Is being fat a disability??
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Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Unreasonable like expecting parents that may make $30,000-$40,000 a year to be able to shell out tens of thousands a year for a child's eating disorder?
You could be working full-time and getting your education and paying for things yourself. Your parents are doing what they choose to do, you are not doing what you want others to do because for you, to go to school, it's unrealistic. But people with scant resources are supposed to be able to create money to help their child dying from anorexia because it's just not ok in your world for eating disorders to be taken seriously? You do realize you are stating that you are more entitled to get an education (bluntly, from social support, since you are over 18) than a parent is entitled to seek financial assistance to save their child's life?
Clearly parents who make $30-40k a year won't be able to afford thousands of dollars worth of treatment. My point is not all people with eating disorders have parents who make $30-40k a year or make $30-40k a year themselves.
Working full-time and going to school full-time wouldn't exactly coincide with the school I go to or the major I am studying. FYI I pay for many things myself.
I never said eating disorders aren't serious. They are very serious. You're putting words in my mouth and taking this way too far and personally. Have a great night!0 -
Obesity is not a disability. Depression is not a disability. Anxiety is not a disability. Mood swings ("bipolar") are not a disability. Alcoholism is not a disability. Drug addiction is not a disability. The system hands out government checks to people who don't deserve them. People are claiming disbilities on grounds that should not be allowed. They are ripping off the taxpayers. I hear them brag about it all the time on the bus; how they've hopped on the bipolar bandwagon to get a crazy check and live off the government.And I have known people with genuine physical disabilities that were turned down.
Lol at the person who thinks that having a mental illness somehow isn't physical. Is your brain disconnected from the physical plane somehow? That would be pretty cool. But, I can guarantee you that for everyone else, our brains are very much physical parts of our bodies, and when there are problems with our brains it's a genuine physical disability.
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
You are a very lucky little girl. Perhaps someday while you are lecturing about the failings of people who are not so fortunate you will realize it. Most people don't have parents that can pay for their education. It's not that they won't, it's that they can't, even if they "chose education instead".You are dodging many of my questions. Please consider this scenario.
A child is born to a parent with severe mental illness. (Not the child's fault, won't even argue about the parent because their responsibility is irrelevant to the child's responsibility.) As a result of the severe and poorly treated mental illness, the child grows up in poverty as mom can't work and SSI checks aren't all that lavish. The child also grows up with skewed views on reality or a serious emotional disorder due to the extenuating life events they have been trying to live through.
When that child is 18, with no life experience outside of what the child grew up with, and has a serious eating disorder, self-mutilates, and cannot stop thinking about suicide, what is it that they have to do? Mom can't create tens of thousands of dollars. Kid can't either. Kid can't function to even be able to consider taking a job to pay for treatment, and would likely only get a low paying job that has crappy benefits and the kid can't even afford the copay or deductible even if the insurance is rockin'. No one to cosign a loan.
This may not be a reality in your world. That doesn't mean it isn't out there. And it's not one person in the country. There are lots of families that people care little about or just don't even realize that they exist.
Why is someone with severe mental illness practicing unsafe sex (assuming they aren't using any form of birth control because it's pretty difficult to become pregnant when you use birth control correctly), knowing there's a high chance of becoming pregnant? That individual can't even take care of themselves, let alone a child. What would lead them to believe they are capable of raising a child?
I just. I don't even know. Are you really asking why someone with a severe mental illness behaves in an irrational way?0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Unreasonable like expecting parents that may make $30,000-$40,000 a year to be able to shell out tens of thousands a year for a child's eating disorder?
You could be working full-time and getting your education and paying for things yourself. Your parents are doing what they choose to do, you are not doing what you want others to do because for you, to go to school, it's unrealistic. But people with scant resources are supposed to be able to create money to help their child dying from anorexia because it's just not ok in your world for eating disorders to be taken seriously? You do realize you are stating that you are more entitled to get an education (bluntly, from social support, since you are over 18) than a parent is entitled to seek financial assistance to save their child's life?
