| Product: |
The NHS and the disabled |
| Date: |
14/10/00 (18 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: none
Disadvantages: Not visible so misunderstood!!
My husband had a nervous breakdown 8 years ago, through no fault of his own - only overworked, overstressed and underpaid. Life has not been easy at home, caring for his mood swings, tempers, depression and lack of interest sometimes in any one but himself.
The breakdown has left him dependent on me for doing household things such as bills, kids and dealing with authorities. He is totally paranoid that every one is watching him and people even stop us in the street and say that there is nothing wrong with him.
Because he is otherwise pretty good for his age except for general wear and tear body-wise people observe and get the wrong impression that he is pulling the wool over the Social security's eyes.
Even last month he was asked to visit the social security again because he was said to be working. The question I wanted to ask was does someone who suffers from a mental health problem have to wear a badge or a t-shirt telling the world?
Passers-by do not know what it is like for me and my sons, when my husband blames us for taking something or doing something that, because of his bad memory, he has done himself. Or what it is like not to know what mood he will be in when he wakes up or has a fall out with a mate.
Maybe people should learn to mind their own businesses and let people get on with their own lives to the best of their ability and not prejudge them on sight instead of getting to know the person instead!!
A nervous breakdown or mental health problems don't pick their victims, anyone is at risk!
Summary:
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Last comment:
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vhart - 15/10/00 I think you've made an extremely important point, and mental health creates such a stigma in society and is often forgotten by many people, and in my own experience, the benefits agency are one of the worst culprits. I tend to think that until people are willing to accept that mental illness isn't just someone 'feeling a bit down' and is a serious medical illness which cripples not only the person who is affected but all the people around them, and close to them, then nothing will change, but I think people find it easy to ignore this, and so they do. Thanks for writing from such a personal viewpoint. |
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