Venting A productive member of society

[Norest4thewicked]

Last week I had a meeting with my therapist and my doctor, who in their infinite wisdom, decided that after five months of struggling like fuck just to get out of bed, let alone the house, that I am fit to return to work. Changes to the meds and upping the dose on others have in thier professional opinion deemed me to be getting better. Having told them that my depression , mood swings and volatile behaviour have not gotten any easier, they just looked at me as if I was full of bullshit. Pumping me full of big pharma drugs and keeping me under a chemical cosh does not mean I am ready to be a productive member of society. It just seems to me that it's all about the money. Wake up, go to work, buy, consume and reproduce. Most importantly ,pay your taxes. I did go to work today. Don't know if I'll go tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I'm not lazy or workshy. I want to work again when I'm ready. But in this day and age, money is king. Wellbeing of the individual comes way down the list. Sorry for the rant, it's just how I feel

 

[JustAboutDone]

It is sad that you are essentially just a statistic on a care worker's book. And because you have reached a bar that's it - you are now "fit for work and life"

The reality is quite different. You know you are still struggling and are probably some considerable time away from being well enough to return to work and still need support.

People are being discharged from mental health services long before they are ready and care workers are overwhelmed as they are given vast numbers of unwell patients and no time or resources to help them. So we are drugged up and dispatched asap. Often with tragic results :-(

You've done well to get yourself this far tbh and hold on in there x

 

[Norest4thewicked]

@JustAboutDone,I couldn't agree more with you. And thank you for your understanding

 

[JustAboutDone]

It makes me sad because there are some amazing people who work in the mental health service who really care and want to help people but they are literally swamped and I wonder what the future holds if things don't change.

And you @Norest4thewicked are spot on - it does feel like the only aim is to medicate you and get you Back To Work. Doesn't matter about your state of mind, whether you're eating, sleeping, feel like ctb - as long as you are Back To Work all your problems will be solved...

 

[JustAboutDone]

@JustAboutDone,I couldn't agree more with you. And thank you for your understanding

We are wearing the same t-shirt, well not literally but you know what I mean!
As I work from home and pay tax and have friends I am deemed "Fine!" but with history of attempting suicide I have a weekly phone call and someone drives past my house once a week... just in case I leap under a lorry and cause vast quantities of paperwork to need filling in :-)

 

[Misanthrope]

It is depressingly common. I have had clients declared fit for work even though it was as clear as the sun exists, they were not at all ready. One of them was stockpiling their bins in their bathtub and not getting their mail at all because they were too scared to go outside.

At some point, medicine has wound up infiltrated by the view that Work improves mental health and is now the only thing talked about. That's because the DWP is pretty much driven by target culture. Add in asshole politicians talking about how they are committed to getting more people with disabilities into work. While simultaneously cutting their mobility cars shutting down supportive programs that do just that. Then ignoring the many people who are indeed too ill to work, as if they don't exist or are being lazy scroungers exploiting the hard done by taxpayers. To strengthen that rhetoric dominant media outlets in the UK continually churn out stories about the shirkers and reduce people on social security to zoo animals and make ridiculous TV programs about them and how lazy they are.

There is an aspect of truth to work being beneficial, but if the person is not ready or even supported and just expected to do the job seeker dance or work. They are destined to fail and suffer a further breakdown if not ready. Work also drives people to suicide and stress worsens every illness going, mental or otherwise. But they neglect to mention that as well... I am really fed up with this shit. The fact you are using poisonous terminology of 'workshy' (Just look into its origin and you will see what I mean.) Makes me worried you are internalising this as a truth about yourself. Don't ever do that. Don't ever adopt a view you are somehow worthless or unproductive because of these difficulties. You are not. You are simply ill living in a country that has demonised that. Even if the soulless machine wants to view you as a disposable product never let that become your own personal truth. We have more value than that.

Also, fuck societies view of what is productive or not it is all built on exploitation so you should only view it as a means to survive and get the experiences you want. Nothing more. I have spoken to people on their death bed and I can assure you none of their focus is on how productive they were for society. It is on meaningful relationships and experiences. If you feel like work is making you iller it may be worth getting an advocate involved who can bend the system to do what it is actually meant to be doing. Let me know if you need additional information.

Peace.

 

[Johnnythefox]

I have spoken to people on their death bed and I can assure you none of their focus is on how productive they were for society.

I agree, I doubt anyone has ever said "I wished I'd spent more time at work"

 

[ReadyasEver]

Very well said Misanthrope. The general definition for productive in society is all screwed up in first place. Instead of advancing a company's agenda, did you help someone in a random act of kindness? Did you actually listen to someone with a problem and offer a solution? Did you pass along some knowledge or wisdom without any expectation of payment? Did you put a smile on someone's face at the expense of your own?

 

[21Neberg]

But in this day and age, money is king. Wellbeing of the individual comes way down the list.

These words are so incredibly true, I hate it. Everything we do, everything we are taught, in the end it is all about making money. Money that the government will take a part of, but yet they don't want to pay a cent when I need help because this system they've created makes me want to die....

 

[JustAboutDone]

ignoring the many people who are indeed too ill to work, as if they don't exist or are being lazy scroungers exploiting the hard done by taxpayers. To strengthen that rhetoric dominant media outlets in the UK continually churn out stories about the shirkers and reduce people on social security to zoo animals and make ridiculous TV programs about them and how lazy they are.
.

I wish I had your ability to word things. I couldn't agree more with this paragraph you have written above.

This attitude adopted by a section of the uk public and perpetuated by carp like The Daily Fail is one of the most dispiriting things I find about living here. I don't know if it's a global concept. It thoroughly makes me sad. The idea that some people are, through no fault of their own, an object of derision or anger from other people because they live in diminished circumstances is nauseating. There is no place for smuggery.

 

[Misanthrope]

Probably going to write a lengthy post on unemployment. I hate how it is like you are spontaneously a pariah should you be struggling in this area. I hate that people are measuring their self worth by such stupid societal standards to the point of self-mental flagellation. It is so cruel. If I can try and shed that through words I will bloody well try to do it. At least my day is not entirely empty then. Although I am hating grammar and punctuation today.

 

[JustAboutDone]

Please do @Misanthrope
It made me very sad when the thread came up the other day on 'neets'
as I am not good at expressing in words but I despise the way society has dictated people feel inadequate if they are not in a job or the right job and for ridiculous govt targets and labelling to drive young people to the edge is gut wrenching

 

[ReadyasEver]

Austerity measures......I just won't talk about it. Just one question, what gives anyone the authority or right to pass judgement on someone else? I understand it is necessary in areas of crime where an individual has displayed themselves unequivocally to be a danger to those around them. Passing judgement on their ability to physically and mentally function? Here in the US we have had a fair amount of scammers. The videos of guys getting disability benefits then the video of them playing full court basketball very well or working out at the gym with large amounts of weights. Still, you have to evaluate each individual as their own unique case. I'm sure it's the case in Europe as in the US, these agencies are drastically underfunded and under staffed, only making the problem worse for all.

 

[Misanthrope]

Well, I have written it, anyone, willing to take a stab at editing it? As I just don't have the mental faculties to deal with commas and incomplete sentences.

 

[JustAboutDone]

Well, I have written it, anyone, willing to take a stab at editing it? As I just don't have the mental faculties to deal with commas and incomplete sentences.

You need dr @Chinaski