Clearly parents who make $30-40k a year won't be able to afford thousands of dollars worth of treatment. My point is not all people with eating disorders have parents who make $30-40k a year or make $30-40k a year themselves.
Working full-time and going to school full-time wouldn't exactly coincide with the school I go to or the major I am studying. FYI I pay for many things myself.
I never said eating disorders aren't serious. They are very serious. You're putting words in my mouth and taking this way too far and personally. Have a great night!
lol.
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Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Unreasonable like expecting parents that may make $30,000-$40,000 a year to be able to shell out tens of thousands a year for a child's eating disorder?
You could be working full-time and getting your education and paying for things yourself. Your parents are doing what they choose to do, you are not doing what you want others to do because for you, to go to school, it's unrealistic. But people with scant resources are supposed to be able to create money to help their child dying from anorexia because it's just not ok in your world for eating disorders to be taken seriously? You do realize you are stating that you are more entitled to get an education (bluntly, from social support, since you are over 18) than a parent is entitled to seek financial assistance to save their child's life?
Clearly parents who make $30-40k a year won't be able to afford thousands of dollars worth of treatment. My point is not all people with eating disorders have parents who make $30-40k a year or make $30-40k a year themselves.
Working full-time and going to school full-time wouldn't exactly coincide with the school I go to or the major I am studying. FYI I pay for many things myself.
I never said eating disorders aren't serious. They are very serious. You're putting words in my mouth and taking this way too far and personally. Have a great night!
lol.
Bonjour.0 -
People with serious eating disorders should be in an inpatient program getting the help they need. Not collecting money from the government. Money isn't going to solve the problem.
One problem: Those programs aren't widely available to people without money and/or excellent insurance. Hell, we can't even get enough inpatient beds for heroin addicts in this country, and you think cookie addicts are going to have a chance?
Oh, not to mention the other side of the eating disorder coin: anorexics, bulimics, and those categorized as having EDNOS. Insurance companies don't want to cover them sufficiently to keep them from dying, and our government won't make them.
You're assuming all individuals with eating disorders are poor. That's not true.
I'm not at all what I would consider poor. Can you afford $90 a day for just the room and board, not the medical treatment, that residential can charge? That $90 is not covered by Medicaid, by the way. That's out of pocket.
I'm well aware it's out of pocket considering my parents have spent tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket for my anxiety treatments. And by the way, we have excellent insurance. These programs just aren't covered by insurance. But bottom line, you do what you have to do to get the help you need.
Right, like filing for disability so you will have health care and not have to live in deplorable conditions while trying to get healthy? You do understand that not everyone's parents have tens of thousands of dollars to "do what they have to do?"
Are you over 18? Why are your parents paying? Why aren't you doing what you have to do on your own?
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
You are very lucky to have the life you do, not everyone does. You have a very simplistic view of the world and seem to be very sheltered. I don't hold that against you, I was pretty sheltered until I started my career. I just hope some day you can see the other side of things a little clearer. I don't wish these things on anyone.
You don't need to tell me how lucky I am. I'm fully aware and very appreciative. I don't have a simplistic view of the world and I'm far from sheltered :laugh: I've probably been through and seen more **** in my 21 years of life than you have and ever will. So don't go there. I see the other side loud and clear. Just because I don't agree with it, doesn't mean I don't see it. Everyone's entitled to their own opinions. Neither is right or wrong.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Unreasonable like expecting parents that may make $30,000-$40,000 a year to be able to shell out tens of thousands a year for a child's eating disorder?
You could be working full-time and getting your education and paying for things yourself. Your parents are doing what they choose to do, you are not doing what you want others to do because for you, to go to school, it's unrealistic. But people with scant resources are supposed to be able to create money to help their child dying from anorexia because it's just not ok in your world for eating disorders to be taken seriously? You do realize you are stating that you are more entitled to get an education (bluntly, from social support, since you are over 18) than a parent is entitled to seek financial assistance to save their child's life?
Clearly parents who make $30-40k a year won't be able to afford thousands of dollars worth of treatment. My point is not all people with eating disorders have parents who make $30-40k a year or make $30-40k a year themselves.
