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Category: Anxiety (Page 1 of 3)

How To Deal With Intrusive Thoughts

September 11, 2022 / / 0 Comments
NLP Practitioner

How To Deal With Intrusive Thoughts

WHAT’S IN THIS ARTICLE:

  • What are Intrusive Thoughts
  • Types Of Intrusive Thoughts
  • What You Can Do
  • Related Mental Health Disorders
  • When to Get Help

Overview:

The majority of us from time to time experience worry, anxiety, stress, depression, grief, and fear. If you are reading this and do not agree that you have never experienced any of the above, you are not being true to yourself.

Sometimes we experience unwanted thoughts like did we shut the door behind us or did we turn off the stove. This annoying thought may get stuck in our heads until we put our minds at ease. Usually, you can ignore it and move on. But sometimes, it just keeps returning.

What are Intrusive Thoughts?

Intrusive thoughts or negative thoughts are thoughts that either lingers on your mind or pop in out of nowhere. They are part of our coping mechanisms. However unwanted lingering thoughts stem from stress, fear, and anxiety. People who have suffered trauma can affect their beliefs about the future via loss of hope, limited expectations about life, fear that life will end abruptly or early, or anticipation that normal life events won’t occur (e.g., access to education, ability to have a significant and committed relationship, good opportunities for work). All these events can manifest intrusive thoughts.

Understanding the Impact of Trauma – Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)

“Nearly everyone experiences Intrusive Thoughts from time to time”.

So why do these thoughts happen and what causes them?

An intrusive thought is not always related to an underlying condition. It may be caused by:

Intrusive thoughts either linger on one’s mind or simply come in out of nowhere.

These thoughts are unpleasant and unwanted and manifest in our minds, sometimes without warning or other times if we dwell on something for long periods that is worrying us.

These thoughts can sometimes be violent, sexual, or simply harmless worries.

Intrusive thoughts usually heighten when you feel, stressed or distressed, typically having an intrusive once in a while is just part of life.

It only becomes concerning if your thoughts because dangerous and uncontrollable.

In most cases, intrusive thoughts do not have any particular meaning. As long as you recognize that these are only thoughts and are controllable and harmless and that you have no desire to act on them, intrusive thoughts are usually not harmful.

However, if they’re happening often, causing significant concern, or interfering with your daily activities, it’s a good idea to talk with a doctor.

I must admit that I do suffer from intrusive thoughts occasionally, especially when I am stressed or depressed but would never act on them other than if they were related to OCD Germ Contamination. Through my learning journey, I am trying to heal. In fact, I have completed my Diploma in Hypnotherapy, and am studying Neuroplasticity.

Intrusive thoughts can range from random images to disturbing and violent ideas like punching someone in the face or hurting yourself.

(Yes I have had thoughts of punching someone in the face, but I would not go through with such a ludicrous idea because (a) my OCD germ contamination thought would kick in of actually physically touching someone, and secondly (b) it is simply a stupid thought).

Other intrusive thoughts are: did I cross-contaminate (did I touch something by accident) and does my thought warrant me to act on my compulsion such as changing my clothes because my daughter’s cat brushed past me? Usually, I try and fight the urge (CBT). Depending on how stressed I am will depend on how successfully I can resist the thought. Most of the time my germ contamination thoughts overpower me, like I said it all depends on my anxiety and stress levels.

I am aware that with OCD sometimes it is hard to fight your thoughts and you succumb to the urge. Hypnotherapy and meditation help with the process of healing.

Survivor of Domestic Violence

Whilst I was enduring emotional and physical abuse, the thought of harming myself crossed my mind, but again I knew I had to prove to the abuser that I would not be broken, no matter how many times he tried and kept saying to myself what does not kill you make you stronger. I decided no matter how low he made me feel I would not give him the satisfaction and would not give up. I decided to focus on building this site and working really hard. He eventually left with his tail between his legs because he knew he was defeated and no matter what he did or said to me was no longer working. I felt rejoiceful that he had lost his battle to destroy me and I concentrated on moving forward by suppressing all my thoughts and all the bad memories by putting the past behind me.

(I am a survivor of domestic violence, the abuser has left the country).

For anyone else experiencing intrusive thoughts, they are usually harmless as long as they can be under control. But if you obsess about them to the extent that it interrupts your day-to-day life, this can be a sign of an underlying mental health problem.

Intrusive thoughts can be a symptom of grief, stress, anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Types of Intrusive Thoughts

OCD thoughts.

OCD thoughts depending what type of OCD you have. There are Nineteen Characteristics of OCD. With OCD the sufferer that has intrusive thoughts usually actions the compulsions to ease the discomfort of the thought lingering in their head, this could be from checking the door handles and switches to counting or avoiding certain numbers, objects, or people. This is a defense mechanism to protect the sufferer from their fear that if they do not carry out the compulsion something bad might happen.

Sexual thoughts.

Sexual thoughts are usually natural regardless of gender. An Intrusive sexual thought however when it becomes uncomfortable with or shocked by the thoughts and images to the point you are fixated on something, you should talk it over with a professional.

Experts say it’s best to remind yourself that these are just passing, automatic thoughts. They don’t define you in any way.

Violent thoughts.

Violent thoughts of punching someone in the face are harmless as long as you do not act on them.

Sometimes violent thoughts may have dark meanings like harming yourself or someone else. Usually, these thoughts are harmless, even repetitive as long as you have no intention to act on them. These thoughts are very unpleasant and if you feel you cannot cope you should speak with a professional or phone the Samaritans. You can also contact us and keep yourself anonymous if you prefer. These thoughts usually pass in time. But if you find yourself planning to follow your thoughts through, you need to speak with a professional to help to manage your emotions. Talk to a doctor or a therapist.

Negative thoughts.

Negative thoughts can be multiple ideas. An example you have imposter syndrome, you feel like a failure or if you think about something negative will happen because you essentially are manifesting it in your life. The more you think negatively the chances of whatever you are thinking will come true. It is best to rewire my mind. These thoughts should fade as your situation changes. But if they become overwhelming, you could have depression or anxiety. Talk to a mental health professional about how to control your symptoms.

However, science teaches us that In 1949, psychologist Donald Hebb laid out his compelling “assembly theory” of how the brain achieves this feat. It is best summarized by the mantra “neurons that fire together wire together.” Meaning what we reap is what we sow in other words if we continually think negatively eventually what we are thinking will happen. The idea is that neurons responding to the same stimulus connect preferentially to form “neuronal ensembles.”

What You Can Do


The best way to heal is to learn about the brain and our thoughts, learning about our conscious mind and our subconscious mind helps us understand the supercomputers we have (brain), yet, we only use a total of 5% of our entire human mind Keeping ourselves busy and distracting ourselves is a strategy to heal.

At the end of the day, most intrusive thoughts are just thoughts.

The only time they become a red flag or a signal that you actually want to do the disturbing things you’re thinking about is when you feel you are no longer in control.

If they bother you, you can take steps to cut down on their frequency and intensity.

You Can:

  • Evaluate your life and what is troubling you.
  • Recognize your thoughts and label them for what they are.
  • Distract yourself from your thoughts, watch a movie, read a book or do some scripting and write your thoughts down on paper in a journal or online.
  • Release the tension and share your thoughts with others. (There are groups and forums you can join or if your thoughts are overwhelming contact a professional like your doctor or phone the Samaritans.
  • Accept that they will pass eventually.
  • Listen to empowering motivational speakers like Jake Ducey or Dr. Caroline Leaf. Check them out on YouTube.
  • Give yourself time for the intrusive thoughts to fade away.
  • Be prepared for your unwanted thoughts to come back.
  • Learn about your mind and neuroplasticity and how your thoughts can be controlled.

Do Not:

  • Do not act or engage in dangerous thoughts, for example hurting yourself or someone else.
  • Do not be too hard on yourself. Try to question yourself and why you’re having them in the first place.
  • Do not just do nothing in the hope your thoughts will go away. Often distracting yourself from a situation will get your mind occupied with other things and your thoughts become suppressed.

Related Mental Health Disorders.

Sometimes, thoughts go beyond being intrusive.

Related mental health disorders associated with repetitive unwanted intrusive thoughts, could be a sign of OCD. This type of anxiety disorder causes the sufferer to have recurring, unwanted thoughts that they may not be able to control. This may be the compulsion to repeat certain behaviors or actions over and over again.

In contrast, delusional paranoid thoughts, such as thinking someone is always watching you or wants to hurt you, can be a sign of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

If you have these thoughts, talk to a psychiatrist for diagnosis and treatment options.

When to Get Help

If your intrusive thoughts become unmanageable and start to take over your life, you need to seek professional help or as I am doing am learning online, keeping myself busy all the time, and doing extensive research. I will not claim to be the next Paul Mckenna of this world and one day I would like to meet him, but I do believe hypnotherapy and meditation play an important part in the healing process. The issue with hypnotherapy and meditation is you have to keep at it, you cannot just do it once and expect miracles it does not work like that.

Although I have completed my Hypnotherapy Diploma and have hypnotized myself I have not done it enough times to actually see much of a difference hence I re-iterate that you need to be consistent with it.

Self Help & Self Hypnosis

The way I deal with intrusive thoughts is by scripting and using my online journal. I feel much better after I have released my energy and often anger either on paper or mostly online.

If you are finding life too difficult to bear and you are getting contact with intrusive dangerous thoughts, contact your Doctor or Emergency Services.

A doctor may refer you to a behavioral therapist, psychologist, social worker, or psychiatrist for further diagnosis and treatment.

Personally, for me, this is my own process of healing, learning, and passing my knowledge to others.

“An Investment In Knowledge Pays The Best Interest” – by Benjamin Fraklin

Remember we have a useful links page and depending on where you are in the world you have your Doctor you can contact or emergency services (112) this is the international number. In the UK we have (999) and for nonurgent (111).

Further Reading

Rewiring Our Brains -tDCS

My Daily Mental and Physical Self-Care Routine & How I Manage My Menta – Dr. Leaf (drleaf.com)

Debunking the Serotonin-Depression Theory (with Psychiatrist & Profess – Dr. Leaf (drleaf.com)

The Difference Between the Nonconscious, Subconscious & Conscious Mind – Dr. Leaf (drleaf.com)

The Great Psychiatry Fraud – Dr. Leaf (drleaf.com)

#intrusivethoughts #ocd #negativethoughts #neuroplasticity #neuroscience #hypnosis #meditation #learning

Impact of Energy Prices On Vulnerable People

September 4, 2022 / / 1 Comment
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Impact of Energy Prices On Vulnerable People.

