To fake having a disease, just because what I do actually suffer from is unheard of-even with doctors?

[XoticEngram]

I suffer from a sleep disorder which in itself isn't/shouldn't be a big deal. In the grand scheme of things compared to cancer, or some progressively deteriorating mental condition I am lucky.
However it does limit the work that I can do. Basically it is genetically impossible for me to fall asleep before 2-3 am so if I have to wake at 7am for a job that starts at 9am then its unworkable. If I was in a big city, this would not be a big deal but I live in Cornwall-a place with much reduced work opportunities.

As a consequence of this condition I have been claiming job seekers allowance for a long time. I have repeatedly tried to talk to Drs about it but in this country GPs are useless for sleep conditions and do little other than dole out platitudes about good sleep hygiene.

Now my job seeker advisor-who knows that I suffer from this condition- has rail-roaded me onto a 6 month work program placement which demands that I get up at 7am at the very latest.

Basically I have been put into a situation where I will have to endure 6 months of 360 degree hell with no respite whatsoever. I do not compensate any sleep I miss in the same way as other people. Being exhausted does not mean I fall asleep earlier.

Best case scenario- people on this work placement think I am belligerent and have an attitude problem.
More likely scenario- I incur damage to my health (in the form of excema like rashes-to start with) and succumb to alcoholism (something I have abstained from for over a year) and become a danger to other workers due to concentration problems. And end up receiving benefit sanctions on account of failing to meet the requirements of this program.

If I lived in USA and had easy access to a fire arm I might just turn my self off and experience Peace Perfect Peace.

Ive made an appointment with the Dr. It is unlikely that will be able to help me with what I actually suffer from so I am thinking strategically it might be better to say I am suffering from depression/psychosis in order to try and get myself on the sick. If I am forced to do this program this will probably be the result anyway as constant cortisol has a negative effect on any ones brain.

Please by aware-I WANT TO DO THIS PROGRAM. But the people who run it are unable/unwilling to work with me, refusing to acknowledge that the problems that cause unemployment are intrinsically complicated preferring to insist that a 'one size fits all' approach can be used for everyone. I think one of the people who runs it have an RAF feel about them, so they are probably full of militaristic virtue and belief in a regimented application of a hegemonic schedule in the curing of all of societies evils.
BTW- the name of my disease is Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. I doubt you've heard of it, but its a real thing

... I just read that you self diagnosed yourself.

-sigh-

You can't diagnose yourself on the internet. According to the internet everyone has Autism, Bipolar, Insomnia, and Cancer. If we're going by internet bullet points I'm Autistic and have a brain tumor which causes headaches. It's a good starting place to find a doctor to see if you actually have it, but it's not a diagnostic tool by any stretch of the imagination.

senpai- in USA they are better with sleep issues-assuming you have access to a dr

yorkshapudding Can we just cool it with the armchair Psychiatry please? It doesn't actually help anyone.

Actually, it does occasionally help us lawyers. Obviously we don't make actual diagnoses (and I specifically pointed out that I wasn't, so please don't deliberately misunderstand me). But when you have a client who displays symptoms which under DSMV or its predecessor seem similar to Munchausens classic symptoms, and you have a client who is determined to sue the medical profession for negligence, there is a question of whether professional ethics permits you to continue to act for that client, whether there is an official diagnosis or not. And since Munchausens generally involves seeking unnecessary and excessive attention from professionals and faking conditions then disagreeing with the diagnosis/lack of treatment, it is a useful thing for lawyers to be aware of in certain fields, whether you label it "armchair Psychiatry" or not.

Very few health professionals will diagnose some of the more unusual MH conditions, and others still won't see the point in having it on a patient's record. Thanks, Iamabove. The OP will have to see whether her GP is willing to make an actual diagnosis of whatever it is she is suffering from.

It is a recognised condition
But no-one knows the cause
One can speculate that it is genetic (most things are to some extent)
Environmental factors could also cause or exacerbate it
No-one really knows

Like a lot of mental health and even many neuro conditions it is diagnosed by self reported history. There isn't a blood test you could take or a single gene you could test for.