Working full-time and going to school full-time wouldn't exactly coincide with the school I go to or the major I am studying. FYI I pay for many things myself.
I never said eating disorders aren't serious. They are very serious. You're putting words in my mouth and taking this way too far and personally. Have a great night!
No, you didn't say they aren't serious. You said that they should be getting the inpatient help they need, not checks from the government, because people with stuff you care about are more sympathetic.
Of course some people have wealthy parents. It's unlikely they would get much of anything from the government, and if they did, it would be taxed to the point that they just as well may not have gotten it at all. We're asking you about all these non wealthy people.
How am I taking this too far? Did I attack you? Or just ask you to answer my questions and arguments to the points that you are making?
Yes, I am taking it personally, because I have direct experience with the needs of those who suffer from severe mental illness.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Funny. A lot of people who work full time don't have tens of thousands of dollars to shovel out to assuage their anxiety.
So the full time job that you'll have sometime in the future will pay you at a rate which facilitates the medical necessity described above? Great. And it should be compatible with your diagnosis right? I mean, just in case it isn't all smooth sailing. These jobs! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.
And by the way, it's easy to choose an education when it's bought and paid for. I'd call such a scenario more of a privilege than a choice.
I pay for my own education and loans. Thank you very much.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Unreasonable like expecting parents that may make $30,000-$40,000 a year to be able to shell out tens of thousands a year for a child's eating disorder?
You could be working full-time and getting your education and paying for things yourself. Your parents are doing what they choose to do, you are not doing what you want others to do because for you, to go to school, it's unrealistic. But people with scant resources are supposed to be able to create money to help their child dying from anorexia because it's just not ok in your world for eating disorders to be taken seriously? You do realize you are stating that you are more entitled to get an education (bluntly, from social support, since you are over 18) than a parent is entitled to seek financial assistance to save their child's life?
Clearly parents who make $30-40k a year won't be able to afford thousands of dollars worth of treatment. My point is not all people with eating disorders have parents who make $30-40k a year or make $30-40k a year themselves.
Working full-time and going to school full-time wouldn't exactly coincide with the school I go to or the major I am studying. FYI I pay for many things myself.
I never said eating disorders aren't serious. They are very serious. You're putting words in my mouth and taking this way too far and personally. Have a great night!
No, you didn't say they aren't serious. You said that they should be getting the inpatient help they need, not checks from the government, because people with stuff you care about are more sympathetic.
Of course some people have wealthy parents. It's unlikely they would get much of anything from the government, and if they did, it would be taxed to the point that they just as well may not have gotten it at all. We're asking you about all these non wealthy people.
How am I taking this too far? Did I attack you? Or just ask you to answer my questions and arguments to the points that you are making?
Yes, I am taking it personally, because I have direct experience with the needs of those who suffer from severe mental illness.
And I have severe anxiety. I don't go about attacking people in a public forum where everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If you can't accept that, don't post in a place where not everyone is going to agree with you.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Funny. A lot of people who work full time don't have tens of thousands of dollars to shovel out to assuage their anxiety.
So the full time job that you'll have sometime in the future will pay you at a rate which facilitates the medical necessity described above? Great. And it should be compatible with your diagnosis right? I mean, just in case it isn't all smooth sailing. These jobs! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.
And by the way, it's easy to choose an education when it's bought and paid for. I'd call such a scenario more of a privilege than a choice.
I pay for my own education and loans. Thank you very much.
I don't believe you.
Nobody does.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Unreasonable like expecting parents that may make $30,000-$40,000 a year to be able to shell out tens of thousands a year for a child's eating disorder?
You could be working full-time and getting your education and paying for things yourself. Your parents are doing what they choose to do, you are not doing what you want others to do because for you, to go to school, it's unrealistic. But people with scant resources are supposed to be able to create money to help their child dying from anorexia because it's just not ok in your world for eating disorders to be taken seriously? You do realize you are stating that you are more entitled to get an education (bluntly, from social support, since you are over 18) than a parent is entitled to seek financial assistance to save their child's life?