Vulnerable people are being hospitalized because their energy supplies are being cut off because of nonpayment and arrears.

Some vulnerable people need energy supplies more so than the normal healthy person, this could be oxygen tanks, to mobility equipment.

Vulnerable people are being hospitalized after having gas and electric cut off (msn.com)

I have always known that large corporations do not care about people. If you look at the bigger picture, if you or I murdered someone we would go to jail regardless if we did it ourselves or hired someone to do it for us. So why is it that world leaders can start wars and get away with murder?

The whole point of wars is to raise inflation, people tend to panic buy, by worrying about price rises. But for organizations such as utility providers that are on a gravy train getting compensated by the federal reserve, they do not care about your well-being either.

It is all about the sheer greed for money and power.

BullionVault

Hidden Secrets of Money – Mike Maloney. – CYMRU DIGITAL MARKETING BUSINESS JOURNAL (cymrumarketing.com)

Politicians kicking the can down the road: Liz Truss: No more sticking plasters to fix the energy crisis (msn.com)

Liz Truss vows to act ‘immediately’ and will help millions ‘within a week’ with their ‘energy bills’ if she is elected as PM – London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

OFGEM the ombudsman for energy suppliers is the government. The energy suppliers and the governments work hand in hand. Ofgem is supposed to work with people and not against them: However, Samantha Allen, chief executive of the NHS in the North East and Cumbria, hit out at Ofgem for halting energy supplies for vulnerable people who haven’t paid. Risks to clinically vulnerable people (northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk) Do you see that OFGEM is on the side of the energy supplier and not the people?

It will be interesting to see if what I say is true, because I have reported British Gas to OFGEM and I have until October 14th, 2022 to get a response.

The MPs are getting richer and the rest of us are getting poorer.

So it is no surprise there is an investigation going on how MPs have claimed taxpayer’s money to pay for the energy bills.

Ministers’ claims for gas, electricity, and water came to just over £195,000 in 2021–’22, according to an analysis of data from IPSA.

It also showed since 2019 that MPs have claimed just over £692,000 to cover these utility costs, with £538,000 alone going on heating bills.

Suella Braverman, favorite to be named home secretary if Ms. Truss wins the leadership contest, has claimed £7,160 for household utilities since the 2019-’ 20 financial period.

Education secretary James Cleverly, predicted to become foreign secretary, billed taxpayers £4,142 in energy and water bills at the same time.

Among senior Labour MPs making the claims was the party’s deputy leader Angela Rayner, who has been handed £2,318 to cover energy and water bills since 2019.

MPs claimed almost £200,000 from taxpayer to heat second homes (msn.com)

You have to bear in mind that these people in power have never experienced poverty for themselves, they have never had to worry about keeping a roof over their heads or putting food on the table let alone finding money to pay bills.

It is ironic that the same people go around preaching how someone should budget their money and send you to places like stepchange .org when you already have a clear picture that you do not have enough money coming in to cover your bills. So how can these charities help other than to give donations?

It really rattles me that the people at the top preach to the rest of us about money yet they are the ones causing us to get into debt.

Note From The Editor

Think of it this way the world is overpopulated, and the governments are forking a shed load for vulnerable people and people with disabilities. The governments (UK are in trillions of debt to the EU for Brexit, so where is the money going to come from to clear the UK debt?

I am now on par with managing my money after months of sheer heartache with British Gas. This cost of living, British Gas, and my creditors have caused me to dive into a deep state of depression and some days find it hard to function properly. If Covid was not bad enough and I lost a lot of business now I am having clients dropping like flies because they cannot afford to run their websites any longer. I do not see the government helping small businesses, do you?

I do try to keep myself busy and I try to learn something new every day. Talking to people does not help (not for me anyway), what advice can someone give, if they are not more qualified than me, or know my personal circumstances?

“Knowledge is Power“.

I am not saying do not talk to someone, in fact, I advise you to talk to a friend, family, or colleague, especially if life is becoming unbearable. Even go as far as talking to your GP (Doctor) but if it can’t wait phone A&E or ER.

What I find is venting my thoughts on this site helps. It not only helps me but can help someone else like me.

You do not have to use your real name just set up a Gmail email and register on here to also vent. In fact, I have even got categories called “Online Journal General” and “I Need To Vent”.

My final recommendation is not to stop paying your bills altogether, but instead, pay what you can afford while at the same time reducing your energy usage. This will hurt the energy suppliers’ profits. I have elected to pay monthly by bank transfer rather than direct debit, this gives me greater control over my bank and does not give energy suppliers a license to help themselves.

How To Reduce Your Energy Usage Home & Business – CYMRU DIGITAL MARKETING BUSINESS JOURNAL (cymrumarketing.com)

#energyprices #vulnerablepeople #mentalhealth #ofgem #enerysupply #energyproviders #vulnerabledeaths

PIP Personal Independence Payment Delays And The Repercussions On Mental & Physical Health.

August 24, 2022 / / 0 Comments

PIP Personal Independence Payment Delays And The Repercussions On Mental & Physical Health.

Disclaimer Scotland: People in Scotland will no longer be able to make a new claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from August 29 when the benefit will be replaced by Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in all 32 council areas across the country. At present, 13 local authorities are now offering ADP to adults over 16 and under State Pension age living with a disability, long-term illness or a physical or mental health condition.

Most people don’t like complaining and will not make a formal complaint about anything let alone the DWP, because they believe it would be a waste of time and could cause a knock-on effect on their other benefits.  For those that do complain and, after many months of pursuing, end up giving up.  The ones that are determined come away with a pathetic apology and feel they have hit a brick wall. They accept the mediocre admission by the DWP or Atos, Capita, that these organizations made a mistake and nothing else happens, their mental health is simply disregarded without a second thought.

ANN ABRAHAMS – REPORT

However, the most recently released report reveals that a tiny number of people pursue their complaints further and end up being awarded large sums in compensation. The report is called ‘Small mistakes, big consequences’ and is written by Ann Abrahams, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Ann Abraham should be a name that should stand out as well as your local MP.

“Remember nothing happens quickly after all these people are not in a hurry to find money to put food on their tables, only you are”…

(The report can be downloaded using the following link: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Small mistakes, big consequences HC 6 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

MEDICAL EVIDENCE

Your illnesses and disabilities should be corroborated with medical evidence and letters from GPs and consultants. This payment is to help with your daily living and is not an alternative to being a benefit bum and living off benefits. This payment is for people who truly deserve the extra money because of their disabilities. The reason why the Government is clamping down is because of too many fake, lazy individuals that see this as free money.

DELAYS

Delays are causing people to become ill through worry and stress. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/what-is-stress/ Hundreds of thousands of disabled people are having to wait for £300 million of vital support, according to a new analysis from Citizens Advice.

Citizens Advice said: “PIP, which can see people with an illness, disability or mental health condition receive up to £157 a week, is a lifeline for millions of people, yet the government is playing with people’s lives and their health.

There are currently around 327,000 Disabled people on the waiting list, with an average waiting time of five months. Citizens Advice projects this means £300 million of payments that would be awarded are being held up, after all the government needs to look after themselves first before thinking about the other half of the population. You are not their priority, although you should be.

“Waiting for this payment is having a huge impact on people’s lives. Delays in assessment mean that support is held up, forcing people into impossible choices as they try to make ends meet.”

STATISTICS

  • People are facing humiliation as 1 in 5 people have needed to go to a food bank in the last 3 months who have also had an issue with PIP. Many of those waiting for a decision will also be eligible for the £150 disability benefits cost-of-living support payment but are unlikely to get it before October’s mammoth energy price hike.
  • There are more people coming to Citizens Advice for help with PIP than with any other issue in fact an astonishing 41% more than any other issue.
  • Around 150 people are contacting advisors at Citizens Advice every hour for one-to-one help, and its webpage on “How the DWP makes a decision on PIP claims” had 27,700 page views last month, up 56% year on year.

CITIZENS ADVICE

Citizens Advice is calling on the Government to take urgent action to relieve pressure in the system and help get money to people who desperately need it. It is calling for an emergency plan from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to urgently tackle this backlog, including reducing the number of claimants required to have a medical assessment, which is the main reason for these delays – and extending the award period so people have to reclaim less often.

The severe PIP assessment backlog is not just affecting new claimants but also those seeking reassessments or needing extensions to their claims. These lengthy delays are having a substantial impact on their applications for other benefits such as blue parking badges, bus passes, and Motability vehicles.” https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/bus-passes-for-the-disabled/

Backlogs in the disability benefit assessment system are having significant knock-on effects on disabled people’s ability to live independently, new evidence has shown.

These delays are also causing further turmoil for disabled people whose support needs have increased and believe they should now be entitled to higher PIP payments.

The evidence has come from the Benefits and Work website, which has heard from a string of existing PIP recipients who say the delays are causing tremendous emotional distress and significant problems.

In March, Disability News Service (DNS) reported how the backlog of disabled people waiting for a PIP assessment had more than trebled in the last five years, from 88,500 in October 2016 to nearly 312,000 by December 2021.

DNS has also reported on similar problems with the Access to Work system, with DWP figures showing the number of disabled people waiting for decisions on their applications has more than quadrupled in a year from just 4,890 in March 2021 to 20,909 in March this year.

One of the ways the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is dealing with the lengthening PIP assessment backlog is by providing temporary (3 months), short-term extensions to PIP claimants who are waiting for their benefits to be reviewed.

Editors’ Opinion – “Do they not have enough unemployed people to do a bit of paperwork? How about outsourcing the work would be another idea and finally only appraise the people that have medical evidence to corroborate their illnesses”?

The Government is purposely dragging its heels in order to save money.

“This is Evil, a Disgrace, and a Shambles”.

Vicky Foxcroft, Labour’s shadow minister for disabled people said:

“With the cost-of-living crisis hitting disabled people particularly hard, it is shocking this government has not got a grip of the PIP backlog, which has been going on for months now”.

“Short-term fixes aren’t enough anymore. Disabled people deserve so much better than this; Tory ministers need to get a grip on this backlog, especially given the impact it is now having on other benefits for disabled people.

“A future Labour government would invest properly in disabled people, ensuring they had the support needed.”

A DWP spokesperson said:

“We closely monitor the progress of PIP cases awaiting assessment and take all steps possible to ensure claimants receive the vital support they require”.

“We can and do make in-house decisions on award reviews without referral to assessment providers where necessary and use a blend of phone, video, and face-to-face assessments to ensure support is given as quickly as possible.”

