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 have a 5 year old with quite a few disabilities. He cannot go off to sleep without help. He has melatonin and Chloral hydrate. He sleeps from 7:30-1:30am ... That's his morning!!! Someone needs to be up with him!!! That's me!!!
I think you have self diagnosed and that's why DWP take no notice ... You need to talk to your GP. I cannot believe they haven't offered you some sort of sleeping tablet !!!! You just need to reset your sleeping patterns !!! This is not a disability !!!
It no reason either why you shouldn't have a job .... I survive on about 4 hours per night .... I've been doing this for 6 years now ... You get used to it!!!! I catch up at the weekend when my husband is home!!!

Cornwall? Isnt that a toursity place? No hotels around there?

isitme- at the moment i sleep as my body tells me. When I start this program it will be the same. However I will have to wake substantially earlier than my body tells me. Not a big deal for 1-2 days but then after that it get real bad and anything anyone says about the virtues of work( pride, etc- which I DO get) for me seem the diametrical opposite.

SurlyCue- tourist seasons ended- but im really not what they go for

Hotels, bars, care work (if you work for an agency you could just choose late shifts), kitchen staff, waitressing, supermarket, petrol station, cleaners (some might be evening only), lunchtime supervisor in a school. That was off the top of my head.

Then get a diagnosis.

Already found a night cleaner job in St Austell on Indeed (even the day shift only starts at 12 though), night support worker, customer service at William Hill (don't they only open later in the day anyway?) - just go looking!

That sounds really horrible for you :(

You can't fake anything though, you really can't. It's hard enough getting any help or allowances for some diagnosed, well-known illnesses (bitter experience - I have CFS and POTS although looking at Fibromyalgia as well) so without any diagnosis you're on a hiding to nothing.

You really, really need to push harder on the medical front. I know it's a battle, but you really do - both for your work/money situation and for your health.

Do you want to work?

Do you want to get better?

Currently I'm reading "no" as the answer to both. If I had a simple fix like you would, If indeed you had this condition, I'd bite the doctors hands off for it.

I work in careers advice and jobseeking with people who have barriers to employment.

I work closely with job centre plus and I can tell you you'll get nowhere with a self diagnosis or trying to fake another condition.
You'll simply have to search more proactively for employment that you feel you can do.

First of all you need a proper diagnosis and you will only get that by going to the sleep clinic. No-one will take you seriously until you have a diagnosis. Make it your number one priority regardless of the amount of red tape you have to wade through.

Secondly look for an evening or night job that would fit in better with your sleep patterns. Stop looking for jobs you can't physically do.

And thirdly you need to help yourself. Follow all the information about light boxes and sleep adjusting so that you can show your gp that you have done everything in your power to resolve the issue.

I have had sleeping problems since I was 15 years old (am now 54) i average 4 hours a night between 2 and 6 am. It doesn't matter how tired I am I just can't get to sleep before then for 90% of the time. I'm often tired but I have learned to cope and catch up when I can.

SurlyCue- tourist seasons ended- but im really not what they go for

Hotels dont close for the winter do they? And what do you mean you arent what they go for? Im starting to think you would sabotage it even if you did get an interview or job offer. You are making excuses.

APPLY for the jobs and let the employers decide if youre what they want. Dont rule yourself out before even trying!

Is that not just chronic insomnia ?

I suffer from insomnia. I get on average 4 hours sleep a night (the alarm goes at 6am). Then I catch up at weekend because my body just switches off and I crash at about 10pm on a Friday (if not out).

It is possible to manage such a cycle and still hold down a responsible job (I work 30 hours a week)

Why cant you take sleeping pills why dont you go sellf employed as a dog waker why cant you look for bar work the job centre is not going take your word for it that you have a self diagnosed sleep disorder.

You need to stop self medicating, go back to your GP (or a different one if you don't feel you will get anywhere), ask for a referral to a sleep clinic and then actually turn up this time. It may be a clinic who usually deal with apnoea but they are specialists and will be able to refer on if they find something wrong. You will get nowhere if you keep self medicating and self diagnosing. The NHS does treat what you think you have, a quick look at the NHS Choices website shows that.

You sound like you've got yourself into a place where you're stuck in a rut and making excuses for your current situation instead of trying to change it.

Your point about not being 'bright, breezy, smiley or attractive' as a reason for not doing bar work is a bit silly. Anyone can be smiley, bright and breezy. Attractive is subjective, obviously, but I will say I did bar work for years at uni, and I was over 20stone the whole time. Never stopped me getting the jobs, and I doubt many customers found me attractive, but I was nice to them so they liked me enough for me to be ok at the job.

babbafish- those tablets (for me) o more harm than good. Last time I spoke to a GP they said that I cant take them for a while. This time I feel as though I have to get a green light to take 6 months worth. Its horrible but better than 6 months of constantly escalating cortisol.
And no-I have tried relentlessly in the past, and done myself damage- but you dont get used to it. I get how most people think its about that though

I'm not really what they go for

Does that apply to any employment with unsocial hours?

Honestly you'll get nowhere telling the job centre this.

McDonalds are looking too, am sure they need more evening staff than morning.

You really haven't tried hard enough to either find work that fits your current lifestyle or to access treatment to adjust. You should not get signed off sick and need to take some responsibility for supporting yourself. There are people who genuinely need ESA out there, you are not one of them.

You have my sympathies. I have disordered sleeping because of autism. I'm like a zombie in the mornings my functioning is so bad. I'm also currently on a 'capability' course through my job centre (not UK) because I want to work. They've bent over backwards to accommodate my alertfulness. I think that's because in my case it's diagnosed and well documented, although not receiving any benefits may also be a factor.

One thing that has really helped me, although it'll never go away entirely, is a weighted blanket. When my occupational therapist suggested it I was but had nothing to lose so gave it a go. I'd fight to death to keep it though.

I have it, too, Xotic, though nowhere near as severely as you. I'm a champion sleeper in general, so have always been able to hold down jobs that start at 10am and aren't too rigid about morning presenteeism - I make up for it later in the day.

This is bang on: "A chief difficulty of treating DSPD is in maintaining an earlier schedule after it has been established, as the patient's body has a strong tendency to reset the sleeping schedule to its intrinsic late times."
(Wikipedia)

I buy melatonin on the internet, it's quite cheap. It works but only for short periods (see above.) My GP prescribed Zolpidem - a safe sleeping pill - that works like magic but, again, is only useful for a few days at a time.

You have my utter sympathy but I can't say pretending to have another condition will help at all. The first thing to try is telling your new 'employer' exactly what the problem is, and pointing out the inherent dangers both to yourself and people around you. Put this very clearly in writing to your JCP adviser and the WP person. Get receipts for the letters.

Theoretically they should have to accommodate your needs, and I reckon they could as you are actually available for 'work' each day, just at slightly different hours. Good luck!

I'm telling you now .... 6 years down the line .... Your body gets used to lack of sleep... Or maybe some just moan less...
I just get negativity from you!

You don't want to work .... Your looking for an excuse not to work ... If I was certain I had this condition... I would make it my job getting a diagnosis.

You sound like you just can't be arsed!

Have you ever applied for bar or hotel work? You just need to search for all the afternoon/ evening jobs going (pp has already listed some) and apply to them all, let them decide if you're their type.

I appreciate that mentions regarding proper diagnosis and I have tried a few times. But the NHS in this country is not geared for this condition- they would rather make me take anti depressants-amyltriptiline- before they they take it seriously. I know it sounds as if Im making excuses but this condition immerses you in the immediate. It makes it hard to constantly fight a monolithic bureaucracy particularly when I want to work and don't want to go on disability benefit.