Clearly parents who make $30-40k a year won't be able to afford thousands of dollars worth of treatment. My point is not all people with eating disorders have parents who make $30-40k a year or make $30-40k a year themselves.
Working full-time and going to school full-time wouldn't exactly coincide with the school I go to or the major I am studying. FYI I pay for many things myself.
I never said eating disorders aren't serious. They are very serious. You're putting words in my mouth and taking this way too far and personally. Have a great night!
No, you didn't say they aren't serious. You said that they should be getting the inpatient help they need, not checks from the government, because people with stuff you care about are more sympathetic.
Of course some people have wealthy parents. It's unlikely they would get much of anything from the government, and if they did, it would be taxed to the point that they just as well may not have gotten it at all. We're asking you about all these non wealthy people.
How am I taking this too far? Did I attack you? Or just ask you to answer my questions and arguments to the points that you are making?
Yes, I am taking it personally, because I have direct experience with the needs of those who suffer from severe mental illness.
And I have severe anxiety. I don't go about attacking people in a public forum where everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If you can't accept that, don't post in a place where not everyone is going to agree with you.
Where did I attack you?
Take your own advice. I'm fine with arguing with you, you are the one having a problem with being challenged.
These discussions are personal because I am thinking about real people. I can post about a topic that matters personally to me all I want. I'm answering your challenges. You are ignoring mine. I'm actually being pretty civil to you, though I'm not taking it easy on you. Because when you make a statement, on a public forum, expect that not everyone is going to agree with you.
There are threads I don't go into because of personal feelings. This isn't one I feel the need to avoid.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Funny. A lot of people who work full time don't have tens of thousands of dollars to shovel out to assuage their anxiety.
So the full time job that you'll have sometime in the future will pay you at a rate which facilitates the medical necessity described above? Great. And it should be compatible with your diagnosis right? I mean, just in case it isn't all smooth sailing. These jobs! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.
And by the way, it's easy to choose an education when it's bought and paid for. I'd call such a scenario more of a privilege than a choice.
I pay for my own education and loans. Thank you very much.
Which you can do because your parents have paid for your treatment.
If they couldn't, where would you be? Could you have gotten treatment? How?
Would you have been able to go to school? Would you have been able to take a job that would allow you to pay for school? Would you be able to manage both school and work?
I suspect with severe anxiety doing any of that would be very difficult.0 -
Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.
So, if someone can't get out of bed, a positive attitude will make them non-disabled? Can diabetics will their organs into functioning correctly?
Until SSDI/SSI considers how a person became a disability in every single instance, and issues moral judgments about a person's worth, why should we care so much more for severely obese people? Do you believe that people who can't get out of bed due to their weight (not caused by an easily pinpointed condition) don't have some form of an eating disorder?
There are plenty of individuals who weigh 400, 500, 600+ lbs and can still get out of bed. Hell, there's 400, 500, 600+ lb people who get out there and exercise. Watch Extreme Weight Loss. Some of the candidates are well over 400 lbs, get on a treadmill and run. Too many people use obesity as an excuse. Is it uncomfortable? YES. Does it make exercise more difficult? YES. Do you feel like your heart is pounding out of your skin? YES. But laying in bed or sitting on the couch isn't going to change a damn thing. In fact it'll only make things worse.
I know there are individuals who are bed-ridden because they ate themselves to 900 pounds. Do I believe they have an eating disorder? Absolutely. But to me, an eating disorder is no where near comparable to an actual disability like Down Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis nor should a person receive government assistance for having an eating disorder.
I think what this boils down to is that an ED is a mental disease and people cannot see it so they cannot understand it.
Whereas the other disabilities you listed, can be seen, so you understand it.
Mental illness can be just as crippling.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Funny. A lot of people who work full time don't have tens of thousands of dollars to shovel out to assuage their anxiety.
So the full time job that you'll have sometime in the future will pay you at a rate which facilitates the medical necessity described above? Great. And it should be compatible with your diagnosis right? I mean, just in case it isn't all smooth sailing. These jobs! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.
And by the way, it's easy to choose an education when it's bought and paid for. I'd call such a scenario more of a privilege than a choice.
