A possible last resort, if I am forced onto Workfare

Post Reply New Topic

I can confirm that. I also had a nervous breakdown after 15 years of full-time work, and my social anxiety became so bad afterwards that working simply wasn't an option anymore. I was almost unable to leave my apartment for several years. I'm in early retirement now, and if I ever had to work again (which will luckily not be the case) I'd also have to drug up

Concentration meditation is a good starting point for non-medicine treatments. Basically you would develop your concentration by meditating on an object-- every time your mind wanders off of the object (can be a candle, the breath, a mantra, etc.) just redirect it back to the object gently, noting at the same time "thoughts". Five to ten minutes a day will produce positive results. When I started this practice I could not focus on anything for more than a few seconds (I have ADHD, unmedicated). After doing this meditation for a few weeks I could concentrate for 15-20 minutes on one thing. Good luck!

first line of defense: make certain you are not deficient on anything that might impact your stamina, esp Taurine, B, C and D vitamins and Magnesium.

Make certain you make time to unwind -- meditation while listening to music designed to induce Theta or Delta waves helps me greatly. I would also highly recommend Tai Chi/qigong or Yoga.

To help ensure sufficient sleep, I swear by Valerian root and Melatonin, and listen to Delta music on headphones all night long. Bedtime is also a good time to take your Magnesium.

To stay alert during the day, I like to listen to music designed to induce Beta waves, sometimes with some Gamma thrown in. For indigestible stimulants, I favor Green tea (caffeine with natural Theanine), Yerba Mate and Gaurana.

your mileage may vary

May be my invite was lost in the post.

To AnotherKind,

This is a post I put on another forum, but parts of it maybe relevant. I don't have insomnia at the moment and don't want to have it, and a toxic environment causes it even more than uppers. I don't quite see how you can diagnose traumas in my past from one or two posts on a forum. I appreciate your concern, but I would go to a professional mental health person about that rather than Wikipedia. Also, nobody suggested 'past traumas' when I did have my major breakdown.

I don't access e-mails that often or post things often because I am no good at computers and need a lot of help, so please be patient as there may be delays with me in replying.

I know that taking a pill won't change my character, I was trying to project a different image, or persona. The toxic situation that you talk about is the one that I was in about 11 years ago, when I had a major breakdown. The circumstances, and also my health history/work history past and present are too complicated to go into but the only kind of work places I was placed in were ones which were like that and I have no idea if it is any better now. Obviously, I hope it is, which is why I described it as a possible last resort, in other words, I hope it never comes up and I never have to do this, but I know it is best to have some knowledge relevant to the worst possible scenario rather than ending up in it with no warning or help.

The nature of Workfare or the Work Programme is that you get put onto MWA, Mandatory Work Activity, but there has been so much bad publicity for the Work Programme, especially the A for E scandal/investigation which is still ongoing, that the implementation will be delayed at least. Also, the family services advocate in the local autism group, does now have some experience of accompanying people to the initial assessment and explaining the situation. Also, you can get your interviews recorded and you are entitled to do so, which is always a good idea with anything involving the DWP.

At the time, I put my original post on this and other forums, it looked a lot more likely that everyone was going to be forced onto it quite soon, but things have been changing and are still changing since then, which buys everyone more time.

When your benefit is cut off, you have no option to go wherever you are placed / can find paid work and really doesn't matter what your health problems are because no one notices until you crack-up big time. The main thing I was trying to avoid if the situation happened again was to come across as weak because the pack close in on you in feral places like the kind of work places you get dumped in when you are desperate and have no option. I hope you (and I) are never in a situation like that because I know it sounds unreal, but you actually have to go through something like that in order to see.

Thanks for being concerned for my health and well-being but the DWP isn't.

All the best
Ephemerol9

I have hated every job I have ever had with a vengeance so don't tell me that jobs can be fun!

I'll advise against Risperidone in any way. I know of no situation which could be made better with that.
It's horrible. I've used it for years, it made my memory awful and it took months for some of the withdrawal symptoms to disappear.

Heard similar stories from others who used it. One said he had photographic memory before he started using it, and one said it's more tiring than weed.

I feel the same way. If something were to ever happen to my mother and she couldn't leave me anything I'll probably end up homeless and have nothing because I can't stand working, not that anyone would hire me even if I tried.

I haven't but if you find one, let me know what it is so I can take it, too.

I am a bit confused when it comes to joining the workforce again. I would very much like to earn my own money and be independent and self sufficient, but I have been working for more than 20 years and all of the crappy jobs I had made me very ill in the end. I can deal with the aspergers but getting very depressed and burned out because of certain work environments is a totally different matter. Things got so bad that I had to be put on incapacity benefit because I couldn't funtion anymore. I'm still dealing with the afthermath of that period in my life and I probably have to take anti depressants for the rest of my life.

However, I still hope that I can find a nice job that suits my personality and interests but the chances of ever getting a job like that are getting slimmer by the day because I'm not getting any younger. The present economical situation doesn't help either. The only thing I can do is to school myself as much as I possibly to accomplish a career change.

I would rather not take any kind of pills at all, but it doesn't seem to be an option anymore. I really really hope it doesn't come to the point where I do get forced into a situation such as the one I have described, by last resort, I mean hopefully not having to at all, but having the knowledge just in case the worst case scenario happens. I also don't want to get poisoned by chemicals, not least because I am the one who will have to live with it.

Thanks for being concerned for my health, but government agencies don't seem to be.

DMaher

The above post seems to be basically what happened to me and I cracked up at age 38/39 and had a relapse or two after. Also, my systems seemed to be changed in some way and I simply don't have the ability to tolerate and endure things, especially a lot of people around me talking and forcing interaction on me. I literally can't cope with it, my ability to cope and put with this seems permanently gone and I can't make it go back. Psycho-babble certainly doesn't work, so I would need chemicals or some treatment which would actually work, if such actually exists. Of course what I would like is a job where I can just get on with things at my own speed and not have to deal with people, but there is no such place. Recently, some really nice people gave me some paid gardening work but there aren't enough people and hours to go around for everyone and when I recently got offered a upholstering job at 15 hours a week, there was no public transport and no help from the so called 'employment or disability people', what a surprise! I am 50+ now.

All the best

Ephemerol9

My adviser had a right go at me on Wednesday, because I told her I have Autism. Apparently, I should have told her sooner. I was diagnosed on Thursday.

Really fed up now - they don't understand disability at all and make everything out to be my fault. Yes, because it's my fault you chose not to tell someone that I have disabilities and require adjustments. They're also refusing to make reasonable adjustments.

Wandering_Stranger

Yeh, it sounds horribly familiar. None of these people / organisations actually bother to listen to anything you say or tell anybody anything. You may as well tell people things yourself and at least you would get ignored / have your information lost personally. Otherwise, the standard line is "I don't know what my colleague told you / the information wasn't handed on to me / I never got the message got the message / phonecall / e-mail / letter etc etc."

At least no one has had a go at me for having autism or telling people I have it. At least your adviser obviously registered the fact of you having autism, in order to have a go at you.

Do you, or anyone else have any ideas or know anyone who could explain or translate to these people or actually sit them down and make them sit down and read through a printed page of information, or listen to anything they are told by your GP / diagnostician etc. How did you get an adviser? Is she freelance or who does she work for?

Thanks

DMaher

just drink energy drinks...there are even healthy ones nowadays...

Really think all drugs should be tested again.
Also I think someone could heal in a better way.
Also think the data needs collecting on medical, science & research. For this stuff.
And environmental data too.

Also could do with a equipment shop.