People Who Suffer From OCD

Daily Living Descriptor 6 – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

The Upper Tribunal has recently made a decision (CPIP/3760/2016) about how people with OCD can claim points under PIP.

BACKGROUND

The PIP Regulations say that people who can’t do an activity listed in one of the PIP descriptors safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard, and no more than twice as slowly as a non-disabled person, shouldn’t be counted as being able to do that activity for the purposes of PIP. (I keep a note of my health online and so does my daughter. I think as a sufferer of OCD the form does not actually cover all the different types of OCD). https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/category/renatas-online-journal/ & https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/category/zena-online-journal/

Therefore there has been some confusion about people with OCD, who usually can do an activity perfectly well, but have to do it over and over again or in particular ways or at particular times.

(Assessors who are not specialized in diagnosing OCD or any other illness should not have any input about the claim – just because they have passed e-learning does not make them any more qualified than you or me).

The PIP descriptors and the regulations didn’t deal with this sort of situation very well and so lots of people with OCD lost out on awards. Now the Upper Tribunal has looked at the issue and made a judgment that will help people with OCD to earn points for PIP.

WHAT THE UPPER TRIBUNAL DECIDED

The Upper Tribunal case was about a person who took a very long time to get dressed because their OCD meant they had to repetitively try on lots of different outfits until she found one she was happy to wear. The DWP argued that this long time didn’t count for the purposes of PIP because it was just the person’s choice to try lots of clothes on. The Upper Tribunal, however, held that because the person’s hesitations and repetitive behavior were ‘the consequence of her health condition’, she was entitled to points because it took her more than twice as long as a non-disabled person to dress. But the UT did say that if the longer time had not been a consequence of her health condition, she would not have been entitled to points.

This decision is important because the principle that delays in being able to complete a task because of the consequences of a mental health condition like OCD can be applied to all descriptors, not just dressing. So a person with OCD who can eat perfectly well but who takes an hour to eat because of obsessive rituals about arranging the table, or a person who can wash perfectly well but who does so eleven times three times a day, could claim points under those PIP descriptors.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU

If you have OCD for example and have obsessive rituals or other behavior which means that you take much longer to do activities of daily living like cooking, eating, dressing, and so on, then you now can use this Upper Tribunal decision to strengthen your argument for claiming PIP.

Note that you will still have to be able to show that you have been diagnosed with OCD or a similar mental health condition and you do in fact have behavior that means you take much longer than a non-disabled person to complete daily living activities. Good strong evidence from people who know you will be needed.

You will also have to show that your behavior is a consequence of your mental health condition and not just your own preferred way of doing things. Showing that you can’t change the way you do things even if it is against your interests will be useful – eg that you miss appointments because you can’t get there in time owing to a dressing ritual.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF OCD

Different Types of OCD

OCD is a very complicated illness it is not just about washing or checking or taking too long to shower, dress or cook food. It may be the fear of germ contamination (as I have). I know logically we are surrounded by germs but the thought of contracting something or being harmed through direct contact with an unsanitized area does not bear thinking about. I am cocooned in my own surrounding where I can keep my intrusive thoughts under control as best I can. My disabilities are not just OCD, they are Depression, Social Disconnection, and Cognitive Impairment (Cerebellar Atrophy) to name a few.

TIMING

As with everything, it all takes time and you are not a priority.

Upper Tribunal decisions take time for your claims, mandatory reconsideration, and appeals, and it may take some months before DWP and assessors finally make the decision.

Unfortunately for you, this causes considerable stress on your mental health and pressure on your finances. You can either suffer and do nothing other than wait or you could complain.

If your appeal is taking longer than expected you have grounds to contact the ombudsman.

If you have been treated unfairly and given the DWP and Tribunal time to respond and they have not within the timeframe then you need to start getting all your evidence together to build a case. You can take it even further and take it to an Ombudsman (Last Resort).

You can read the full judgement here: https://www.gov.uk/…/ml-v-secretary-of-state-for-work-and-p…

USEFUL LINKS:

PIP delays leave disabled people hundreds of millions of pounds out of pocket – Citizens Advice

How do some claimants get thousands of £££ in DWP compensation (benefitsandwork.co.uk)

How to use DWP for compensation? – LegalBeagles Forum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Tribunal

http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/hmcts/tribunals

adminappeals@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk

Suing DWP for compensation … — Scope | Disability forum

Complain to us: getting started | Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

FINAL THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITOR!

If an organization or entity causes you to become unwell because of their actions, they should be held responsible and should pay for damages.

If people are becoming mentally and physically unwell because of the Government’s actions then the claimants should be awarded compensation.

If you have been affected by:

  • Emotional Distress (causing, stress, anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, and making your mental illness worse).
  • Indirect Discrimination (entity assuming because you have an invisible illness you are classed as normal).
  • Harassment
  • Intimidation
  • Humiliation (having to go to food banks or being pitied because you are disabled).

Consequences

If your illness gets worse because of an entity’s direct action and in the cases of auto-immune diseases you can relapse because of stress: https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/living-better-with-ms-guide/triggers-that-can-cause-ms-flares. then, you have under the human rights act the right to take further action. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/what-direct-and-indirect-discrimination

Flawed System

The PIP system is flawed, it employs people who are not qualified in the field of the illness (one needs to be a specialist in the field and should undergo years of training as well as qualifications to determine what the claimant is suffering from). The system is designed to degrade people and to make them unwell. The more people that become unwell the more money Big Pharma makes and that is how the world goes round.

Making a Complaint

Do exhaust all avenues of complaint procedures before contacting the ombudsman and do collate as much evidence as you can. If you have a blog or social media page share it with the people I have mentioned in this article. People usually take notice if you have a professional site and you know what you are talking about.

If you want our help and need a letter we can send you a template with all users, names, and addresses and you fill in the blanks. Our template letters are £5.00 and you will get a download link once the payment has been processed, if you want us to write the letter for you it will cost £25 per 1000 words. Your privacy and data will be safeguarded with a non-disclosure agreement.

PIP Mailing Address is:

Personal Independence (2), 2 Mail Handling Site (A), Wolverhampton., WV98 18B

Tel Number:

0800 121 4433 ( be prepared to wait 45 minutes to be put through)

Email:

contactus@capita-pip.co.uk

** Just to explain when I spoke to PIP today over my daughter’s award the woman said that my daughter or I would have to submit evidence by post. Knowing they had an email I said could it not be done electronically (I bit my tongue about saving the environment) and the woman I spoke to blatantly lied and said there is no email address.

The amount of time I had to wait to be put through could easily cause someone who has multiple sclerosis or any other auto-immune disease and suffers from bad stress and anxiety to easily relapse. Furthermore, I do not know who they employ because I had to spell ‘Alemtuzumab‘ out even though I clearly told the woman the word can be found on www.lemtrada.com.

I am not looking forward to the assessment my daughter is due to have because if they make my daughter perform like a circus monkey that will mean I will have to intervene. My daughter documents her health in her online journal on this platform. I am not looking forward to having to deal with these people.

Contact Us For a Template Using The Form Below:

Further Reading

DWP admits wrongly rejecting disabled people for benefits at record rate | The Independent

People who claim PIP or were denied benefit payments could be owed £13,000 due to rule change | The Sun

‘I’ve recently had my PIP benefit claim turned down – how can I appeal it’ – Mirror Online

Thousands of people ‘wrongly’ denied PIP disability payments after surging in DWP appeals – Mirror Online

#dwp #pip #personalindependencepayments #invisibledisabilities #indirectdiscrimination #humanrights #equalityact #ocdandpip #emotionaldistress #humiliation

Insulting My Intelligence, the meaning!

July 29, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Insulting MY Intelligence.

I am rattled today because of an email I received from an agency that is run by my local council and they seem to separate themselves even though they are one. They are basically saying that they are not the local council and are passing the buck.

I am getting irate because this is costing me time having to argue with them and not to mention it is also affecting my daughter’s mental health and it is also affecting me. We both have disabilities and I fight my daughters’ battles even though it sometimes can also affect me too.

“No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” – Mark Twain

“Trusting someone’s opinion over your own is admitting you believe they’re smarter than you are.” – Charles Faraone

It takes a lot to get me rattled but people (sheep reading off scripts) do push my buttons and eventually if one does it enough times “you will see me blow”.

I am normally a calm person but if people purposely wind me up and think I am an idiot to believe the BS, they have another thing coming.

Not only this, the said agency is basically insinuating that Multiple Sclerosis is Not a Disability and they are undermining the results by the Professor of Neurology.

“This post serves as the foundation of the whirlwind I will stir and will happily sing like a canary”.

Me, The Singing Canary!

So despite showing evidence that my daughter has had a relapse this said agency is still in need of more evidence. My daughter’s neurologist is on annual leave should I demand he drop his holiday and everything else he is doing to pussyfoot around these people?

I find the behavior of this agency is causing emotional distress and indirectly discriminating which is against the law. If I have proven my daughter has relapsed and needs help getting around occasionally, as no two days are the same, you would think they would be more understanding but they keep putting obstacles in the way and causing distress.

I am dealing with this as I do not want my daughter to relapse again and I will not allow her to jump on one foot whilst touching her nose and act like a performing seal just to prove a point. I reiterate medical evidence will suffice and she will not be questioned by someone who is not qualified for the role (my daughter’s friend is a PIP assessor with only GCSEs to her name).

Indirect discrimination

Indirect discrimination happens when there is a policy that applies in the same way for everybody but disadvantages a group of people who share a protected characteristic, and you are disadvantaged as part of this group. If this happens, the person or organization applying the policy must show that there is a good reason for it.

A ‘policy’ can include a practice, a rule, or an arrangement.  

It makes no difference whether anyone intended the policy to disadvantage you or not.  

To prove that indirect discrimination is happening or has happened:

  • there must be a policy that an organization is applying equally to everyone (or to everyone in a group that includes you)
  • the policy must disadvantage people with your protected characteristic when compared with people without it
  • you must be able to show that it has disadvantaged you personally or that it will disadvantage you
  • the organization cannot show that there is a good reason for applying the policy despite the level of disadvantage to people with your protected characteristic

If the organization can show there is a good reason for its policy, it is not indirect discrimination. This is known as objective justification.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/what-direct-and-indirect-discrimination

Note From The Editor.

With this said if an organization treats someone with ‘Multiple Sclerosis’ or any other ‘Invisibile Disability’ the same way you would treat a normal able body person, they are in fact indirectly discriminating, which is against the law.

With Multiple Sclerosis you have good days and you have bad days.

The weather can impact your health.

