Disability

I am terrified that I may have to go on disability to deal with my almost debilitating anxiety issues and my self-medicating with alcohol. This is not how I ever imagined my life would end up. If this happened I would feel like a failure, like a loser, like a total collapse of everything I ever wanted for myself...but it's getting so hard to deal with life, with having tons of ambition / education / experience yet not getting any sort of properly-paying work save for data entry, with the cost of this city, with being stuck here because it costs money to move. I can barely sleep through the nights and I can barely get through my work days because I'm so unchallenged and bored and end up with obsessive thought. How on earth can anyone exist on disability in this city? And no, I have nowhere I can go and nobody I can stay with.

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Just Ask...

Nov 9, 2017 at 2:41pm

Mrs. "anonymous"

barely sleeping

Nov 9, 2017 at 2:57pm

I know that so many are experiencing debilitating anxiety and stress right now. I have experienced debilitating anxiety as well. Here are some of the free resources that have helped me: Oak Counselling (there is a wait list that is long but once you get in they have very good counsellors), the crisis hotline (for people to talk to when you feel like you have no one else), free yoga can be found too if you like that, just type it in your google search and libraries. Libraries are amazing places filled with free movies, magazines, the internet and free courses. Plus if you get social anxiety of any kind you don't have to interact in the library unless you want to.
What helped me the most was the counselling. I hope that you find something that will help. You are definitely not alone and please know that your have value and from what you've written it seems as if it is not any fault of your own. This city and even this province is really rough right now for a lot of people.
The thing that worked best for me in the end was being self employed but I had to get there by also working part time while I figured out how to be self-employed. There is a free program through work bc that will help you create your own business, if you are laid off or underemployed. If you are in that situation, see if you can find it at one of their offices. They even pay for your living expenses, or they used to. Good luck with your situation and I hope that you can find some loving support.

Reality69

Nov 9, 2017 at 2:59pm

Sorry m8 but you have to up and go to realize true reality is not Vancouver. It’s a bubble about to burst. Even if you leave for a couple months, years or however long the city itself will always be here. Sometimes you have to change environment to know that happiness for you does exist. Papi bless

Sad Truth

Nov 9, 2017 at 3:14pm

I work with people who live in this city on disability, but they're also doing survival sex work and/or selling drugs. So needless to say, living in this city on disability might be filled with even harder work than data entry.

xxxx

Nov 9, 2017 at 3:16pm

Change the way you see things and things will change.

@××××

Nov 9, 2017 at 5:07pm

Great advice, did you get that from the Secret? Eff off.

Anonymous

Nov 9, 2017 at 10:33pm

It's hard. I've been trying to get into BC Housing for two years now. Others have been waiting longer. I'm about to go back to work - only part-time, to see if I can handle it. I haven't worked in about two years now. I'm hoping that having something productive to do will help with my mental health (although high stress jobs I've had in the past have definitely worsened it). I also need the money! I don't know how anyone gets by on PWD without earning extra income somehow or at least being in subsidized housing. Even then, it's not easy. Most people I know have to rely on resources like food banks.

If you have to go on disability, it's better to go on provincial (PWD) first. They'll eventually force you to also apply for federal (CPP Disability), but if you get CPP first it affects what coverage you can get provincially.

What kind of support do you have for your mental health?

The Access and Assessment Centre at VGH is a good place to start. They're open 24/7 and you can either walk in or phone them for help. They're the central intake point for mental health and substance use services in Vancouver. They're located at 803 West 12th Avenue in the new mental health building at VGH and their phone number is (604) 675-3700.

The Mood Disorders Association has peer support groups. Check their website for info.

Some people say it's really hard to get PWD. I put off applying for years, although I had psychiatrists assuming I was on it long before I was and a social worker try to help me with my application while I was in hospital maybe five years before I applied. When I did apply, I had a mental health team by that point. The psychiatrists and case managers who work at those are typically well versed in how to apply for PWD and can help you with the forms. I got PWD the first time I applied for it. Same for CPP Disability. I expected to be turned down for CPP because the application had a lot of questions that related to things like disabilities affecting mobility, and mine are all mental health. Still, my application was approved on the first try. I think a lot of it is having someone fill out your forms who knows how to word things. If you want to do it and your doctor etc who are filling out forms for you aren't familiar with the process, I'd suggest also working with someone who can advocate for you. Look up Disability Alliance BC. They can help.

@@××××

Nov 10, 2017 at 12:48pm

Oh my gawd, I looked that up. "best selling" Just wow.

Just Ask...

Nov 10, 2017 at 2:44pm

see? told you so.

@Just Ask

Nov 10, 2017 at 8:18pm

...what in the everloving Christ are you going off about? Especially when someone has confessed to some true personal terror and pain? Get off the Straight site and have a serious moment of self-reflection, if you are capable of that; you are being a shady jerk for no reason. If you have a personal issue with someone, contact that someone.

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