struggling

mikeymike

hi all ( not easy for me to talk about this) well i know i am not the only one struggling with the lockdown and for me the loneliness is crippling me, my ptsd is getting worse so that is driving not only the depression but the pain levels from my crps. And lack of sleep compounded by very bad sinus problems no help from gp on that i have exhausted all avenues on that other than an operation which my gp has said is a waste of time.
further compounding my depression and for me this is a huge thing, i am in a housing association property ( sheltered housing though i dont need to be in that, but all that i could get moving from devon to london to get a bit closer to my daughter ) but i am still needing to be closer to my daughter for support both from the mental health situation and that she can help me get out about a bit more, i also now have to have my mobility scooter in the flat which is a dangerous trip hazard for me as i use a crutch to move around indoors, but alas despite letters from my physciatrist, psycologist and ot, the housing associations so called medical experts which these are passed onto refuse to accept that being closer to my daughter for mental health reasons or the scooter being a danger to me are grounds for me to be moved. 
so to be honest with having to be stuck indoors alone which my specialists told me is the worst thing possible for me to do ( this was before the virus ) i am very slowly losing my mind. there are only so many things one can do before monotony sets in and my project of cleaning and catolouging my vast record collection is very expensive.
i do feel this is one of the many things the government has failed dismally on where is the support the help disabled people need at times like this.
sorry for the ramble  keep safe and take care all.

Ross_Alumni

Hello @mikeymike

Thank you for posting so honestly about your feelings right now, I'm sorry to read you're struggling. This is such a hard time and loneliness is such a common problem for people at the moment. I would always suggest this community as an avenue to help with feeling lonely, and you can always give Scope's helpline a call for a chat.

Regarding your GP, it seems to me as though you aren't entirely happy with the support you are getting from them, so have you considered asking to be referred to a new GP? A fresh pair of eyes and ears might work better for you. It must feel awful feeling as though you can't rely on your GP for support when you need it.

I'm sorry to read about your housing situation, moving closer to your daughter would be great for you and it's a shame you aren't able to do that right now. Have you considered contacting Citizens Advice for support with this, or contacting your council? I'm not incredibly knowledgeable in that area, but hopefully other users will be along to advise.

You mentioned that you have a psychologist, that's good, I hope they are able to effectively support you to manage your mental health. Please remember that if you are ever feeling low you should contact them. If that's not possible, or if you want alternative support, you can always:

• Contact Samaritans any time on 116 123.
• Text Shout to 85258 to be put through to a trained volunteer.

Please take care, and let us know if the above helps, as well as if there's anything else you'd like to talk about.

mikeymike

thanks for the reply ross, yes i am wanting to change my gp, but with the covid situation gps around here are only taking emergency calls, and it seems to be the same with citizens advice 3/4 hour wait to get through to anyone so its just a matter of trying to hang in there. but thanks once again take care 
mike

Ross_Alumni

Yes that's true @mikeymike, but I'm sorry to hear about the delays for Citizens Advice. You might wish to give Scope's helpline a call instead  

Hang in there as you say, stay safe and I'm sure you'll get the support you deserve eventually.

janer1967

Hi there 

Sorry to hear you are struggling 

There are some groups where you can get a buddy to talk to on the phone not sure what they are called tho 

I tried to move closer to family when I became disabled for support but it seems other councils just dont want to take you on despite meeting local connections criteria and you end up only being able to stay in your current borough 

mikeymike

thanks Ross i think the scope helpline may be a good idea. i guess long waits and such are another of living in london a massive population and not enough services, i sure miss my devon.
mike

mikeymike

hi @janer1967, something i might well look into thanks, at least they could talk back to me unlike the tv, washing machine and oven lol. well i am on homeswapper but as the place i am in is for over 55s only it makes it very hard that is why i am trying to get the housing association to move me on health grounds but they dont seem to care.
mike

albert2014

Hi mike, Sorry to hear you are in a bit of a jam. I am also having increasing stress and trouble coping, I have a lot of medication due to numerous motorcycle injuries from years ago but my pain levels seem to power through the meds when depression kicks in,  and being unable to cope much longer.

I too am having problems with my local council regarding re-housing matters, there are 8 of us in a 3 bed. We are in band 1 and have 3 registered disabled kids but the council have left us to stew in a house too small for the last 3-4 years. This last year and this current year have become the worst I have ever had to deal with. The government are awful an made things worse for everybody except the rich and privileged, yeah I believe that too.

Just post on here if you need to talk, it better than staring at walls talking to yourself as I usually do.

Take care Marty 

Ross_Alumni

I suppose the pandemic won't have helped your housing situation @albert2014, no doubt it's made the council services a bit squeezed. That's no excuse for them not doing well enough for you in the past though. 

Please remember that if you ever want to talk to anybody about your mental health, you can contact Samaritans on 116 123 or text Shout to 85258 to be put through to a trained volunteer, those services are always there if you need a chat. You should also speak to your GP if you feel as though the current treatment and management you have in place isn't working for you.

albert2014

Thanks for the support Ross.
I am doing my best with what I have, hope that this weeks goes better than last. I have some people looking into things with me, so I will keep you posted.
Thanks Marty

mikeymike

hope things improve for you albert and you get some luck with your housing situation. 
take care 
mike

Cher_Alumni

How are you doing today @mikeymike and  @albert2014 ?  I have my fingers crossed things pick up for you both soon.  

mikeymike

sorry a bit late in replying but trying to deal with so many things at the moment and struggling with it all but thanks for asking and hope all is well with you 
mike

Tori_Scope

No need to apologise @mikeymike It does sound as though you've got a lot to deal with at the moment. Were you able to give our helpline a call? 

Regarding the telephone befriending schemes Jane mentioned, you can sign up through Age UK if you're aged over 60. Reenage offer one for those living in sheltered housing, which you could also look into. Sometimes these schemes are run from local hubs too, so it might be worth having a look online to see if there's a local group or charity who offer this service.  

Ross_Alumni

Hi @mikeymike

Just wanted to check in to see how you are this weekend?  

mikeymike

HI ross well just been feeling pretty low and didnt feel like doing anything or even talking to anyone pain levels were running high as well so just lay around the flat all days 
but thanks for the concern 
mike

Cher_Alumni

Hi @mikeymike and thank you for the update.

I'm sorry to hear things still aren't great.  As for your pain levels, are these being monitored regularly by your medical team?  Along with the medication you are receiving?  If you feel like it's severely impacting your day to day life it might be worth speaking with your GP again about options and/or a referral to a pain management clinic.

Just to give you an alternative to Citizens Advice, the Advice Local website is a great resource for finding help with housing problems.  if you enter your post code and select housing from the drop down option, it will give you a list of nearby organisations who can offer independent advice.  Likewise, Shelter have specialist housing advisors who you can speak to, and you can visit this contact webpage for further details.  

I hope you have a better day and remember we are always about if you want some company and to chat.

mikeymike

hey cher thanks for that i will try to look into the housing info as regards the pain well not a lot can be done about that i just gotta try to de stress myself its just me using the tools i have and the motivation to get it done.
take care 
mike

Tori_Scope

Let us know how you get on with the housing information Cher sent @mikeymike. 

Do you feel as though you have the right tools to de-stress and manage your pain at the moment?