No two days are the same.

The same can be said with someone with mental health issues, one day you can be somewhat fine and other days you could be not doing so well.

There is no way of measuring or predicting if a person will be ok from one day to the next.

Not only this arguing with people (sheep), causes emotional distress which in the case of ‘Multiple Sclerosis’ can cause a person to relapse.

If this continues I will be looking to seek damages for:

  • Emotional Distress
  • Indirect Discrimination.

#travelcards #multiplesclerosis #indirectdiscrimination #humanrights

British Gas Customer Intimidation & Treating Customers Badly.

July 26, 2022 / / 1 Comment

British Gas Intimidation and Disregard For Mental Health & Vulnerabilities.

Intimidation is intentional behavior that causes the victim emotional distress, panic, fear, anxiety, and depression. The instigator of intimidation tries to intimidate the victim by threatening a person into paying more than they can afford, not giving time to pay, and simply disregarding the person’s disabilities. Any entity that causes distress to another person should be made accountable, especially if they have no regard for the victims’ personal health and disabilities.

  • Type of harm to vulnerable adult – Emotional /Psychological
  • Meaning – Action or inaction by others that causes mental anguish.
  • Example – Action or inaction by others that causes mental anguish. Inflexible regimes and lack of choice. Mocking, coercing, denying privacy, threatening behaviour, bullying, intimidation, harassment, deliberate isolation, deprivation.

If British Gas denied or try to defend that they did not cause emotional distress then why would they have called the Police (Duty of Care) if that was not the case? British Gas could have pushed me over the edge, and they did cause me anguish, despair, and emotional distress.

Emotional Distress Compensation

Update To Ongoing Saga!

I wrote not so long about ‘British Gas’ and the problems I am having with this company and have decided to write a separate update to the continuation of my saga.

British Gas:

  • Failed to support me with mental health disabilities
  • Failed to offer an affordable payment plan even though I told them that I had contacted their charity and asked them to give me more time.
  • Tried to intimidate me to pay £190 per month even though all I owed at the time was £318.74 (according to the threatening letter date 16th July 2022) as seen below:
  • Caused me emotional distress and as a consequence, they called the Police. (A riot van rocked up on my street and I could see the twitching of net curtains from my neighbours whilst I was publically humiliated because of ‘British Gas’).
  • Sent out intimidating a threatening letter and email.
  • Finally agreed today (27/07/22) to £70 per month which I have been saying from day dot after 3 months of arguing, but then retracted on 04/08/22.
Letter – Address Redacted.
Email Received 27/07/22 With Different Amount To The letter.

Yet today 27/07/22 it has gone up to £328.38 (charging me an extra £9.64, not sure what for? they have overcharged twice) with average usage of £40 per month. I have been paying £70 per month as this is all I can afford and they are now trying to bully me by passing my debt to a debt collecting agency. I stated I would share this far and wide if they continue to use underhanded methods and I will be seeking compensation for the distress this has caused me. If you overcharge 1 million customers £10 you make a 10 million profit.

British Gas Meter Readings.
Chris O’Shea CEO of Centrica & British Gas Earns £775K Whilst The Vulnerable Suffer.
British Gas – Unprofessional Customer Service

A quick recap:

  • In January I was paying £65 per month
  • In March it went up to £90 per month
  • In April it went up to £135.00 per month
  • In May it went up to £190 per month

As a consequence, I am now in arrears and have offered to pay £70 per month on the 6th of the month, including my own estimated Gas usage of £40 per month and my arrears spread over 12 months (I have reduced my usage purposely such as not cooking, washing up and am simply eating sandwiches and salads).

But British Gas are not having it, even going as far as to say “they do not support people with mental health or vulnerabilities“, (This was said on a recorded call). The customer rep I spoke with today 27/07/22 said that the previous customer rep was wrong in saying this and that British Gas does support people with mental health (but he would say).

Here are my meter readings which prove I use my own estimated usage of £40 worth of Gas on average a month.

“I Won’t Be Intimidated, I Know My Rights!”

Meter Reading 31st May 2022
Meter Reading 15th June 2022
(If I submitted a meter reading on the 15th, why would I have an estimated meter reading on the 22nd for £9.64 it makes no sense, furthermore I got charged twice on the 22nd June 2022 & after the 16th July 2022 when the letter was sent out for the same amount, so in total, I was scammed £19.28).
Meter Reading 4th July 2022
Meter Reading 27th July – 4th August 2022
( I have used zero gas other than my charges of 33p per day).

I emailed them on 26/07/22 and have stated the above omitting the latest meter reading which I added on 27/07/22 that if they push my buttons I will contact mainstream media journalists and ask them to write about “British Gas”. This company like every other relies on business, customers, and investors for their charity. It won’t look good if I start singing like a canary. In fact, it won’t look good having the title of this article “British Gas Customer Intimidation”, or “British Gas Bullying Vulnerable People” on my other blog. I’m sure I am going to get some eyeballs.

It is not my fault that prices have gone up and if one does not have the money, to begin with, how are they supposed to find the money to pay for something that the 1% only benefit from?

I have also come across a website that an ex-police officer wrote about regarding harassment, the article is dated (old) but it only enforces how I have personally been treated by this company: https://www.peterloud.co.uk/britishgasfraud/harassment.html

Accenture System

There is obviously a fault with the billing system: “Accenture system could have performed at 101 percent efficiency. “British Gas uses bullying and is a threatening company whose call centre staff are among the most unpleasant and downright offensive, not to mention seemingly willfully ignorant and obtuse, in the market, and who wouldn’t know the meaning of customer management if you were to spell it out on their reply prompt screens“. Citation – https://www.mycustomer.com/marketing/technology/british-gas-what-difference-would-a-working-billing-system-have-made

2008

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240085992/British-Gas-sues-Accenture-over-problems-with-billing-system

2017

https://www.standard.co.uk/business/british-gas-fined-ps9-5m-for-failures-in-billing-system-a3448451.html

2022

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-10390767/Energy-bill-woes-pile-Complaints-overcharging-soar.html

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/04/british-gas-app-usage/

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/warning-british-gas-glitch-leaves-23759085

Further Reading

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.britishgas.co.uk?stars=1

https://www.cityam.com/british-gas-the-worst-firm-for-customers-from-bust-suppliers/

Note From The Editor

Intimidation happens in all industries and workplaces. A person who has stated they have a disability for example at the time of their interview has their disability disregarded when they start work, especially if they look fine. Disabilities can be invisible and just because you look fine on the outside you may be in excruciating pain on the inside. I sit in front of a computer screen, you would not know I am disabled unless I told you and people like to make assumptions, so “if he/she can talk on the phone or turn up for work there must not be anything wrong with him/her“, …wrong to assume. An employee may not complain for fear of losing their job and this is where managers take advantage.

I believe my email to general enquiries will get ignored hence I am turning it up a notch and sending a second one to customer complaints, I will give them a few days to reply.

I have come across British Gas complaints contacts; https://www.britishgas.co.uk/complaints/make-a-complaint-credit.html

You can do one of the following:

  • Fill in an online form
  • Online Chat
  • Phone: 0333 202 9532
  • Email Customer Complaints at: customercomplaints@britishgas.co.uk (I sent an email to this email and never had a reply, just saying).

I will be forwarding the email I sent this morning to the above email address.

I won’t be intimidated and I will use my voice to be heard.

If I have any updates I will post them here, but as it stands they are trying to use bully tactics. I am also going to reach out to the mental health charity ‘MIND’ to tell them about this company.

The party is only just getting started…

UPDATE 27/07/22

After receiving the email today I decided to phone the complaints number. I guess people who phone the complaints number get treated differently. I did not go on my high horse ranting, I spoke calmly and I gave my latest meter reading and you will never guess the person with a South African accent said that my £190 prediction was totally wrong.

I had in fact since the 4th July 2022 only used £12 worth of gas including their standing charges, hence they would accept my £70 payment plan which was re-instated today 27/07/22.

“So all this stress and distress was for nothing”.

I honestly feel really unwell because of this company and as a consequence am finding it hard to contemplate my workload. I do feel very depressed because of them and feel they should compensate me for the emotional distress I have endured, I will wait and see how they respond to me in the next few days…

I did dispute the £9.64 and the customer representative said the £9.64 was from a bill generated on 22nd June yet I disputed this because my threatening letter dated 16th July 2022 would have reflected the bill on 22/06/22 and I received the inflated. (My threatening letter and my email does not marry up with my payments in the screenshot below). They are obviously pulling numbers out of a hat because I never gave them a meter reading on the 22/06/22 as shown in the meter readings above so where did the £9.64 come from? I was charged twice once when the bill was raised and again in my balance summary. Please refer to the screenshot of all my bills and payments. (If each customer has an extra £10 for argument’s sake added to their account for no reason and there are a million customers that would be £10M in profit that the company would make.

I have now been given two reference numbers the first for the £19.28 (I know it is a small amount but why should British Gas have extra money for the hell of it)?

Complaint number 1
7022412508 – £19.28 – Discrepancy

Complaint number 2 – 8013977142 – Treated Badly

I was told I have to wait 5 days to get a response… (which never happened – updated 04/08/22).

I have since logged into my account and screenshot my payment history and none of the balances reflect the amounts on my threatening letter or email that I received today, but they do reflect the £9.64 as mentioned by the person I spoke to today (although I never submitted a meter reading on the 22/06/22). The mind boggles.

Bills and Payments Summary.

UPDATE 04/08/22

OMG is all I can say. I decided to phone British Gas today in relation to the two complaints I made on 27/07/22 and was told that one complaint had been closed (the one where I was treated badly), oh really… who closed it and why?, and the woman I spoke to said that the complaint was about the £70 payment that had been set up but did not include my outstanding debt and that a debt collection would still come after me for the outstanding amount, which was now £344. She completely disregarded the fact that British Gas phoned the Police on me and the amount of anguish and emotional distress this company put me under. She kept asking what the Police had said when they arrived. The Police told me to let the CEO know and publish far and wide as they are getting a lot of calls with distressed people finding it hard to cope with utility providers and their bullying tactics.

