Can anybody offer any advice?

marshy4040

Hi my name is leon i have been suffering with mental health for over 10 years now i would like to work but every time i get a job my head just goes off the rails within 2 weeks and back to square one again can anybody offer any advice how i can overcome this problem thanks 

poppy123456

Hi and welcome.

I'm one of the community champions here on scope and i'm here to help and advise others.

I'm going to tag my very dear friend who will be very happy to give you further advice regarding this. @thespiceman sorry to tag you this morning but any help here is very much appreciated.

marshy4040

Thank you i really appreciate that 

thespiceman

Hello @marshy4040   Pleased to meet you.

Thank you for my friend @poppy123456 mentioned me.

Sorry to hear what has happened.

Please if I can suggest consider looking at mental health charities.

They offer the following, floating support, welfare, benefit advice and guidance. 

Looking at your circumstances wishing to work many mental health charities have supported back to work programmes.

This involves have the assistance, support of floating support. The support of any signposting to relevant organisations that deal with employment issues and members of our community .

https://www.richmondfellowship.org.uk.

https://www.mind.org.uk.

https://www.rethink.org.uk.

Please can I add might not be in all areas. Please if I can help or you need to ask any questions please do.

I have a long term mental health issues with an addiction history.  Disability from birth and have may I add a lot of knowledge on addiction, useful if you need to ask anything.

Clean thirteen years this year, offer my expertise, knowledge and have a lot of experience from being involved with charities.

Many mental health and other related charities as volunteering and using their tools to help my self. Using coping methods and strategies.

Have gained qualifications in nutrition and diet to guide my own health issues.

Hence the user name.

Pleasure to meet you and please keep in touch anytime.

Please take care.

@thespiceman

marshy4040

Hi thank you for your reply i have been with mental health teams in the past on more than kne occasion but every time i go for an initial assessment with them  they just refer me back to my gp also if i go for face to face assessments for pip or esa etc the assesor just seems to make up a load of rubbish on their report for example they assess me more for physical side of things not my mental health and there is nothing wrong with me physically its just my mental health its so frustrating they want people to go back to work and dont offer the support needed and tbh i dont think they really care how people with mental health problems react when go  back to work sorry for the rant 

emmarenshaw

Welcome to the community @marshy4040

marshy4040

@emmarenshaw thank you 

chiarieds

Hi @marshy4040 - Welcome to the community from me too! I think what my friend thespiceman suggests would be a way forward for you in helping with your mental health & support in the workplace. Do ask him if you have further questions as he's so helpful.

Please also talk here any time as there's usually someone about.

marshy4040

Thank you @chiarieds that means a lot

thespiceman

Hello @marshy4040 sorry to hear this . Please may I ask is this with Council Mental Health Teams.?

This is different, these are charities not council run teams.

Please have a look and consider those links I have provided. Do understand this been there so many times.

Give you an insight I used one Council Team so awful, not right and me out the door.

No further forward, not a good sign.  After so many issues with Doctors, support was supposed to be coming, waiting lists.

I am one of these gents each time never happy with services provided. Then thinks about going else where. Even moved five times to get right services, support for addiction and mental health.

There is always an answer to any problems this is something I say to any one, not happy complain.

All Mental Health services have a code of conduct, duty of care.

Use RETHINK.  Supportive, intervene help you get the answers you want.  I used them.

So after the final knock back enrolled in Richmond Fellowship.

Three year contract, sorted me out advised on lots of things, aspects.

Bigger than MIND lots of information and it is all going to help you.

Unfortunately if there not in your area sorry but try MIND, or look on line for local Mental Health Charities in your area.

Please if I can also add one other relevant point .

Richmond Fellowship has a policy of clientele involvement asked to go to support meetings, discussions from everything running a branch.

Even design layouts of forms and letters. You have an glimmer an insight of how the charity works.

They also do look at you whether you could work for them.  Another aspect of this charity vast spectrum of opportunities depends on the employment path you wish to follow.

