Good advice please, can you help?

Question

my sister has struggled with depression for a long time, but over the last five years since her divorce she has worsened, she has two great daughters aged 16 and 13 who live with her, she was diagnosed as clinically depressed at the start of this year,she used to work, although she was constantly changing jobs mainly because she would get very low and not work for several weeks, she usually blamed it on the current job and would find another.
she has not worked at all this year, (she is definatly not fit for work )and has been prescribed stronger tablets.
i must add she is not lazy or a sponger and prior to her being diagnosed as clinicly depressed she was a decent hard working mum.
her ex helps out as much as he can, (pays mortgage&girls upkeep)
the big problem now of course is paying her bills, she seems to have gone down every avenue to get some finantial help but hits a brick wall every time, this just adds to her illness, what can she do?

Answer 1

As she tried social security disability???.............She's suffering and from what you're saying here I would think she's unable to work..........Has she tried any kind of Welfare programs that give ADC (Aid to Dependent Children)???.....If she tried for Social Security Disability she's going to be put thru a lot from them and it will probably take time but if her own doctor will say she's unable to work due to her depression and she's on meds it should be the first step in her getting SS...........I wish her the best and hope she pulls out of her depression and she's lucky to have a caring brother like you...............CAT

Answer 2

When did the depression start, was it after she had her children. If so it could be that she had post natal depression that was left undiagnosed for many years, and then is can lead to feelings of self loathing and insecurity, then back to depression. It may also have contributed to her relationship break up, her partner may not have recognised that she had changed. Or has she always been a depressed person. Whatever the reason, if she is clinically depressed then however much money she has it won't help. She needs to get help and the rest will fall into place. I can recommend a book by Jon Kabat-Zinn called "Full Catastrophe Living". It helped me. Also his book "Wherever you go, There you are". Meditation and mindfullness also brings about change.

Answer 3

Hi, I'm assuming you are in the UK as you've asked this on the UK & Ireland section on yahoo answers.

I'm sorry to hear about your sisters illness and I know how it can effect a persons ability to cope. Just because she isn't well enough to work at the moment doesn't mean that she will never work again (I took a year off, but am now back in paid employment again).

Your sister will be able to apply for DLA (Disability Living Allowance) which can be paid whether a person is in employment or not. However, the criteria for this is quite strict and it is best to get an expert to help fill in the forms.

This link to the direct.gov website explains in more detail:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/DG_10011731

I would suggest either visiting your local Citizens Advice Bureau

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm#searchbox

or your local mental health charity

http://www.mind.org.uk/Mind+in+your+area/

both places will have experts in this area who can help with the application and can also do a benefits check to ensure that your sister is claiming all the help she is entitled to.

Your sister is suffering from a debilitating illness and has every right to claim benefits, don't listen to anyone who tells you differently.

Unfortunately our benefits system does seem to penalise sick people who have been able to work in the past. I am assuming that your sister will be claiming incapacity benefit, but unless this is topped up by income support, it means that she is not eligible for certain types of benefits that those claiming income support get as a right. If an application for DLA is successful (on higher rates) then more than likely because of premiums income support will be payable as well which then opens up more help.

As I said, it really is a good idea to get support and guidance when applying for benefits, so try either one of the organisations I've given links to.

These links to the Mind website may also prove useful

Looking after your personal finances:
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/index/personalfinance.htm

Benefits for people with mental health problems:
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Factsheets/Employment+and+benefits/Benefits.htm

Understanding depression:
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+depression.htm

the information is easy to read and understand and will give you more in depth information that I have given.

Good luck to both of you, there is help and support available if you know where to look for it.

Your local mental health charity will also be able to offer support to your sister with her illness as well as helping with financial things. They are less formal than the health services, which may help, they won't judge, but they do understand. It only takes a phone call to access their services.

Take care and hope this helps.

Answer 4

I am not sure how being clinically depressed affects the person in what they are able to do but I would suggest that you apply for a disability allowance and see what happens, you may get financial help you may not but it is worth a go, it is a terrible illness and very debilitating.

Answer 5

See depression treatments, at http://www.ezy-build.net. (.net.nz/~shaneris) in section 2: print/refer her. Get her some Omega 3 fish oil supplements, and cod liver oil capsules, and tell her to take 2 of each, daily, in winter months, but only 4 fish oil, in summer months. Try to get her to go for a 20 - 30 minute walk, preferably in sunlight, and offer to teach her one of the relaxation exercises, like candlegazing, or learn, and show her the EFT.

Answer 6

been thier done that.
inosital 2400mg daily
this along with her medication will help. but it takes about 2 months to work.
this is a type of b vitimin.
it has been proven to help depresion.
I take it and I swear by its effect.
I think it works better than the antidepresants ive taken over the last 20 years.

Answer 7

What country does she live in?

Answer 8

She needs to talk to the Doctor and ask about Effexor XR......
Some times to much medicine is not good.

Answer 9

u need to take her to see a counselar and for the financial part go to; citizins advice bouro