hard enough and you earn the right to stop working so hard.
It comes with a certain level of ableism baked in that few people tend to acknowledge.
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Just googled it. Ruddy hell lol. Haters! lol.
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Most of my family was supportive of me getting disability because they saw me in and out of the hospital. Like an off hand comment from my bfs twin kinda threw me off about making money but doing nothing. But i told her i go to all my services.
She has no idea i have homicidal ideation when I’m stressed out. My bf knows though. I think about working sometimes but then i have days like today having command voices and ideation. And thats not stressed out.
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I’m really sorry to hear @Kxev . Sometimes it’s best to keep things down low. Most of my family doesn’t know i have schizophrenia. There is a stigma on asking for help, which is ironic because most people say its OK to find help and get back on ones feet.
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I don’t feel any kind of shame for not working after all I have inherited the illness from my mother.
I just want to add that the Danish state does not need to pay for my senior pension that I could recieve at age 69 because I’ve got 4 private pension plans that will pay for my senior life.
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My family is happy that I get disability and that they don’t have to take care of me financially.
Then I would feel like a burden.
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In Australia welfare has stigma but not with disability
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Ive had a stigma for years. They either call you a scrounger or a lazy arse, cos they know your claiming - or assume your on the con, or thick.
Used to get it in the bars. They seem to think, if your claiming your not entitled to a social life and should live on beans and rice.
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Yup. That’s exactly how people think. It’s so frustrating
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Imagine the crap I get, claiming and going on holiday. Stigma with people on benefits shouldn’t go on holiday or travel. Good job my pdoc and community nurse want me to go on holidays and enjoy my life.
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Alot of them, simply dont understand we have a severe mental illness mate. And as far as im concerned, if the Assessor at the DWP says im entitled to it - then im not gonna feel guilty.
Edit. And there is alot to be said for going on a therapeutic holiday. We all need a break from our mind and relax.
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