In a range of employment opportunities, something to think about.

Many staff were former clientele.  As why not employ people who are the same as you.

Met many, in conferences.

I would suggest one final aspect of anything mental health.

Write down what you need or want from any service.

Trust me been there sweating, anxious and can not talk. So wrote it down advised by floating support Richmond Fellowship.

Gave her the paper need help with this please.

I would always have a clear precise ideas of what you require.

Learnt that a long time ago.

Please if I can help further please get in touch happy to answer questions or just listen.

Please take care

@thespiceman

marshy4040

I was referred by my gp to mental health team i tried the links that you sent me the richmond one is too far as it is in cambridge and rethink site wont load up im afraid i have tried mind and most of information on there is to call certain numbers but problem with that is i struggle to talk on the phone 

thespiceman

Hello @marshy4040 Sorry to hear this my mistake . RETHINK just noticed wrong address.

Sorry about that.

https://www.rethink.org.

Correct website address.

Problems talking and communicating are the major signs of any mental health issues.

One way as I have explained is to write down what exactly you wish to discuss.

Make a script, write precise words , make it simple.

Have a glass of cold iced water , calm and deep breaths.

Use your script to ask the team.

Of any charity I have given you.

Sometimes we need to be thinking if we put obstacles or stones in our path do we go around or stand still.

Two paths your on this one path some one else like you is on  the other.

All signs lead to this gate and green grass and fresh start new beginnings.

You have stopped put a stone in your path, the other guy over come his obstacle moved ahead. Getting everything your entitled to.

You still stuck going no where.

I am not being critical just that analogy was told to me by support workers as I refused to do many things, make excuses not realise causing myself harm and hurt.

To my own self and ended up being removed, told me that story on the phone final one. Made me realise had to do something, besides I am always nervous and anxious doing the first small steps.

Anxiety can be coped any one would be, always first steps the hardest.

If you can not communicate use a friend or family or a neighbour.

If you feel you embarrassed about having mental health this is a problem for you.

I think it is important to recognise the positive outcomes.  The end results.

I am honest open and embracing about mine because one reason you forget. Others like you out there.

Might meet some one like you become friends become supportive become and support each other.

Every time been to a charity meet new friends, inspirational people.

You might meet some one like you also very much could be helping as well as yourself.

I have a disability, partial deafness, Motability problems struggle to walk and yet got the help I need.

Moved, left areas travelled on trains, cars, taxi my own expense to seek help, support with mental health.

Enrolled with various NHS services looking at ways to improve the systems on a low benefit award but coped did it and proud of everything I contributed.

If the charity is to far away Richmond Fellowship then ask about some one coming to pick up your self.

You will need probably have to pay petrol costs. Yet if that does help and you end up getting the right support is that worth it.

One thing forget you do get a laptop, to communicate by. No cost to you free, offers to all clientele.

There might suggest SKYPE. I did know before I left Richmond Fellowship. Going to use that for clientele who are in rural areas.

I live  in a rural areas struggle to get to meeting driving a problem but did this. Got to meeting support and much more all weathers.

All I can add please consider what is important to you the decision is yours.

Confidence, self esteem, negativity are all part of anxiety mental health and I have been there.

Please ask any questions or wish to ask me anything please do, one final point.

I glad I contacted all these charities if I did  would probably be still ill, or worse dead with alcoholism.

Something I know also would not be advising be supportive to you.

Life is too short wasted thirty years.  Being alcoholic drug issues.

Now middle fifties.  

Something to think about.

Please take care.

@thespiceman

Chloe_Scope

Hi @marshy4040 and a very warm welcome to the community! 

You might find Scope's employment services beneficial to have a look at.

Here are some other articles you might find helpful:

• Reasonable Adjustment
• Access to Work grant scheme
• Flexible working
• Asking for adjustments when you become disabled
• If your employer rejects adjustments

Please do let us know how you get on.