To think that White Dee from Benefit St isn't doing people with depression any favours

[Bearbehind]

I've just seen White Dee from Benefits St being interviewed on Sky a News about the budget.

She said she can't work due to her having depression- yet she can appear on TV and is not ruling out standing as a politician

[SoleSource]

B o o b s

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Bearbehind - there are days when all I manage to do is get out of bed, get dressed, and make some food for the family - I have good days, and on a good day I could talk to the press, if it was about something I believed in. But I have so many bad days, there's no way I could hold down a job.

That is how I am now. It may be that that is where Dee is now. It doesn't mean to say that, with the right treatment and support, we couldn't recover and be able to do more.

I am luckier than her - through dh's job, I have health insurance, so when the black dog landed on my back recently, I was able to get access to a psychiatrist and a therapist much faster than I could through the NHS. And mental health services on the NHS are patchy, at best. I was on antidepressants for years in England, and got three sessions that were information/lectures, not therapy. That was all that was on offer. When I moved to Scotland, I was referred for group therapy, and was in the group for 2.5 years - and got a lot of be fit from it. But I was on a waiting list for that for over a year, and that level of therapy isn't available everywhere - in fact I suspect it's the exception, not the rule.

[unnaturalchild]

YABVU
You are judging her on the basis of a couple of tv appearances? I have read interviews with her where she gave a lot more details about her depression- even highlighting that she'd had to miss/rearrange tv appearances because she couldn't leave the house - and she did say that she knew people would get the wrong idea. If she worked a normal job she would have to turn up when requested day in day out.

[Bearbehind]

But how can she say she is considering becoming a politician? Whatever anyone thinks about politicians they do have to turn up when requested, day in, day out?

[AnyFucker]

I think she is being exploited by TV producers. "Look here everyone... them thick benefit scroungers can actually scrape a few words together about the important issues of the day...

Fuck. Off.

[AnyFucker]

She will get dropped like a dog turd when her face gets over exposed. Shameful.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Because maybe one day, with the right treatment, she will be well enough.

People with depression are not condemned to the black pit for ever and a day - if that were the case, what would be the point of treatment?

[Hoppinggreen]

She's doing more damage to the benefits system than any government could - I do sometimes wonder if she's a Tory plant.
I fully appreciate that depression is a serious illness and can prevent people from working but if she is well enough to appear on TV and make records she's probably well enough to work.

[harriet247]

I dislike her for smoking in the house with those two kids right in the same room. Scummy.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I want to point out, I don't know if Dee has depression - I'm not inside her head and her heart, but it really annoys me when people make such inaccurate statements about depression. Saying 'Oh, if you really had depression, you wouldn't be able to do X, Y or Z' just perpetuates ignorant myths about it. They are as bad as 'Just cheer up - what have you got to be depressed about' or 'All you need to do is go for a walk/get a dog/go hopping and buy yourself a treat/pull yourself together'.

[BabeRuthless]

There's a big difference between doing one off appearances and working 9-5, Monday to Friday and all the pressure that goes with that. I'm talking about having a dickhead for a boss, worrying that you've made a massive mistake, stressing about getting time off because one of your kids is sick etc. If you don't know a lot about depression then it is very easy to trot out the whole "well she doesn't look depressed" line whenever she's on TV but it just shows up an ignorance of the issue in my mind.

[SoleSource]

True Ruthless. I think White Dee ha many problems. I feel sorry for her Son.

[shouldnthavesaid]

I had a two page spread in a county newspaper a couple of years ago for carers week.

At the time I couldn't go anywhere without an adult holding my hand and was embarking on intensive weekly psychotherapy. I was self harming regularly, on anti depressants and spending much of my time in bed.

I was smiling in the photograph though.

Was also on the front cover on county newspaper years and years ago as a child in hospital when Barney the Dinosaur came to town (another story). Looked perfectly 'well' in the photograph. Within the hour I was in the operating theatre. Apart from me being in hospital, you wouldn't have known I was unwell.

What you see on TV, or in the paper, isn't a true picture of anything. You cannot judge the extent or existence of her illness on what you see on the television.

[Wantsunshine]

I don't see why they give this thief airtime.

[WooWooOwl]

I don't believe she's so depressed that she couldn't hold down a job. Lots of people with MH conditions are capable of work, and lots aren't, but I don't think she's one of the ones that couldn't.

They spent 18 months filming that show, and while we've only seen a small part of it, I think they'd probably have shown it if she was having real problems or they'd have avoided showing quite so much of her.

Either way, apart from the way she chooses to fund her life, she's quite a likeable person, and that's why she's been on telly constantly despite the fact she doesn't have anything of any real value to say.

[BalloonSlayer]

Being an MP is a job.

If she starts looking into being an MP she is declaring herself fit for work.

She'd better be careful . . .

[Fusedog]

I wish the dwp would cut this fucking woman off


And apparently she has been sighed up to big brother to ill to work my fucking foot but according to the left people like white d who fake it till they make it don't exist

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Wow, WooWoo - that's amazing - you can diagnose depression just from seeing someone on the TV.

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

You do know that you don't get to decide the extent and nature of someone else's illness don't you?

That's something that the persons doctor does and if they wish to claim any dwp benefits then further assessments get made by the dwp or their agents. Not joe public

[Creamycoolerwithcream]

I think YABU, you don't know her and you are making assumptions about her and her depression. Lucky for you OP it doesn't sound as if you have suffered from depression as you wouldn't be making such comments.

[WooWooOwl]

I'm giving an opinion, not making a diagnosis.

Presumably this woman was aware she could be talked about and have judgements made about her when she allowed herself to be put in the public eye.

[livlassie]

The comments about depression interest me. I have battled with depression for most of my life. have thirty years experience working with depressed people. During that time i was off twice for a period of one month and then six months. You cannot always tell whether someone is depressed just by looking at them. Someone may be unable to cope with the responsibilities of work but may be able to cope with, eg a few television/radio interviews. That doesn't mean she is pretending to be depressed, just that the intensity of a depressive state fluctuates.
And to those who comment on the responsibilities required as a politician. in terms of being ready for a job which requires you to be present, regardless of emotional/mental fragility - i think that this idea of a political career was introduced and kept going by the media. to further emphasise that poor people are to be despised and laughed at. The information shown is selected, edited and manipulated and some on here would benefit from walking a mile in the shoes of a chronically ill, addicted and penniless person. In thirty years I never met one junkie that was proud of what they are - they know they are despised by most other people. I have always worked and do not agree with living all our lives with no social responsibility, but when you are born into that it's difficult to see a way out.

[Fusedog]

Yes sadly I do realise this


My husband was staunch labour even after benefits street he was convinced these people had been stitched up and were not playing the system after hearing her on lbc this will be her umpteenth appearance he has changed his mind


A lot of these. People have back backs and depression things that CANT be proven by a doctor in any meaningful way funny that and now there's a chance for her lazy arse to be on telly she is right as Reign ffs

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Well - it is a rather nasty opinion. HTH.

[ShadowFall]

I didn't see the Sky News appearance referred to. But, I expect that people with depression have good days and bad days, just like the rest of us.

What you see on TV, whether it's someone appearing on Sky News, or edited highlights of a year's worth of camera footage, is just a snapshot of that person's life.

It doesn't show you enough about the person and their mental health condition to give you a clear picture of how good or bad their mental health really is.

And as for considering being a politician - was that a flippant off the cuff comment, or a serious plan? Big difference between the two.