Filling in blue badge form for anxiety question help

[granadagirl]

Hi
As mentioned I’m filling in my form on council website
The question are not really clear (to me) what there asking
Anyone able to help
So
What measures are currently taken to try to improve journeys for you between a vehicle and your destination
Enter description of measures taken to try to improve journeys ?
I’m not asking what to put, just what exactly they mean by it
Thanks

[quote PurpleDaisies]@ArriettyJones stop. Just stop. This thread isn’t about you.[/quote]
I don’t think they get it. It’s blowing my mind tbh.

OP - can I have help on filling out this form for BB?

Derailers - actually we need a two tier system. First one for real disabilities and second one for pretend ones.

• I want proof it’s severe

• oh great if people like you are getting BB I’ll never be able to park

• why are you driving if it’s so bad?

• my disabilities much worse than your MH and I can’t even get one

• take away all the P&C

• why on earth do you need a BB badge for anxiety?

OP if your still here, good luck with filling it in

The rules changed to make it easier for people with hidden disabilities to get a blue badge but as with everything ,it's not that easy ,someone can't just say ,I'm a bit anxious please can I have a,badge , they will still have to produce all sorts of evidence for why they need a badge

I feel so sorry for OP.

Suffering anxiety myself and under the mental health team since I was 13, I understand.

Supermarket is a massive no go for me on my own, if I can't find a space close enough to the entrance I just leave.

Some people have no idea how it feels to live like this and that's shown on here by some of you really nasty people.

[quote PurpleDaisies]@ArriettyJones stop. Just stop. This thread isn’t about you.[/quote]
I wouldn’t bother arguing with someone who refers to it as “anxiety”

Putting quotation marks around a serious illness told me all I needed to know.

Hi Everyone,

Just a gentle reminder that this is the Mental Health topic and we expect everyone to be compassionate and empathetic about the struggles people face daily.

Thanks

@GetOffYourHighHorse

'say this as a person who really struggles with anxiety especially around being outside, public transport, dogs, fear of having a panic attack, palpitations when walking that then give me a panic attack and then I'm scared it might be a heart attack'

What does your gp suggest, CBT, counselling or medication?

If you have palpitations while walking wouldn't driving be more stressful? Genuine question, driving can be very hard for anxious people.

In response to your question, for some, driving feels 'safer' than walking when they are suffering from severe anxiety. It can become almost a 'safe place', as you can lock the doors, listen to the radio, it's familiar. All sorts of reasons. Of course, some people don't cope well when driving with anxiety, but typically either those people don't pass their tests to begin with, or genuinely take themselves off the roads if it develops later, because a huge part of a lot of anxiety disorders is fear of hurting others. I hope that helps to shed some light on your question and thank you for asking sincerely.

Bugger. From the English rules I would probably qualify for one but the Scottish rules are different so I wont.

I have a blue badge for my son, pointless when you don't get to use it.

Just to throw another suggestion re spaces into the discussion.

A friend of mine, a couple of decades ago said the P and C spaces should be away from the entrance. She suggested the opposite side of the car park but with a covered walkway to the store and covered trolley store.

Her reasoning was that then the P and C wouldn't be abused, particularly in the evening.

I do think there should be more thinking about spaces, not all of them need to be wider, some could be dual / triple use or change use at certain times. With modern electronics and number plate recognition it must be possible.

Place some BB spaces near the doors but others further away for people who can walk/wheel the distance but need the extra space to get in and out of the car.

I've been wondering a lot about people's opinions on the shortage of spaces with regards to being a BB holder. I realised that a lot of people are referring to supermarket car parks and shopping centres, although of course there will be other examples. But supermarkets aren't controlled by the government, they're all on private land. If they wanted to, they could make the entire car park accessible to BB holders. The reason they have so few accessible spaces is because they want to maximise the space to have as many customers shopping at one time as is humanly possible. It really appears that the frustration is a bit misplaced here, I don't personally think that the government intended or expected people to bicker amongst themselves to sort out the priorities but rather they hoped that increased demand would encourage more spaces in private car parks.

A BB holder isn't even automatically entitled to a space outside their home, and that was a problem long before the rules were changed. The only real 'shortage' will happen on private car parks. The only other example I can think of at the moment is hospital car parks, which by their very nature I think should be more heavily weighted towards disabled spaces but again, that's unlikely to happen because most of them are pay and display and the goal will be maximum capacity.

It would certainly be better to be frustrated enough to campaign for private car parks to increase their accessible spaces, instead of directing the frustration towards who should have a badge, surely? I would guess that a large proportion of people driving to private car parks are doing so for the convenience to their circumstances anyway, especially in cities. Even extra space to load shopping would be a bonus for people without special needs.

'response to your question, for some, driving feels 'safer' than walking when they are suffering from severe anxiety. It can become almost a 'safe place', as you can lock the doors, listen to the radio, it's familiar'

Yes that makes sense, thankyou for explaining.

