UC and depression/anxiety

[Stoppened]

I have always had this and have been in medication for several years for it. I’ve been a single mum for a few years now and in receipt of UC.
I haven’t worked since just before my youngest DC was born 3 years ago. Now they’ve turned 3, I’m required to look for work. All fine, it’s something I’m desperate to do(DC starts nursery in September) but my MH is awful lately.
the past few months, I’ve been getting more anxious, never want to leave the house, and, more recently, I’ve been getting panic attacks-something I haven’t had for about 9 years. I wake up every morning with a sense of dread, and it doesn’t stop until I fall asleep at night(which can take hours and I often wake in the night for hours on end).
im exhausted, mentally and physically.
i already take 40mg citalopram, occasionally mirtazapine, propranolol, and the GP has just given me 7 diazepam to take for when I have a bad panic attack. I’ve only taken 2 of those so far, but they wipe me out. I just stare into space!
how in earth am I supposed to get a job, let alone hold one down, while I’m like this? I’ve been in a waiting list for CBT for a long time, and I’m led to believe, that’s due to start in around 23 weeks(nice one NHS!)
I’ve got my next apt at the job centre next week. Do I tell them about it before then? I’m terrified they’ll stop my payments. I have 3 DC and already struggle financially.
any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

You won't know unless you try. The structure of work is often very helpful for mental health. Hopefully it will be the making of you. Good luck! 🤞

I’d say get yourself on a better dosage of something stronger. I take 150mg of Venlafaxine a day, it’s worlds apart from low dose citalopram.

The NHS always try to prescribe citalopram because it’s cheaper, but it barely touched me.

Citalopram, up until recently, has worked great for me. It saved me at my lowest point after losing a parent. I’m now on the highest dose of it. I’m reluctant to try a different type, as I remember how awful you feel to begin with while it does what it’s supposed to

Hmm, all sounds awfully familiar.

Would the GP write you a sick note?
I know Rishi was trying to reduce/stop sick notes as a way to stop people from claiming benefits but I'm not sure what has happened.
Not fit for work sick notes used to be a way of getting the job centre to leave you alone (I used it in the past).

I was in a similar situation. Got sanctioned (I don’t get PIP or LCWRA for my conditions ) they didn’t care. My child’s not able to go to nursery either I have to have her at home till school age due to her potential ASD. Luckily for me my dad makes up the difference for me when I’m sanctioned by doing my food shopping for me , topping up my gas and electric and buying things I need

Push yourself and do it. I have a relative who struggled with anxiety and depression, she quit both jobs within a few weeks when her children started school, isolated herself more over the years and now barely leaves the house or sees anyone. Depression is like any other illness, it needs fighting, with the help of medication and lifestyle choices. It won't necessary be easy but it's better than the alternative of giving up trying to push through and do things because it's hard.

As horrendous as it feels op the best you can do for yourself and your dc and go back to your gp and ask for a different type of medication.
they aren’t one size fits all and it may have worked a long while ago but your body has probably got used to it so it’s no longer suiting you.

claiming sick notes isn’t going to help you in the long run.

the answer is to at least try and push yourself with new meds/therapy and taking what’s on offer wise to help get you through.

don’t get me wrong I’m not saying it’s ever easy and I have been there myself however being self employed and with a family to support I had to drag myself to the gp and drag myself out of bed and really push myself through it until I started to get back on track.

You need to ask your GP for a fit note and submit it to the jobcentre. Report a change of circumstances on your journal and let them know you're unwell.

This doesn't stop you looking for a job, and it sounds like a job is something you'd like. It just means you won't be put under so much pressure by the jobcentre and there's an official tick in the box that lets them know you need a bit of extra kindness.

The fit note won't turn your commitments off - you still need to meet with your work coach if you're asked to and do what they say you need to do. After a month, they'll send you a longer form which assesses whether you're ill enough that it would be better they leave you alone for a bit.

Even if the DWP decide you're not well enough to work, you can still choose to work, and it won't mean your benefits are cut or anything like that.

Best of luck with everything. It sounds hard at the moment.

I suppose you could look at it as you’ve not worked for a number of years and yet your mental health hasn’t improved for it and indeed you seem to be saying it’s gotten worse. Perhaps a change in routine, a different lifestyle, and presumably not having to stress so much about money, might actually support you into a better state of mind and wellbeing. Your benefits aren’t going to be stopped because you’re receiving treatment, though there’s no reason to tell the Jobcentre about it anyway. Work with the advisor to establish what you think you can do, rather than what you can’t.

I'm sorry OP, that sounds really hard.

Have you tried any CBT self help books for the depression and anxiety? It's helpful to have a therapist talk you through the techniques, but ultimately CBT is more about applying techniques into your life than someone else "fixing" your mental health, and you can learn a lot of it on your own. There are lots of good free resources online, or books in libraries. I'm reading one by Dr Julie Smith at the moment which is helpful, she does online content too.

All the way this. It sounds like actually a job could be really beneficial - look for something outside the home where you will get the opportunity for some social benefits, people often make a few friends among work colleagues and it can be really positive having a reason to get up and dressed into something a bit more formal, get more steps in too getting to work and moving around the workplace.
For many people as well the weekends feel SO much more special when you've had a different routine all week!

You only have to start looking, so I wouldn't worry yet.
Dwp don't hand out jobs they are just the admin and processing centre.
They have no day if an employer takes you on or not.
How long have you been taking ads they can take a while to work as you probably know.

OP apologies as this isn't the point of your thread, but as someone who takes mirtazipine (and escitalopram) - the taking mirtazipine occasionally, is this something your GP has recommended? Don't feel you have to reply, I'm just wondering whether if you take it and then don't take it, if that's contributing somewhat to your low mood and anxiety and trouble sleeping? I ask because I know that if I miss a dose I feel tearful, my anxiety is higher and I don't sleep. I'm not suggesting you change how you take it as your doctor knows you best and medecine shouldn't be changed without a medical persons advice, but it might be worth a conversation if you haven't already.

Citalopram can cause panic attacks, op.

You just need to push on and get yourself out there. Think about what interests you. Working after being a mum can be quite liberating, plus shows a good example to your children. Shutting yourself away isn’t going to help, and getting a sick note is just kicking the can down the road, as there will come a point when you have to find work. Claiming for depression isn’t going to be an indefinite option here.

What sort of work did you used to do? What can you use your previous experience towards? Focussing on what you can do might give you something positive to think of.

This would probably be easier for OP if the NHS could provide support (other than medication) in a timely manner.

Learning coping mechanisms that work for OP could make all the difference.

Thanks for all the replies. I’ve been taking citalopram for around 8/9 years now. Not had a panic attack since starting it, but had several-increasing in frequency-over the past month or so.
im wondering if the menopause could possibly be contributing to this? I’m 43 so not totally impossible

Do you know what thoughts/what causes the panic attacks? I know it’s not helpful if you can’t access therapy because of the waiting lists but perhaps you can identify the trigger. Is it the thought of going back to work or something else?

Do you think it's just the worry and thought about returning to work? If you have been home for a long term and it's only started getting worse at the time you need to think about returning to the workplace. If you have not worked for a long time it is probably a scary idea to think about. Any change in your circumstances can be scary. Go back to see your GP and tell them the first drugs are no longer working.

I thought at age 3 it was yoo look for and make yourself available to work. Apolgoies if im wrong my dc are older.
I just wanted to mention OP that sick notes on UC still mean contact with jobcentre. I have fortnightly meetings as my wages have fell below the minimum earning amount through no fault of my own and a capability to work assessment is still ongoing