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

Again. Not a newbie. Comments such as yours wash right over me.

What's that supposed to mean??

It's not the TV interviews I have an issue with, it is the fact the in them she states she is considering taking on a full time career in politics. Regardless of whether she would achieve it or not, it is the fact that she can consider this but not consider taking on other paid employment that I, and many others, have an issue with.

pyjamarama they filmed the programme for 18months. One of their 'stars' was a working couple with kids. Apparently. They were 'edited out' at the very last minute. Presumably not sensational enough. Before my other point starts getting wrongly picked up on. I'm not worried because a) I don't believe it to be true about the MP bollocks. And b) she wouldn't stand a chance if she did suddenly decide to. Also Agents aren't that uncommon to have once starring in something. They do this thing called fielding off the fuckwits. I just can't get this worked up over someone who's found 15minutes of fame and someone who We won't remember who she is in a few years.

Oh so when she says she is considering standing as a politician you dismiss that as bollocks but when she says she has depression you accept that as gospel? Selective or what? hmm]

Bollocks- my ironic smiley didn't even work

I don't care about the adults. they choose to appear.

however the HT at the local school is furious that the children of the area have been smeared and targeted as the offspring of 'lazy feckless wasters'.

the area is about half an hour from me and it's where I
used to be a district nurse.

all I can say is there are many working parents in the street but they of course were not shown.

great tv for Cameron's cuts.

Eh? Why is it selective to believe someone has depression? . Good lord Mumsnet gets weirder by the day!

Firstly if Dee has an agent and is appearing on TV an in the media as much as people say she is then I doubt he is getting any benefits at this moment in time. She is now in effect, in paid employment (be happy, she is no longer claiming).

Secondly she may have what is known as "reactive depression" due to the circumstances of her life. This makes you feel unable to cope with anything....housework, work etc.

Currently she is being made to feel worthwhile (a nice ego boost), suddenly it seems that people want to hear what she has to say....maybe that is enough to keep her from the grips of depression at the moment.

Personally I'd like to see her guided into an advisory role as parent supporter (there to listen). I bet she would be more than capable of sitting down to help people sort out debts, benefits etc. With training (maybe in child behaviour and parenting skills) I think Dee could be a valuable asset to her community for supporting other parents.

That is based on what I have seen of her. I didn't watch "Benefits Street", it was pretty obvious from the outset what the focus was going to be.

But why would you believe that when you are so adamant that she is talking bollocks when she says she is thinking of becoming an MP. It's not MN or me that's weird - you can't just pick and chose what you want to believe to suit yourself.

Thankyou Thebody since we're talking about facts and all. I believe that there are actually around 50pensioners on that street. Which is where they get their 'high claimant' count from as Pensions are annoyingly part of the welfare costs. I actually don't pity the stars that much. Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past few years knows how these shows pan out. Remember Skint? I do however pity the kids who had no choice and I do however pity the people on here who think she's lying about depression because she's managed to do a few interviews etc...

All these people saying she must now look for a job..I assume she is currently pursuing some sort of media career.

Because the two things don't correlate. You've been told many a times over on this thread that depression takes many forms. Simply saying you don't believe her to have depression doesn't make her not have it. Only a few weeks ago there was a massive uproar on here when people suggested Katie Hopkins was lying about her epilepsy. Yet people can say some idiot who has clearly been taken in by the Media is lying about a mental illness? Well she must be. After all she can string a few sentences together. Nice analogy.

Not allowed Fanjo. Climbing the Social Media ladder is only allowed from the likes of Katie Hopkins and Samantha Brick. . White Dee is to stay at the bottom. Where she belongs. With all her feckless fuckwit friends. Serves them right for being gullible enough to appear on a reality show.

I have to agree with Bear. If depression is debilitating enough to prevent her working in a regular job then will it not have the same impact on a t.v. career?

I'm not saying she is lying about her depression misspixie I'm questioning why you think it is appropriate to completely dismiss one thing she says (standing as a politician) as bollocks whilst insisting that another thing she says (she has depression) is irrefutably true?

Because one is irrelevant until she actually does it. The other completely is. You might not believe her to have depression but her doctors et al disagree with you. Its not that hard.

Oh so now we are getting to the crux of the problem. It's just because she's on tv. .

I can't continue to argue with your warped sense of logic. You can't just pick and chose what you believe.

It has been repeatedly stated on here that some people with depression can work and no one had explained why she can be considering becoming an MP whilst not considering other work. As I've said before, she isn't talking about years down the line- her current 'fame' means it's now or never.

. I'm not the one with the warped sense of logic. Because I'm not the one arguing she shouldn't do a tv appearance if she truly has depression and yet here we are. .

I'm not arguing that she shouldn't be on TV, if that's her 5 minutes of fame then fair enough, I'm arguing that she shouldn't bè considering a full time career as an MP whilst claiming to be unable to work due to depression and your only defence is that she's talking bollocks anyway- not exactly a convincing argument is it?

Seriously OP. Did you not get the memo? Water ducks back and all. That isn't my argument at all. It's all here. In this thread for you to peruse. I will do a short version as you appear to be struggling. Until she is up there. Standing as an MP. It is bollocks. It is likely to happen as I am to win the lottery. Her depression has already Been diagnosed by a medical professional thank fuck. That is my argument. That idiots are saying she can't possibly have it because she's 'too together' are the same ones who don't understand the illness and don't have the qualifications to diagnose such a complex illness.

Can we just clarify for those Saying she should look for other work? Presumably Scrubbing loos is okay but anything beyond is above her?

How many people on here who are unable to work due to depression and are claiming benefits because of that can honestly say they would make tv appearances and talk about considering a (what has to be imminent) career in politics?

Crippling social anxiety meaning I'd rather the ground swallowed me up than be on TV aside, there were definitely days where that would have been possible. And I have to say even now, coming out of a horrendous period where I've had a lot of time of work I'm talking a lot about a project I have absolutely no chance in hell of actually being able to pull off.

Fortunately as I haven't presented myself as a target by appearing on TV ppl who know about it just nod and say 'yes' or nice encouraging and supportive things rather than slag me off on the internet.

Rafals I'm glad you're getting better. Peoples ignorance of depression is shining through on here. I'm glad Mumsnet don't have any specialist mental health boards...

Well I've lost my Mom, brother and am going through another tragedy at the moment in my family, does that excuse me from work, full stop.

No, life has to go on. And if I were depressed I would not be on live TV chuckling away the reasons why she is a good mother etc, etc.

I do not believe her one bit.