My previous call on the 27th was a contradiction because:

  1. When I phoned the complaints number today and after talking about my complaint I was told I had phoned the ‘Homecare Department’ and not complaints. I have the previous complaint number published in this article and programmed into my phone. (What I believe happens if they do not want to deal with you is they come up with a BS excuse that you dialed the wrong number).
  2. The person I spoke with on the 27th said I would not have a debt collection agency chasing me but wait for it, today the woman I spoke to said the contrary, that a debt collection agency will continue to chase me and include debt collecting charges on top. I said that was a kick in the teeth considering I arranged a payment plan. (I think they move the goal posts as and when they please).
  3. I received an email yesterday that I could choose to be on a variable or fixed tariff. I am currently on a variable which means if the prices go up, so will my bill. With a fixed tariff, it stays the same for 12 months. I did not understand what that meant other than if I switched to a different tariff I might be signing a contract that I could not move to another provider, (according to the woman I spoke to on 04/08/22 that is untrue, yet I have since found out this is a contract and there is a £100 transfer fee if you move to another provider. It is just as well I am not on a fixed tariff after all and do not believe the BS this company tries to feed me). The woman I spoke to today 04/08/22 said I was not eligible for a fixed tariff, so why send me an email giving me the option to switch? (Not that I want to be in any contract with this nightmare company).
  4. I reiterated I wanted to pay manually online and the person I spoke to on the 27th understood that but sent out a magnetic card which according to the woman today meant I would NOT be able to pay online. She then continued to say I needed to set up a Direct Debit (not likely). Direct Debits allows British Gas or any organisation to help themselves to your bank account. She said as long as I made a payment today (which I did) no one would come chasing me. She also said she would text me with my complaint (I am still waiting).
  5. I said I wanted British Gas to explain themselves how they have caused me ‘Emotional Distress’ and ‘how it has affected me’ and what they are going to do about it. I am now preparing to publish this article across all the social media platforms including LinkedIn where I have nearly 11K followers. Let’s see how much British Gas will lose in revenue and donations to their charity when my followers learn that British Gas has nearly pushed me to breaking point, with a header title I plan to use: ‘British Gas Phoned the Police On Me’, I wonder how many connections will take notice?. I also have Chris O’Shea’s email. To think I am advertising their charity as per the request of British Gas, yet they do not pay me for the backlinks.
  6. Because of British Gas, my OCD has got worse, I have anxiety and panic attacks, I stress over everything, and have spiraled into a deep state of depression. I cannot face my neighbours because of the humiliation I endured. I struggle with work (I am self-employed and the Editor of this site, if I do not work, bills do not get paid). I am procrastinating and simply lack energy. This is affecting my health and my business.
  7. Low and behold I phoned the second time today to double-check what the first agent had said and she basically told me (NO) payment plan has been set and the only way I can have a set price I can pay on a monthly basis is if I set up a Direct Debit (they are intimidating people to set up Direct Debits because what is wrong with setting up a standing order or paying manually, there is no difference other that they do not have access to your bank account) and that providing I pay in September I will not have anyone chasing me. I was told to phone back on 22/09/22. When I said how British Gas has been treating me because of the miscommunication she did not escalate a complaint and just said sorry and it won’t happen again (I DO NOT ACCEPT THE APOLOGY and I am going to take this further).

UPDATE 05/08/22

Trust No One. Even after speaking to two people yesterday both saying they have done a payment plan and checked up with a follow-up call no payment plans were set up. (What happened was on the 27th I had a magnetic card set up but the first agent I spoke to yesterday said I could not pay online and canceled the payment plan but then reinstated a cash plan. So the second agent I spoke to yesterday said the same, yet today I have a totally different explanation and eventually have a magnetic card re-instated with a fixed payment plan).

Lies after lies after lies. So today I phone up checking up on yesterday’s phone call and the guy says no payment plan was set up. (He went on to say with a magnetic payment card I do not have to use it and that I can also pay online which was a contradiction to what the agent said yesterday).

I am getting tired of the💩 because they keep insisting I need to set up a direct debit which would mean they could help themselves to my bank account when the prices get increased rather than stick to a set payment plan.

I then discussed both complaints I made on the 27th and basically I was offered £10.00 compensation for the two over charges of £9.64 each totaling £19.28 (they obviously cannot count), which I refused as this is all part of the one complaint and I am not accepting anything less than £xxxxx for the complaint about my ill-treatment and emotion distress and the scamming.

I told the guy I am finding it hard to work, I just about can make updates let alone anything else. If I cannot work I cannot pay my bills.

Not only am I an Editor of several publications, but I am also a website designer, content writer, and digital marketer www.irenata.com So if I cannot work because of ill health, how am I supposed to run my business (www.ukwebsitedesigners.co.uk)?

So regarding my complaint about the ill-treatment by this company the agent I spoke to today who had advice from his supervisor said that ‘British Gas’ do not offer compensation for emotional distress. So they can treat you like 💩 and get away with it. Absolutely disgusting company.

So after speaking to two agents today assuring me that my debt is included in my payment plan, you won’t believe what I have just received by email, only an email chasing me for the outstanding balance.

I have phoned this wretched company yet again (this is my 3rd call today) to sort this out. I am sick to the back teeth with the antics that are taking place. God forbid someone who is more vulnerable, like an elderly person or someone with worse mental health disabilities to me or anyone with cognitive impairment and cannot argue their case.

Despite two agents assuring me yesterday, that I would not be chased for my debt I get the email today chasing me for the debt, (you cannot make this up) screenshot below:

In the third and final call, I made today the woman told me to ignore the email I received today. But this is causing unnecessary stress which I could do without. I have contacted the charity for an update and they are just saying it may take another couple of weeks. If after all this my grievance goes on deaf ears I will share this on social media and make sure that investors think twice before donating to this company. This is a company that does not care about its customers and its workers. This is a company that can treat their customers badly and thinks they can get away with it, this is a company that is causing people to have mental health issues.

What about my ‘HEALTH’ and other vulnerable people’s health, who have been treated just like me?

British Gas should not be able to treat people like something they stepped in and should be held accountable for their actions. British Gas nearly pushed me to breaking point as per the Police callout and they claim they will not compensate for the emotional distress I have endured, we will see about that…

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jun/06/felicitylawrence

https://www.mycustomer.com/community/blogs/slauchlan/british-gas-the-101-of-bullying

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/06/hundreds-of-households-wrongly-sent-legal-letters-saying-they-ow/

I am sick and tired of this company. I have now reported them to OFGEM.

OFGEM

Contact:

Energy Ombudsman complaints form or call 0330 440 1624.

#britishgas #britishgasintimidation #intimidation #emotionaldistress #harrassment #chrisoshea #jessicatappin

How To Cope With Anxiety.

July 13, 2022 / / 0 Comments

How to cope with anxiety.

I do not know about you but somedays I feel like I am going to blow a gasket.

The number of times I hear people saying ‘SORRY’ when I tell them they are making me feel anxious is disgraceful. People, in general, may show kindness in the spur of the moment but caring is another ball game altogether. People only care if it directly affects them. Saying ‘SORRY is only sugar coating something or attempting to brush it off. Saying ‘SORRY’ has no meaning at all if there is no genuine gesture made. The other thing I have noticed with people is they use the blame game, “it is not us” it is them or you, and this can cause people to have emotional distress. https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/why-people-do-not-care/

Anxiety is a very unpleasant feeling of unease, which escalates into panic attacks, worry, or fear, that can be mild or severe. Everyone at some point in their lives experiences feelings of anxiety. Anxiety is a lingering feeling of perhaps worrying about sitting for an exam or having a medical test or job interview.

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/overview/

However, anxiety can manifest into panic attacks where one may feel light-headed, nauseous, heart-racing, and breathless (hyperventilating). Other symptoms can be restlessness, insomnia, lethargy, tearfulness, sweating, trembling, lack of concentration, nervousness, and gastrointestinal (GI) problems.

Saying sorry is not going to cut it. If you make someone unwell through your actions you should compensate them and make them feel better again. Simply saying sorry is just a waste of energy, yours and theirs. (In other words, think before you speak). If you cause a person unnecessary anxiety because you have said something that can cause a person to feel distressed then you have to be responsible for your actions.

My Anxiety

Coping Strategy.

  • Keep busy.
  • Use breathing techniques.
  • Use hypnosis.
  • Count to ten.
  • Go into another room, and remove yourself from the negativity.
  • Distract yourself from the cause that is making you anxious.
  • Avoid looking at social media and news sites as much as possible.
  • Avoid watching movies with violence.
  • Avoid negative people.
  • Avoid alcohol and drugs.
  • Turn your phone off or set your calls to not disturb (silence calls).
  • Focus on something positive, a hobby, a goal, etc.
  • Keep a diary or use an online journal (we can give you space to write down your thoughts, just message us using the form below).
  • Learn something new, there are plenty of courses you can do (Udemy).

My favorite way to vent my anger and frustration is to voice my opinions online.

If you use social media the powers that be may reprimand you if they do not like what you write, but on my websites, I have free reign. I am my own boss and I can write pretty much anything I wish.

LinkedIn as an example the other day sent me a warning notification that I had breached the policy yet they did not explain what I had done exactly. I tried to reach out to a faceless company that has simply ignored my plea and am none the wiser about what I did wrong. This has caused me anxiety because at the flick of a switch they can suspend you with no regard to your livelihood and how it would affect your business. they can suspend you simply just because they can.

I try to use my own channels to voice my opinion because the only entities left that can penalize you are the search engines and the governments if they thought you were saying something out of turn. I wrote about online censorship on my other site.

Further Reading:

Stress, Anxiety, and Headaches.
Anxiety Phoning Your GP

Anyway if you want free online space where you can vent or share your stories just message us using the form below and remember to distract yourself from the issue that is causing you distress:

#anxiety #panicattacks #hyperventilation #stress #emotionaldistress

Bus Passes For The Disabled.

June 21, 2022 / / 2 Comments

Bus Passes For The Disabled.

You can apply for a disabled person’s bus pass or rail card if you have an illness and you cannot manage to walk long distances.

People with, mental, physical, and learning disabilities are entitled to apply.

The criteria are that you have to be receiving personal independence payments or a disability living allowance.

You or someone else can apply on your behalf, such as a friend, family member, or carer.

Once approved you will be able to travel for free by bus or get 30% off your train tickets.

Most applications are through your local council as they are the ones that are in charge of public (bus) transport.

Alternatively, you can contact your local Citizens Advice which can help you with the application if you need it. 

Applying for a railcard

You need to use this link to Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply on the National Rail website. Unfortunately, if you do not qualify, you will have to pay the full price for your train tickets. If your application gets rejected you cannot appeal.

Applying for a disabled person’s bus pass 

Criteria:

  • you are blind or partially sighted, deaf, or unable to speak.
  • you cannot walk very far because of a disability, illness, or injuries, such as multiple sclerosis or autoimmune disorder, or a mental illness.
  • you are immobilized you do not have arms or legs.
  • you have a severe learning disability.
  • you’ve been refused a driving license because of your health (but not because of problems with drugs or alcohol). (Although drug addiction and alcoholism is also an illness).