Even if you went for a sleep study and it proved you went to sleep late and woke up late there would be no proof of WHY that was. You can delay or advance your own sleep phase by just getting up earlier or later persistently and that will shift your body clock.

There is a range of normal with your natural sleep phase which explains why some are morning people and some evening people and having the disorder just means you are at an extreme of normal.

We don't deny its a condition. But if you are going to get signed off work for it or expect government bodies to believe you, you have to get a health professional to agree that you have that condition.

And OP hasn't done that, nor does it seem, plan to.

I Do take exception to the idea that the US is 'better' with sleep disorders because they diagnose them more.

There is such a thing as overdiagnosis ie labelling normal things as pathology and doing tests and prescribing drugs that make drs money. the US medical system is clearly set up to incentivise this.

Yy mama

Scremersford, I wasn't commenting on you researching Munchausen's for a specific legal case you're working on, obviously. I was commenting on the inappropriateness of (several) posters telling OP she has symptoms suggestive of various mental illnesses when they have no actual evidence to support those statements.

For me and ds though life goes on whether we are tired or not tbh. Ds regularly sleeps less than twenty hours a week and at times less than fifteen but neither he nor I see that as a reason to opt out. I have chronic insomnia, I never sleep six hours I often don't sleep four but I've raised five children I've worked,I've cared for my disabled children and terminally ill relatives in spite of it. You are incredibly fortunate that you have someone to sort your dc in the mornings but tbh if you didn't you would and should have to suck it up much like with this course IMHO.

"I had this issue with sleep long before modafinil. "

Amd so? It is a drug that is primarily used to wake people up. Do you not see that it is insane to take it while you suffer from insomnia?

"since I have started taking it I have been able, to a large extent ,insulate myself from unwholesome behaviours that fatigue left me suceptable to."

If I understand this correctly, you are saying that you take a speed-like drug to boost up your energy levels. A drug that has psychiatric side effects and makes it even harder for you to fall asleep.

This is a very bad idea.

OP - Please see a doctor and get professional help.

I agree with scarletforya.
Your writing reminds me of someone going through a manic period. That won't help you to sleep if you are in one (drug induced or lack of sleep or whatever), it will be a vicious circle!

I think you should go to the doctors and be very honest and very open minded. Maybe you are really depressed? That could be true as well as having the sleep disorder. It might cause it, be caused by it... You might really suffer from some level of psychosis if your sleep is very disturbed.
Go talk about it all.
Maybe it's something else they can help you with.

Try the amitriptyline, try the sleep clinic you were going to before, where's the harm in giving it a go, ask - can you get cbt?

It is really really hard to argue and work at getting hard-to-access help for yourself when you don't feel up to doing normal everyday things. So and and good luck.
See if you can fight through and finish the course. It sounds like you really want to do it. Best of luck.

I have a sleep disorder that is very similar to Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. I cannot sleep until early morning - not usually before 2 and often at 3. I do not go into deep sleep until about 6 or 7, when actually I should be waking. Once I go into a deep sleep, it is very difficult to wake me and keep me awake. BUT I have every alarm in the world - including alarms for the deaf and I get up. Without structure, my sleep pattern will take over my life. My comfortable sleep patten would be sleep from 04:00 - 14:00. But I cannot live my life in that pattern and I will not be defined by it. I manage to hold down a very responsible job and work full-time (plus!).

So, do I think YABU? Yes I do. Especially to consider faking disease!

Doctors are very aware of sleep disorders now and can do much to help. But rather than go down that route, you are self-diagnosing and self-medicating. Put your energy into improving your condition not accommodating it and life will improve.

You have my sympathies op. I have fibromyalgia, amongst other things.
I've suffered for a number of years but it was over a year before my doctor would officially diagnose me because im youngish.
I had to see the disability advisor at the jobcenter ( before i was diagnosed, however i still had health problems) and she didn't listen to a word i said!
I worked when i left school so no skiver, but i wasn't able to do any hours after 7pm due to my medication and the fact i only sleep 6 hours a nights.
She still continuously put me down for fast food and bookies!
She told me to just say i couldn't do hours after 7
Even though myself and a friend have worked in a bookies and newbies are always given the shittest hours.
( also the ones she kept sending me to i didn't have the right skills they even wanted!).
She sent me for mystery shops even though i can't be on my feet for long periods.
She basically looked at me and decided i wasn't actually ill.