The problem imo is the term anxiety is very overused, so people who are nervous or stressed say they have anxiety. Those with actual diagnosed clinical anxiety get lumped in together, much like depression. People say they are depressed when they are a bit down so those suffering crippling clinical depression again are grouped together with the self diagnosed cases.

If someone has such severe anxiety it impedes on them accessing shops, public transport to such an extent that they need a blue badge, then their condition will be severe and they will have sufficient evidence in the form of primary care letters etc. If it is self managed I don't think that indicates they would need to use a disabled persons carparking space

I suffer severe anxiety when I can’t park and use my disabled badge. I have it for severe physical difficulties as I struggle to walk. I go into full panic mode if I can’t park but would never dream of applying for a badge on my mental health issues alone as I see the problem people with physical issues struggle with.

Yes, as someone with a GAD diagnosis and MDD diagnosis, I have a bugbear with overuse and "normalisation" if you will of anxiety and depression. Of course it is good for MH stigma to be reduced, but it leads to a downplaying of those with severe MH issues who get lumped in the same group as those with minimal issues.

Of course this applies to physical issues too, with anything where there is a spectrum of severity.

Anywho.

@GetOffYourHighHorse @KarenKuruma on those points I absolutely agree. I do hope that the decision makers at the Big Blue Badge Place In The Sky aren't likely to approve a badge for self-diagnosed self-managed conditions of any kind, physical or mental. If someone is struggling enough, they deserve formal diagnosis and specialised treatment, and alongside that, any adjustments which could then be made to facilitate them living their lives would be an added bonus.

With regard to disabled loos. We have just had one put in at work. The whole design and regulations are geared to physical disability. At no point did we consider mental health incapacity, nor is it part of the regs. The non-disabled loo is identical in size and layout but is on the first floor so cannot be a disabled loo. Perhaps I’m missing something but a toilet is a toilet unless you have a physical disability and require the various additions required.
As regards parking with anxiety, I do think that the regulations were changed to cover mainly ASD and the difficulties this brings to the individual and their career. Having just done a PIP report for someone the anxiety is permanent and not treatable. It can often result in meltdown and for the trip to be aborted.
I understand fully if the OP has ASD but for treatable anxiety then I am a little disappointed that people are abusing the Blue Badge.

But again a blue badge isn't going to be issued to anyone who asks for one it's how the condition affects them ,I have anxiety I have just been put on medication for it ,but I don't need a blue badge it would be no benefit to me ,but that doesn't mean that someone who is severely impacted shouldn't be entitled ,people need to get away from the idea that it's just for physical disabilities,my son has a blue badge he has no physical disabilities ,he can run as fast as the wind straight under a car but his entitlement is automatic due to.getting high rate mobility under severe mental impairment rules.

*carer

It's up.to the people who make the decision wether to issue a blue badge to decide whether it's warrented not you to say it's being abused @oralengineer.

@x2boys if originally you were referring to my post then I apologise as that was the same sentiment I had intended to put across; that a badge should be and is only issued to people who have a diagnosed long term condition which prevents them from accessing parking etc. without extra concessions being available. I sincerely doubt that the decision makers see 'anxiety' written down and automatically grant a badge - in fact I'm sure some will be even more scrutinising of applications that don't mention physical disability. If I'm wrong, that would also mean that there is now a guaranteed way to get a blue badge with minimum effort, and those struggling to secure one on physical grounds would automatically get one if they mention they get anxious sometimes... but that will never happen. And rightly so.

A lot of disabled toilets aren’t geared up for those with physical disabilities really.
They are nothing more than a box ticking exercise.

Ignoring the lack of changing places facilities which is what is really needed for many people. In standard disabled toilets it’s not rare to have doors which open awkwardly or are heavy which would be impossible for a wheelchair user to manage on their own, it’s tough enough to manage manouvering in DS in his chair in many.

Then when you get in there is often hardly enough space for a child’s chair and adult. Setting the hand dryer off with my bum while helping him is a regular thing.

And that’s assuming the toilet isn’t also being doubled up as a store cupboard. Or being used by people who just nip in because they won’t be long.

Trying to break the lack of facilities for disabled people into some sort of battle between those with physical health problems and those with mental health problems doesn’t help anyone except those keen to avoid providing anything! It shouldn’t be a race to the bottom

No Juan,it was more to posters who seem to think that's it's easy to get a blue badge,which clearly it isn't and they think only those who have physical disabilities should be entitled.

Wheelchair users are already at the bottom, no thought as to how this widening of the blue badge scheme will impact them.

That’s not the op’s fault eleven. She’s doing nothing wrong by applying under the new criteria.

This isn’t the right place for this debate.

Purple...Don't tell me what and where to post.