To know if you are entitled to a free bus pass visit the Government website on GOV.UK and see what evidence you’ll need to show if you are eligible.

If you live in London

You’ll need to apply for a ‘Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass’ instead. The eligibility criteria are the same as for the rest of England.

Follow the steps on GOV.UK to apply.

If you don’t qualify for a Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass, you can ask your council for a ‘discretionary bus pass’. Some London councils give these to people who aren’t eligible for a Freedom Pass but have problems getting around.

You might be able to use Dial-a-ride – a free door-to-door bus service run by Transport for London (TfL). You can become a member if you have a long-term disability or if you’re over 85 years old.

You can find out more about Dial-a-ride on the TfL website.

If you are refused a bus pass.

You can appeal to your council if your bus pass application was refused. Check your council’s website to find out how to appeal.

You can also visit your nearest Citizens Advice – an adviser will discuss your options.

Other help you can get.

If you are on a higher disability rate you may also be able to apply for a car, mobility scooter, or powered wheelchair.

If you’re eligible for a bus or rail pass, you might also be able to get:

It’s also worth checking you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to – you can use our benefits checker to easily find out.

Final Thoughts From The Editor

Remember you should get what you are entitled to and councils will not make it easy for you otherwise everyone would be doing it.

You have to stand up for your rights or have someone that can appeal on your behalf.

With this said my daughter who has multiple sclerosis and has relapsed, thus is starting her round of treatment of Lemtrada Alemtuzamab on the 4th of July 2022 and finds it hard to walk long distances is in receipt of Personal Independence Payments. Her review for PIP has been postponed and keeps being postponed every 3 months. I am my daughter’s carer and find that this is causing unnecessary stress for my daughter and I have cited that stress can cause people with multiple sclerosis to relapse.

I will come back with an update once I hear back from our local council regarding my daughter’s bus pass. I am finding organizations from Blue Chip Companies to Government Offices either are not fully trained when it comes to the consequences of their actions. A person who is relapsing does not want added stress to further make their illness any worse and God forbid become bedridden.

I have been on the Cardiff Council Travel Website: https://portal.tfw.wales/en/disabled There is no page that says for customers to appeal. I then proceeded to by phoning them and completely forgot the question I needed for this site (cognitive impairment) 🤣😂 although went on to mention my daughter and the woman I spoke to said that nothing was received from my daughter. She also said it is the council’s decision and not theirs, excuse me you are an agency part of the council.

Cardiff Council email address: travelcards@tfw.wales

Cardiff Council phone number: 03003 034 240 Monday to Friday: 09:00 – 17:00

Evidence shows that stress can be a contributing factor to causing relapses in Multiple Sclerosis patients, which can have a bidirectional relationship.

UPDATE 05/07/22

Email Received 05/07/22

Email Content.

Hope you are well.  

I regret to inform you that unfortunately, your daughter does not qualify for the Disabled Concessionary Bus Pass. As an organization, we are only able to approve applicants that score the points specified below on one or more of the following descriptors.  

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Statement of Entitlement, which shows: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Disability Living Allowance (DLA) award letter, which gives details of a Higher Rate Mobility Component (HRMC) award.

8 or more points under Descriptor 7 “Communicating Verbally”; or
12 points under Descriptor 11 “Planning and Following a Journey”; or
8 or more points under Descriptor 12 “Moving Around”.

Please note:  The PIP descriptors and their individual scores MUST NOT be added together. Unfortunately, as an organization, we are unable to carry out individual assessments, however, in this instance, I would recommend getting in touch with your local authority, who will be able to carry out an assessment to clarify if she is eligible for the pass.

Cardiff Council.
County Hall,
Atlantic Wharf,
Cardiff,
CF10 4UW.
Tel – 02920 872087 

Hopefully, this gives some reassurance that there are options that you are able to explore

Kind regards

Leila Rad-Andrews

My Comments.

The above email is inaccurate because the last time my daughter had an assessment was in 2018 and since then she has lapsed twice. My daughter has since done an online assessment test which states she has between 15 & 19 points.

Despite sending in multiple emails including my daughter’s PIP award they have had the audacity to decline my daughter a bus pass.

She is currently in hospital having Lemtrada Alemtuzumab treatment for her Multiple Sclerosis as she has relapsed and this is causing her unnecessary emotional distress which could lead to further relapses.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/living-better-with-ms-guide/triggers-that-can-cause-ms-flares/

https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/zenas-online-journal-alemtuzumab/

“If it is found that my daughter relapses again because of the stress this is causing her, somebody should be held responsible”.

Update 07/07/22

As my daughter’s carer, I am shocked at how I have been given the runaround. Transport for Wales wrote to both my daughter and me in an email stating that she was not entitled to a bus pass because she did not have enough points.

I explained since the last assessment she has since relapsed and just come out of hospital for her treatment yesterday. So any changes will not be reflected. It is as if the arse does not know what the elbow is doing because when I phoned the number that ‘Transport For Wales’ gave me (which was the switchboard for Cardiff City Council) I was then re-directed back to ‘Transport For Wales’ who told me it was Cardiff City Council Hub-Team that I needed to speak to. I then phoned the number again and was told I had to phone 02920871071 which I did, who then told me I had to speak with the Library. I spoke with the hub/library two days ago and I was sent out an application form even though my daughter already filled one in?

We have submitted all the relevant information by email and we are simply getting the runaround. I finally got an email address advicehub@cardiff.gov.uk yet the hub two days ago said they do not have email addresses, yet today the number I phoned told me to go to the library (as if I am going to shut down my business to take time out is hilarious and beyond unbelievable 😂🤣)… and miraculously they found an email address 😂🤣.

According to ‘Transport For Wales’, my daughter is ‘NOT DISABLED ENOUGH’ to be entitled to a bus pass, even though she has ‘MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS’ and has relapsed.

My Daughters’ PIP Test States She Has 15 -19 Points: https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/zenas-pip-self-test/ contrary to her last assessment that was done a few years ago and since then she has relapsed twice and has just finished treatment. https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/zenas-online-journal-alemtuzumab/

I said in mid-flow of the conversation that this is to do with Government purse strings and the guy I spoke to had not got a clue what I was talking about (I have no words 😂🤣 ).

The criteria are as follows:

(One needs twelve points to qualify).

What the points criteria do not mention is:

(Conveniently)…

Do you experience:

  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Suicidal Thoughts
  • Intrusive Thoughts
  • Cognitive Impairment
  • Loss of Balance
  • Insomnia
  • Experience Pain
  • Numbness
  • Experience Light Headiness
  • Confusion
  • Lack of Concentration
  • Social Disconnection
  • Forgetfulness

I will update you once again once I get a response from the Advice Hub.

“I dread to think about what the stress could potentially do to someone with progressive autoimmune disease”.

I could feel myself blowing a gasket never mind someone with multiple sclerosis who has literally come out of hospital for treatment because of a relapse.

If you have any questions or need to be steered in the right direction do drop us a line using the form below:

#disabilitybuspass #discretionerybuspass #freebuspass #buspass #mobility #transportforwales #multiplesclerosisstress #multiplesclerosis #MS #multiplesclerosisresplapse

Chris O’Shea CEO of Centrica & British Gas Earns £775K Whilst The Vulnerable Suffer.

June 14, 2022 / / 3 Comments

Chris O’Shea CEO of Centrica & British Gas Earns £775K Whilst The Vulnerable Suffer.

Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea has a salary of £775,000 per year and waives a £1.1 Million Bonus. His decision came as gas and electricity prices are set to soar by more than 50% for 22 million households across the UK in April.

Centrica said British Gas Energy saw a 44% jump in profits to £118 million last year. Citation.

** (The following is just my opinion and not fact). However one needs to look at the bigger picture if there is a board of directors for argument’s sake there are 12 as the pdf below suggests, and some not all are on a payroll (Non-executive directors are not directly employed), but that is not to say they do not get commissions or donations) and if each one has received £250K (hypothesis) per annum, that would be £2.75M, you have to ask yourself this question who works for nothing... https://boardappointments.co.uk/uk-non-executive-director-remuneration/

Biographies-Centrica

How can you pay for increased prices if you do not have the money, to begin with?

I first would like to add I actually give this company free advertising space on my useful links page under the heading charities and on this page. (Backlinks Cost Money)!! Advertising was requested by British Gas in May.

I would like to introduce myself, I am the Editor of ‘Disability UK -Disabled Entrepreneur Journal’. I am a Businesswoman and Author. I suffer from Cerebellar Atrophy Cognitive Impairment, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Depression. My Disabilities do not define me and I am not afraid to say I have them. I am also a carer for my daughter who has ‘Multiple Sclerosis’.

I have indeed contacted ‘The British Gas Charity’ which is a joke (application Number 1035904). I filled in the form and submitted my meter reading and documentation. They said it would take 10 days for someone to approve my application (that was on the 31st of May 2022) and it did not surprise me that they never responded.

It is all smoke and mirrors because if the majority of people in Britain with British Gas are in turmoil, I do not think they have endless amounts of money to give away. So their charity is not worth the web space.

I am a genuine case and for them to not even respond says a lot about them. (Try them out for yourself if you are a British Gas Customer, but do not get your hopes up).

In turn, I said I have a donation page on my site, I continued to say how about everyone in British Gas pays £1.00, and that would go to paying off my debt, the woman (Valencia I believe) I spoke to said that will never happen, yet I am supposed to advertise this company to my readers, and get nothing in return? Better still, how about the CEO Chris O’Shea pay off my debt seeing as I am advertising for free and they wasted two and half hours of time where I could have been working and caused me ‘Emotional Distress’!!!

https://britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/ 

(Help With Utility Bills)

Now if a company has profits into the millions then they should take into account vulnerable people which they do not.

After being prompted to phone British Gas because I was being spammed 6 times by this number: 03332029470, (this is harassment) I took it upon myself to phone and complain. The phone call today lasted 2hrs 18 mins (see screenshot).

The original number that phoned me was (03332029470) to set up a smart meter and I had to justify why I do not want one which I have written previously about: https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/how-safe-are-smart-meters-for-your-health/ The customer representative technical department went on to say they would send someone to my home to ask me why I do not want one. Good Luck to anyone visiting as I am not allowing anyone over my threshold. The woman I spoke to said that because I had submitted a meter reading my monthly bill which was at the beginning of the year £65 rose to £90 in April, then rose again to £138 in May, and wait for this rose again today to £190 per month.