I am very sympathetic, as I've had sleep problems all my life as part of a genetic condition. It's not fun, and it's really not taken seriously. I also have agonising severe pain constantly, but if I could get rid of one, I would get rid of fatigue as it wears me down more than anything.

I used to be up all night, go to college/university, come home as soon as I could and sleep. At university they allowed me to only take afternoon classes where possible, except compulsory modules.

When I was able to work I worked every other day, so I had a day to rest and try and recover. (I have lots of health issues, sleep is just one part).

Melatonin has helped me sleep. You can buy it online very cheaply. I can send you a link if you like. I've been through loads of sleeping pills, and it's the only thing that works, no side effects at all.

You wouldn't get ESA, not without buckets of medical evidence. I was in a wheelchair and bedbound and still turned down first time. You also wouldn't get it for depression, or another condition - because you'd need proof. They don't take your word for it.

I do think you need to get a diagnosis. It might be treatable. A few people have mentioned Papworth. I personally found them awful. I've heard good things about the Royal Bromptom hospital though, which is where I'd go if I had a choice.

I don't think you should fake an illness though, it's hard enough for people with real illnesses to be believed!
Especially depression.
I love the old chestnut 'but what do you have to be sad about?'
I understand why you self medicate though.
I had to see a specialist and she was useless!
After months of agony my gp even stopped following her advice and put me back on my old medication.

If I am reading this thread correctly (I have skipped some - it is Thursday and my attention is flagging!) OP has not sought medical help because in OPs opinion doctors do not know about the condition. That is not correct. You have to persevere I know (to well!) but there is understanding and there are treatments.

This thread's done me good, if no-one else! I've taken my meds, microwaved my teddy bed-warmer and made a hot drink. I'll be asleep before one o'clock! Cheers, posters

... One little thing that a PP reminded me of: I installed apps on all my devices, to turn down the brightness and turn up the warm tones at 9pm. It helps a bit - I use dim room lights, as well, so there's no fake daylight in my flat of an evening.

I'm a bit like parrot. If i have less than 5 hours sleep i'm a complete wreck the next day. I couldn't work in the afternoon or evening.
I get severe headaches from lack of sleep, i'm shaky and very irritable.
My anxiety is also intensified.
Even if i manage to get a few hours kip in the day i'm still the same.

garrick what are those apps?

kali - The one on my laptop (Windows) is called Flux, it's brilliant. You can set your evening time or allow it to automatically follow the sunset/sunrise time for your location. There are various alternatives for Android; I like Twilight. Don't know about Apple, but I'm sure they exist :)

Thank you to the people who have posted on this thread. You have given me a lot to think about. I know it may seem that I am going out of my way to find excuses and while I did my best to be truthful perhaps in actuality things are a tad more complicated than I can put into these posts.
I am just going to have to try and power through until I can see Dr.
Thanks everyone.

the thing about weighted blankets is something i will have to check out

There are very few sleep specialists in this country, unfortunately.

I've met this guy and wish I could take him home because he's fab in all respects. My sleep is actually better than it's ever been, thanks to something I take for a pain disorder, but it's still severely lacking. I've gone from being a high IQ highly wired teen to thick as pigshit middle aged woman, mostly because of the lack of high quality sleep. I have to accept that I'll never have perfect sleep, though, due to the pain that makes nodding off naturally and running through a healthy sleep pattern pretty much impossible.
www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/e/jason-ellis/

Sorry about your issues and I hope you can rearrange the course in some way. And thank you for posting this as my own bizarre sleep habits have now become clear!

in USA they are better with sleep issues-assuming you have access to a dr

Namely, apart from geographical proximity (which may or may not be equivalent to travelling from Cornwall to Newcastle) insurance with a company that is willing to pay for said doctor.