Curse of the hidden disability

[LittleClapham]

I have been reading an article on the Beeb about the benefits cap (why do I picture a hat?) and although I don't really understand much about money, it certainly doesn't look good. Worst of all are the comments left underneath the article that are seemingly justifying the benefit cuts to disabled people (it seems to be disabled who are copping most of it). One person bemoans their so called friends who are claiming for a 'mental illness/disability' who they have known all their life. Apparently knowing them all their life entitles them to make judgements on their situation now. None of my friends knew that I was mentally disabled AND ill when I was younger (they might have guessed!) and although I don't know the commentor or their friends, it worries me that someone who knew me as a healthy child would accuse me of something similar.

There are also a lot of references to the 'able-bodied'. I get so frustrated when people say things like 'anyone able bodied should get off their lazy a**e and get a job' because yes, I am able bodied, but my mind is not able. Does that make me a lazy a**e? This is the joy of having not one, not two, but four hidden disabilities plus depression. I haven't had anyone challenge the fact that I am on benefits yet but I expect that is because I live in a care home. The possibility that I could lose my benefits and have to get a job (which would not be good for me) if I progress into my own home worries me so much that I end up getting more and more depressed. Moving into my own home doesn't seem like something which is likely to happen in the near future though.

I do work. I work as a volunteer for four hours every Saturday at an animal shelter. Most people could work four hours no problem, but at the end of my four hours I am mentally exhausted. I have to hold my more obscene or frightening tics in throughout the day, endure hundreds of sensory stimuli and sometimes it takes all my strength not to turn round and punch some of the irritating people we get in the shelter! Although during these four hours I am okay and control myself, by the time I get home I usually collapse into my bed and cover myself for several hours to try and get rid of the sensory discomfort. I will also let out all of my tics during this time so it can be tiring.

Rant over...

[catherinem]

I'm not feeling very well today but I'll blog about the wrb tomorrow and explain the stuff that will effect us. I have arguments with myself claiming esa. On one hand i feel as though i should have a job, but then i know that i'm so up and down that if i did have a job I'd be off sick quite often or sent home when i have a meltdown. The benefit cap effects families so that won't effect you, but check what benefits you get at the moment and get back to me. The bbc are up the backsides of the condemns at the moment so a lot of the fools who comment on their articles don't realise when they loose their job or become ill things will get very tough for them.

[LittleClapham in reply to catherinem]

I'm getting DLA and income support. If my house move goes ahead I will have to claim housing benefit but it shouldn't be too much because it is just a room... (who am I trying to kid!?) I wasn't so much worried about the article as I was about the attitudes of the commentators but it does look like they are all very biased at the moment.