I pay for my own education and loans. Thank you very much.
Which you can do because your parents have paid for your treatment.
If they couldn't, where would you be? Could you have gotten treatment? How?
Would you have been able to go to school? Would you have been able to take a job that would allow you to pay for school? Would you be able to manage both school and work?
I suspect with severe anxiety doing any of that would be very difficult.
You think I don't suffer with anxiety anymore just because I receive treatment? That's far from true. It's something I deal with every day.
Of course it's difficult. I just don't let it control my life anymore. When you change your mindset, a lot can be accomplished. I'm not going to live off of government assistance because I have anxiety. Do some people need to? Absolutely because they are unable to receive CBT treatment, pay for medications, etc. But I also believe living off government assistance is enabling the person.
I was enabled when I was first diagnosed. My parents would let me skip out on going to church and going to family parties because they knew how difficult it was for me. Going to places like the mall or restaurants would literally make me sick. But did it help that my parents let me stay home? No, of course not. I had to take two medical leave of absences from school and give up my dream of becoming a nurse because of my anxiety. But that didn't stop me from going back to school and pursuing public health. Going back to school wasn't a walk in the park. I've missed many classes because my anxiety was too overbearing. I've had to seek out special accommodations for tests. I've had to step out of classes mid-panic attack to take a breather. It wasn't until my parents stopped enabling me that I saw a major improvement in my anxiety. I believe the same can be done for others out there suffering from severe anxiety disorders.
I know there are many people who cannot afford to receive proper treatment for their mental illnesses and I feel for them. I wish the treatments were more readily available to individuals who work a minimum wage job or don't have health insurance. Because not everyone is able to shell out thousands of dollars. It's a lot of money. People with mental illness are fully deserving of receiving government assistance if they truly need it. A lot of people take advantage of the system. But those who need it, deserve it. However, I do not agree with those who receive assistance but do not do anything to try to improve their anxiety, for example. Someone who receives assistance and sits in their house all day isn't doing anything to help themselves.
I do not believe everyone with mental illness looks into all resources out there before deciding they need government assistance. Many mental illness facilities have post-doctoral fellowship programs that are free because the psychologists/psychiatrists have taken the exam but simply aren't licensed yet (these programs would be a couple thousand dollars out of pocket with a psychologist/psychiatrist who is licensed). I know it isn't easy to come by but all a person has to do is look into what's out there and make a few phone calls.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Funny. A lot of people who work full time don't have tens of thousands of dollars to shovel out to assuage their anxiety.
So the full time job that you'll have sometime in the future will pay you at a rate which facilitates the medical necessity described above? Great. And it should be compatible with your diagnosis right? I mean, just in case it isn't all smooth sailing. These jobs! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.
And by the way, it's easy to choose an education when it's bought and paid for. I'd call such a scenario more of a privilege than a choice.
I pay for my own education and loans. Thank you very much.
Which you can do because your parents have paid for your treatment.
If they couldn't, where would you be? Could you have gotten treatment? How?
Would you have been able to go to school? Would you have been able to take a job that would allow you to pay for school? Would you be able to manage both school and work?
I suspect with severe anxiety doing any of that would be very difficult.
You think I don't suffer with anxiety anymore just because I receive treatment? That's far from true. It's something I deal with every day.
Of course it's difficult. I just don't let it control my life anymore. When you change your mindset, a lot can be accomplished. I'm not going to live off of government assistance because I have anxiety. Do some people need to? Absolutely because they are unable to receive CBT treatment, pay for medications, etc. But I also believe living off government assistance is enabling the person.
I was enabled when I was first diagnosed. My parents would let me skip out on going to church and going to family parties because they knew how difficult it was for me. Going to places like the mall or restaurants would literally make me sick. But did it help that my parents let me stay home? No, of course not. I had to take two medical leave of absences from school and give up my dream of becoming a nurse because of my anxiety. But that didn't stop me from going back to school and pursuing public health. It wasn't until my parents stopped enabling me that I saw a major improvement in my anxiety. I believe the same can be done for others out there suffering from severe anxiety disorders.