£190 Per Month Gas Payments!

I started crying (no word of a lie), I told the operative that the most I can afford is £100 per month and she point blank refused to help spread the costs over 36 months.

She continued to say that my usage is a prediction….well before the meter reading I had my central heating on 24/7 as I have black mold and my daughter who has multiple sclerosis cannot be around the spores, so I need to keep the house warm.

Black Mold & Multiple Sclerosis Connection.

I said my life is not important whilst my daughter is and I said it was unreasonable and unfair to make me pay £190 when I cannot afford to do so right now.

(Obviously, the woman does not know how to count because if I paid £100 already this month and I still owe £333 (1st quarter) and each quarter after that was £400 for argument’s sake that would be £1,600 per annum divided by 12 months = £133 per month and not £190). I am going to bring this up when I submit my new meter reading.

This woman simply did not care what I was saying.

I also said if I cannot afford to heat my home and the black mold spreads I can then sue British Gas if my daughter relapses again. She did not like what I said.

She gave me a complaint reference number: 8013807386

I said, “if I killed myself British Gas would not get a single penny from me”... My point was, do not push people over the edge, not that I was actually going to do it, there is a difference!

My Mental Health.

In my defense, I am NOT feeling suicidal just emotionally distressed, this is why I have an online journal where I can vent my anger and make my opinions known. I have a lot going for me and I feel for people who do not have a strong mind as I have, I see myself as their voice if they cannot defend themselves.

I use this platform to speak on behalf of people like myself or people worse off than me.

With social media, you may be restricted to what you can and can’t say. But on your own platform, you are in full control. Although I use social media to spread the articles I write.

I have a lot to live for, unbeknown to the people that are too ignorant to find out but are too quick to judge.

I mentioned this website multiple times “www.disabilityuk.co.uk” which forwards to “www.disabledentrepreneur.uk” in the phone call as I knew it was being recorded. I did it purposely so that people realize who I am. I will not stand for intimidation from anyone of any kind.

I just wanted British Gas to be empathic which they were not.

Duty Of Care.

What made me laugh was at the end of the call she said it was a duty of care for her to report me to the authorities because I mentioned the dreaded “If I kill myself”. She did not want any repercussions. It was not that she cared. People do not care unless it directly affects them. She did not want ‘British Gas’ to be in the news and I guess they are told if a customer says anything that is a red flag to report it. In other words, she has kicked the can down the road, so nothing happened on her watch.

Bring it on is all I can say because this will cause a domino effect and open up a can of worms.

In fact, I reached out to my GP in a letter over my mental health that was put on the system last year but was never actioned by any doctor.

According to the practice manager, Doctors are too busy to respond to emails or letters even though my daughter’s Neurologist who is also a Professor at Oxford University has the time and decency to respond to my daughter’s emails.

My GP Surgery Negligence & My Mental Health.
Anxiety Phoning Your GP

My time does not matter to anyone.

I have another day wasted rather than working, I have had to fart around having to waste nearly two and half hours of my precious time to get nowhere.

Let’s see what the media will say when I send this to every corner of the planet.

British Gas Has Caused Me Emotional & Psychological Distress!

Debt Recovery

Let the fun begin because if ‘British Gas’ decide to try and come after me and they use harassment tactics I am fully armed. Besides I plan to pay them off next month.

This would not be the first time they have been sued and I doubt it will be the last.

https://www.standard.co.uk/business/how-british-gas-ended-up-in-court-for-being-too-heavyhanded-with-customers-6878749.html

I mentioned the National Debt Line: https://www.nationaldebtline.org/fact-sheet-library/gas-and-electricity-arrears-ew/ and said that Utility Companies have to adhere to rules such as and the woman said my circumstances do not apply and it would be impossible to give me breathing space:

https://www.nationaldebtline.org/fact-sheet-library/gas-and-electricity-arrears-ew/

Vulnerability

People can be vulnerable for a wide range of reasons. Vulnerability can be linked to age, physical health, mental health, or going through a difficult time in life. A vulnerability could be temporary or ongoing. You should let your supplier know if there is anything about your circumstances that makes you vulnerable as they may offer you more support if they know this.

You should also check if your supplier has signed up for the Energy UK Vulnerability Commitment. Energy UK is a trade association. Suppliers signed up to the Vulnerability Commitment have said they will provide extra support to vulnerable customers. This includes:

  • Make sure staff have an understanding of vulnerability and can identify that you might be in vulnerable circumstances;
  • Give you an alternative way of contacting them in addition to phone contact;
  • Provide a freephone number if you are in financial difficulty and they think it is appropriate; and
  • Make sure you have paper versions of your bill if this is what you need.

This is a B#ll Sh#t because the woman today did not provide any of the above.

Furthermore, she refused to co-operate by turning the onus on me that I am not co-operating by not agreeing to pay £190 per month.

British Gas is having a laugh.

I said if it means I do not use hot water to bathe and not cook as well as not heating my home although I cannot see it being cold for a few months then that is what I will have to do. (This is degrading and affecting one’s quality of life).

I reiterated that I would be writing about British Gas on this website and “I quote the woman saying “we do not have anything to do with disabilities”.

I had zero support for my daughter and me who both have mental and physical disabilities.

This is what is stated on their website say: https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/help-if-youre-struggling-to-pay.html

BRITISH GAS
https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/help-if-youre-struggling-to-pay.html

Zero Support.

They have clearly not helped and made matters worse by causing emotional distress which is (tort). Emotional distress can be taken to court. https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/emotional-distress-compensation/

The moment I can pay this company off I am going to switch providers and will never recommend this company to anyone. They have an affiliate program which means they want help with marketing, so any affiliate marketers should avoid this company. By coincidence ‘British Gas’ are advertisers on Awin who I use for my affiliate marketing projects. Saying this I will never promote this company actively even though I have them listed on my useful links page and mentioned them in my article indirectly.

May I add that they never responded to my letter attachment in the email which had an auto-responder come back that they had in fact received my correspondence on the 28th of May 2022 but chose to ignore it?

Condenscending and Intimidating.

People working for these large blue-chip companies should keep their tone neutral, and opinions to themselves they should not be biased.

The woman (Valencia) I spoke to said I should look at stepchange.org I explained I am fully aware of my rights and she became condescending demanding I tell her what they said.

I am not going to allow you to browbeat me as this woman was trying to do.

My gut feeling is they have calculated my meter reading of what I owed prior to the price hike to the new prices to make more money.

I will be posting my new meter reading on here tomorrow including the one on the 31st and will see if my reading goes up again.

**I have published this page but may update it with more information, as when I get any updates from British Gas who emailed me today and said they had deadlocked my complaint, according to ‘Valencia’. As far as I am concerned it is not over until ‘the fat lady sings, in other words, it is a colloquialism that is often used as a proverb. It means that one should not presume to know the outcome of an event that is still in progress. More specifically, the phrase is used when a situation is nearing its conclusion.

So please come back for more updates.

Meter Reading 31/05/22
Meter Reading 15th June 2022

I am now going to be a thorn in British Gas’s side and every month I will be doing a meter reading.

Will I be pursuing “Emotional Distress Compensation” of course I will, and this is what you should do if you too feel you have become unwell because of any company.

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/expect/compensation-for-distress-or-inconvenience

https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/emotional-distress-compensation/

Did yesterday’s (14/06/22) fiasco cause me emotional distress, and did British Gas treat me badly of course they did and this is not over until I say it is regardless of their deadlock narcissistic letter.

If you are in a similar position to me, it is not the end of the world and there is a solution to every problem.

If you feel suicidal call the Samaritans 116 123 (UK) or visit A&E – (UK) / ER – (USA) or call the Emergency Services 999 (UK) / 911 (USA).

On that note, I did get a welfare check from the Police albeit it was seven hours after my initial phone call to British Gas had ended and guess what the Police said they were on my side and agreed that the CEO needs to be aware of this as they are getting a lot of calls like the one they received about me.

Stay safe and do not let these companies bully you.

It is not your fault that the greedy people blue-chip companies, at the top of the food chain like P#tin, and the Banks, Governments, and Large Corporations want to milk every last penny out of you.

UPDATE 15/06/22

I have received two emails from British Gas and a letter regarding my complaint despite me saying I do not want letters in the post. (How to kill the planet with carbon emissions).

So they have disregarded my new meter reading which is calculated as follows and are not supporting people with mental health or disabilities, let the fun begin because I am going to be messaging the CEO directly:

Below is the email that was sent to me:

Total disregard for my new meter reading and disabilities.

Here are the calculations per unit as per the British Gas Website:

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy/guides/average-bill.html

FINAL THOUGHTS

Ironically ‘British Gas’ will report you as “Duty of Care” if you happen to say something out of turn to make them look better but in the next breath disregard your disabilities and worst-case scenario cut off your supply.

People who are vulnerable especially old people may not turn on the heating or cook a hot meal in order to make sure their energy bills do not increase.

So although ‘British Gas’ may come across as they are helping it is all smoke and mirrors and they do not care about your well-being and would much rather pass the buck.

The other joke is why not reach out to organizations that specialize in financial difficulty. If you already know your financial circumstances and do not have the extra money, to begin with, no amount of juggling will pay off your debt and all you will be left with is to sell your assets if you have any or go bankrupt.

Maybe if everyone were to go bankrupt nationwide the Government would do something about it or maybe this is the end goal where no one owns anything (the great reset)?

https://www.weforum.org/great-reset/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Reset

I am not sure what the hidden agenda is but if vulnerable people do not get the help then unfortunately there is going to become a bigger problem.

Nobody should live in poverty, not in the 21st Century, and not have a good quality of life. People should NOT be killed because of W#rs. W#ars are big business to the people on top of the food chain. If world leaders have no regard for human life by starting w#ars, what chances have the rest of us got? I am sorry but if any country starts a w#r where people will be killed it just shows they do not care about humans in general. Nobody should die to help the 1% richer.

If the cost of living is the cause of the increase in mental health then powers that be that are responsible for the demise need to be made accountable.

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/money-and-mental-health/

https://equiniti.com/uk/news-and-views/eq-views/championing-the-vulnerable-in-utility-services/

money-and-mental-health-2022-pdf

How can you pay for increased prices if you do not have the money, to begin with?

Together we are strong and we can fight this!

#chrisoshea #ceocentrica #vulnerablepeople #mentalhealth #suicide #suicidalthoughts #costofliving #britishgas

I Nearly Died Due To Losing My Balance Because Of Cerebellar Atrophy.

June 12, 2022 / / 1 Comment

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Can stress cause your cerebellar atrophy to get worse?

The link between the cerebellum is connected with stress-related brain areas and expresses the machinery required to process stress-related neurochemical mediators.

As most of my readers already know I suffer from ‘Cerebellar Atrophy’. Other than jumbling my letters and words up when I am writing (thank God for Grammarly) and occasionally memory loss, hence I have to jot things down to help me remember, I also have noticed lately an increase in loss of balance.

In fact ironically with what I am about to tell you, just over a year ago I did have a similar episode where I fell down five steps landing on my back and being severely bruised (I do not recall feeling lightheaded at the time just lost my footing). I made sure my doctor (GP) was notified in the letter I wrote that was confirmed was put on the system but no one in the surgery took any action.

However, on 10/06/22 being home alone I was at the top of the stairs and all of a sudden my whole body started to give way. Not only did I feel very lightheaded and the room was spinning, but I also could not balance properly and could feel my body about to hurtle down a flight of stairs. Fortunately, I grabbed hold of the central support pillar to help me break my fall. Had I not stopped myself I would not be writing this post today.

Research suggests people who suffer from psychological stress are more prone to having their condition worsen.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31348932/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4419550/

Analyzing why this happened to me yesterday all I can put it down to is I am under a lot of pressure. With the rise in the cost of living and having to also run a business, I am really feeling a financial pinch.

I actually wrote what to do if you are finding it hard to pay your bills, you should not run away from the problem but instead tackle it head-on. I also wrote that some creditors will be condescending and intimidating and what one should do if this happens. https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/creditor-harassment-mental-health/

By coincidence taking a leaf out of my own book, I wrote to all the utility companies and my creditors offering to pay anything I owe in affordable installments. All the utility companies and one of the creditors were all understanding and seemed to all accept my offer Barr one who as it happens I owe the least of money to and no word of a lie has written to me 22 emails to date repeating the same things over and over again. As it is my understanding either multiple people are dealing with one account and not updating one another or they are trying to intimidate me to pay more. I have since written a 10-page letter which took me all day to do and no doubt I will be getting email #23 soon.

My utility bills at the beginning of the year were £154 per month in April they rose to £219 and have risen again to £412. Now here is the question where does one find an extra £267 per month if you do not have that sort of money, to begin with?

So I wrote to all my creditors and explained the situation and all have agreed on my offer and the most I pay is £239

It has riled me that every day I get one or two emails from this one creditor (V) and every day I cannot move forward because I always have this nagging conscious feeling that I need to reply.

They are purposely trying to break me down and they leave me no choice but to report them to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

They have caused me considerable emotional and psychological distress.

https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/emotional-distress/

https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/emotional-distress-compensation/

If it was not for the fact I am pushing myself to fight this battle I could easily have just given up, turned to alcohol, drugs, or worse.

If you are feeling down and are in a similar position to me DO NOT TURN TO Alcohol, Drugs Smoking, etc, instead seek medical advice through your doctor and professional advice immediately. Here is our useful links page.

You should not suffer alone and millions of people are in the same boat as you.

There is a solution to every problem. Stand your ground and never let anyone intimidate or harass you as I have experienced lately.

Write to your creditors on headed paper rather than just email. Provide them with a breakdown of your expenses. This one creditor never sent me a form similar to the one I have designed below, just bombarded me with daily questions.

According to the harassing creditor (V) they claimed they could not have asked all the questions in one email and in my reply I sent them the form below arguing that if a solicitor or governing body writes to you they do not send multiple emails they send one email and or one letter. 22 emails and counting is harassment and is designed to break you down.

I have a sample template of a form you can send your utility companies and creditors. I can customize it for you, make it editable, and remove any watermarks.

ALPHA-TEMPLATE-edit

I do not drink alcohol as a rule as it has landed me in heaps of embarrassment and trouble many times in the past doing stupid things and am just happy drinking my energy drinks, but this company (V) which shall remain nameless for now is harassing me and that is against the law, consequently making my illness worse.

I have been meaning to update the GP surgery on my health conditions for a while now and have not found the time, but even if my illness worsens I am not going to get treatment, tests, infusions, etc like my daughter is getting. She is 21 and she can make her decisions but I have my own views which I will leave for another day.

Do contact us if you want the customized form in this article using the form below, **please note we may consider sending the form to you (free of charge) if you are experiencing financial difficulty, however, our business information (Disability UK -Disabled Entrepreneur will be in the footer. It will not have Designed by Renata):

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#stress #anxiety #cerebellum #littlebrain #balance #depression #creditorharassment #costofliving #debtmanagement #tort #financialdificulty

Stress & Cognitive Function.

May 23, 2022 / / 2 Comments
Photo Credit Pixabay : Geralt
domain names

Stress & Cognitive Function.

Psychological stress can affect a person’s cognitive abilities, in the short term (e.g., when an individual’s thoughts are pre-occupied with an argument or problem that happened earlier in the day resulting in reduced ability to concentrate) as well as over the long term, where the intrusive thoughts creep in and the problem simply does not go away and festers, which in turn can lead to anxiety, depression and other mental health disabilities.

Emotional and cognitive changes

The emotional and cognitive effects are often the greatest challenges. Some of the most common symptoms can be hidden from plain sight. These changes can affect the way people feel about themselves and alter their cognitive functions. For many, the emotional and cognitive effects represent the greatest challenges.

Emotional changes

Uncertainty, stress, and anxiety, depression are the most common disorders a person can experience.

A person with an autoimmune neurological disease such as MS or Cerebellar Atrophy may grieve for their life before they were diagnosed with a disorder. Other emotional changes that may occur include clinical depression, bipolar disorder, and mood swings. All of these are more common among people with MS than in the general population. Depression and bipolar disorder require professional attention and the use of effective treatments.

Emotional lability appears to be more common, and possibly more severe, in people with MS and Mental Health Disorders. This may include frequent mood changes, for example from happy to sad to angry.

It is believed that the causes are the extra stress brought on by MS as well as neurological changes. Uncontrollable laughing and crying is a disorder affecting a small proportion of people with MS, and it is thought to be caused by MS-related changes in the brain.

Low self-esteem

Having MS can affect self-esteem. There may be times when it’s difficult to do everything a person is used to doing, or they may have to do things differently. Focusing too much on the negative aspects can feel overwhelming.

Cognitive changes

Cognition refers to the “higher” brain functions such as memory and reasoning. About half of all people with MS will not experience any cognitive changes, but for others, the most commonly affected aspects of cognition are:

Memory

Attention and concentration

Word-finding

Speed of information processing

Abstract reasoning and problem solving

Visual-spatial abilities

Executive functions

Studies have shown according to author Dr. Sudha Seshadri, professor of neurology at UT Health San Antonio explains that higher levels of stress translate into raised levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the blood. A raised level of cortisol in the blood can predict brain size, function, and also the performance of the individual when faced with cognitive tests. She said, “We found memory loss and brain shrinkage in relatively young people long before any symptoms could be seen.” It’s never too early to be mindful of reducing stress,” she added. The lead author, Dr. Justin B. Echouffo-Tcheugui, an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins also said that symptoms of stress-related memory loss and brain damage may not be evident until much damage has already been done.

Cerebellar Atrophy & Stress.

The cerebellum is connected with stress-related brain areas and expresses the machinery required to process stress-related neurochemical mediators. Surprisingly, it is not regarded as a substrate of stress-related behavioral alterations, despite numerous studies that show cerebellar responsivity to stress.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31348932/

Notes From The Editor.

“I suffer from cognitive impairment, I lose my balance, jumble my words, and have memory loss. The condition I have is cerebellar atrophy. I was diagnosed with it around 2011”.

The more stressed I am the less I want to do. I sometimes have to force myself to churn the wheel for another day.

I suffer from clinical depression and have been diagnosed with this over 30 years ago. There are days that I have to fight with my thoughts in order to get through the day.

Recently with the price hikes, my depression is getting worse. I have my voice mail turned off and my phone is on airplane mode constantly. I cannot deal with talking to people over the phone. To counteract this I much prefer email correspondence. I am not too good with letters especially forms because of my OCD, this is something else I suffer with.

Having people pity me and say things “Awh Bless” or “Poor You”, really gets my back up. It is condescending. Furthermore, people are quick to judge or assume.

The difference between someone who is self-employed and someone who is employed is that the employed person is a slave to their employer and has a guaranteed wage, whilst the self-employed do not have a guaranteed income stream. A disabled person may choose to work for themselves as they do not have the same amount of pressure or obstacles to overcome.

I spoke with a British Gas customer rep the other day and she started asking questions, such as do I have a carer, and when I said no, I could hear her brain ticking and assuming that I am making things up about my illness. I tried explaining if I get stressed my mental state shuts down and I go into a whirl of depression. I continued to say that yanking my gas bill from £65 per month to £90 and a further hike to £138 was simply unacceptable. I simply cannot get this sort of money out of my a##e. I ended by saying I won’t be able to work because I cannot cope with the stress this is causing me. Now wait for the assuming bit she replied “what do you mean you will not be able to work, what do you do”? I said “I am the editor of “Disability UK Journal”. There was silence and then her attitude changed.

“A person who is self-employed and becomes unwell cannot function or keep their business running. So if they do not work no money comes in”.

“Just because I run this disability journal does not mean I am rolling around in money. Never assume anything”!

“I am not a charity and I have no funding, I simply rely on Advertising & Marketing Revenue”.

“Never assume because someone is working, they are financially secure or they do not have disabilities, or if they have they must not be all there especially when they have mental health disorders”.

There is so much stigma attached to disabilities with small-minded people judging and assuming things. Just because someone may have a disability does not make them less capable than the next person (depending on certain factors and disabilities of course), they may in fact do a better job.

“A disabled person can be more intelligent than you, so never assume that they are not”.

Elon Musk for example has ADHD and suffers from Asperger’s syndrome and is the richest man in the world.

https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/category/famous-entrepreneurs-with-disabilities/

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2021/05/10/elon-musk-says-he-has-aspergers/29332/

Why Do People Assume or Presume?
Disability Discrimination

Further Reading:

https://www.msif.org/about-ms/symptoms-of-ms/cognition-and-emotional-changes/

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20181025/Stress-can-cause-memory-loss-and-brain-shrinkage-finds-study.aspx

#disabilityuk #disabledentrepreneur #multiplesclerosis #mscongintivefunctions #cognitivefunctions #stress #anxiety #judging #assuming #selfemployed #disabledselfemployed #depression

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