I know there are many people who cannot afford to receive proper treatment for their mental illnesses and I feel for them. I wish the treatments were more readily available to individuals who work a minimum wage job or don't have health insurance. Because not everyone is able to shell out thousands of dollars. It's a lot of money. People with mental illness are fully deserving of receiving government assistance if they truly need it. A lot of people take advantage of the system. But those who need it, deserve it. However, I do not agree with those who receive assistance but do not do anything to try to improve their anxiety, for example. Someone who receives assistance and sits in their house all day isn't doing anything to help themselves.
I do not believe everyone with mental illness looks into all resources out there before deciding they need government assistance. Many mental illness facilities have post-doctoral fellowship programs that are free because the psychologists/psychiatrists have taken the exam but simply aren't licensed yet (these programs would be a couple thousand dollars out of pocket with a psychologist/psychiatrist who is licensed). I know it isn't easy to come by but all a person has to do is look into what's out there and make a few phone calls.
I have a friend who doesn't have health insurance, she looked into getting help with her depression at a free program...While they could get her an appointment it was 3 months away. Her case isn't dire, but can you imagine someone who is in dire need being told they need to wait 3 months at least. Do you think they can wait that long?0 -
Hey guys.
What's going on in...
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Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Funny. A lot of people who work full time don't have tens of thousands of dollars to shovel out to assuage their anxiety.
So the full time job that you'll have sometime in the future will pay you at a rate which facilitates the medical necessity described above? Great. And it should be compatible with your diagnosis right? I mean, just in case it isn't all smooth sailing. These jobs! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.
And by the way, it's easy to choose an education when it's bought and paid for. I'd call such a scenario more of a privilege than a choice.
I pay for my own education and loans. Thank you very much.
Which you can do because your parents have paid for your treatment.
If they couldn't, where would you be? Could you have gotten treatment? How?
Would you have been able to go to school? Would you have been able to take a job that would allow you to pay for school? Would you be able to manage both school and work?
I suspect with severe anxiety doing any of that would be very difficult.
You think I don't suffer with anxiety anymore just because I receive treatment? That's far from true. It's something I deal with every day.
Of course it's difficult. I just don't let it control my life anymore. When you change your mindset, a lot can be accomplished. I'm not going to live off of government assistance because I have anxiety. Do some people need to? Absolutely because they are unable to receive CBT treatment, pay for medications, etc. But I also believe living off government assistance is enabling the person.
I was enabled when I was first diagnosed. My parents would let me skip out on going to church and going to family parties because they knew how difficult it was for me. Going to places like the mall or restaurants would literally make me sick. But did it help that my parents let me stay home? No, of course not. I had to take two medical leave of absences from school and give up my dream of becoming a nurse because of my anxiety. But that didn't stop me from going back to school and pursuing public health. It wasn't until my parents stopped enabling me that I saw a major improvement in my anxiety. I believe the same can be done for others out there suffering from severe anxiety disorders.
I know there are many people who cannot afford to receive proper treatment for their mental illnesses and I feel for them. I wish the treatments were more readily available to individuals who work a minimum wage job or don't have health insurance. Because not everyone is able to shell out thousands of dollars. It's a lot of money. People with mental illness are fully deserving of receiving government assistance if they truly need it. A lot of people take advantage of the system. But those who need it, deserve it. However, I do not agree with those who receive assistance but do not do anything to try to improve their anxiety, for example. Someone who receives assistance and sits in their house all day isn't doing anything to help themselves.
I do not believe everyone with mental illness looks into all resources out there before deciding they need government assistance. Many mental illness facilities have post-doctoral fellowship programs that are free because the psychologists/psychiatrists have taken the exam but simply aren't licensed yet (these programs would be a couple thousand dollars out of pocket with a psychologist/psychiatrist who is licensed). I know it isn't easy to come by but all a person has to do is look into what's out there and make a few phone calls.
I have a friend who doesn't have health insurance, she looked into getting help with her depression at a free program...While they could get her an appointment it was 3 months away. Her case isn't dire, but can you imagine someone who is in dire need being told they need to wait 3 months at least. Do you think they can wait that long?
That's how it works unfortunately. There aren't enough psychologists/psychiatrists to accommodate the growing number of individuals with mental illnesses. I had to wait 3 months to get into a psychiatrist and I was in extreme dire need.... missing weeks of school my senior year of high school, not being able to get out of bed because of how sick my physical symptoms made me feel, etc. Waiting isn't ideal but with healthcare the way it is today, it's what has to be done. You have to take what you can get. It's better than nothing. I hope she is on a waiting list in case someone cancels. That's the only way she will be able to get into the program sooner.0 -
Obesity and related health problems aren't just about mental illness. This thread has focused down pretty hard on that. I'd like to post something from a bleeding heart social worker...oh wait, I meant a United States Department of Army writer compiling data and making recommendations on obesity. It's not about the situation of the poor in the US, but it is about the situation of the poor in countries with even higher levels of obesity and more poverty: Pacific Islanders.
He starts off with a startlingly blunt admission:
"Pacific Islanders are treated as second-class citizens similar to Native Americans."
He goes on to speak of lack of resources and the loss of traditional foods as well as indifference toward the people in these communities.
Then he cites a survey:
"Respondents were asked to rate certain foods, both traditional and imported. Even though traditional foods were reported to be preferred over such foods as mutton flaps, bread and imported chicken parts, the study participants continued to eat the less desirable foods at a higher rate. The indication was that “preference has little to do with consumption patterns” (Evans et al., 2001, p. 857). The analysis indicated a “considerable sophistication and awareness” of the importance of good nutrition and a “relatively accurate perception of the nutritional value of the foods they consume.” These perceptions, however,
have not reduced their appetite for imported fatty foods (Evans et al., 2001, p. 858). Despite the success of education programs in increasing awareness of what nutritional foods contribute to a healthy diet, Pacific Islanders nonetheless choose to eat foods with “dubious” nutritional value because of cost and availability. In other words, “they make economically rational, but nutritionally detrimental decisions to consume certain foods” (Evans et al., 2001, pp. 856-7). T"
So from this we can see that you don't have to be crazy or ignorant to get fat. Just poor. And that is true in America, too.
Edit for link: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/uploadedFiles/moynihan/dst/curtis5.pdf0 -
Yea, bankruptcy won't exempt you. Woulda filed a long time ago :laugh:
QFT.
I just *had* to stay at the fancy school, even though my parents started making more money, and I was getting less and less financial aid. *sigh*
So pay the minimum until you die. You get to take the interest off your taxes anyway.
Not if you make enough to actually pay back the student loans
There was an original joke about finding a way to not pay them back.
I believe that the original point was one of gaming the system.
Yes and then I chimed in and asked if there was a way a person could get around paying them back.
Then someone commented in filing bankruptcy.
Someone else said no, they are not exempt from bankruptcy.
You said that is overstated.
Then that person again said "pay the minimum until you die"
Then you said: Not unless you make enough to pay them back.
It was one big circle.
Except that no example of gaming the system was provided. I fail to see the circularity
ETA: thread roll!!!! Yay!
Gaming the system: Stay in school until you die accumulating more and more worthless degrees. I got a friend doing that. Still hasn't paid a dime of the massive loans back. Doesn't plan on it.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Funny. A lot of people who work full time don't have tens of thousands of dollars to shovel out to assuage their anxiety.
So the full time job that you'll have sometime in the future will pay you at a rate which facilitates the medical necessity described above? Great. And it should be compatible with your diagnosis right? I mean, just in case it isn't all smooth sailing. These jobs! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.
And by the way, it's easy to choose an education when it's bought and paid for. I'd call such a scenario more of a privilege than a choice.
I pay for my own education and loans. Thank you very much.
Which you can do because your parents have paid for your treatment.
If they couldn't, where would you be? Could you have gotten treatment? How?
Would you have been able to go to school? Would you have been able to take a job that would allow you to pay for school? Would you be able to manage both school and work?
I suspect with severe anxiety doing any of that would be very difficult.
You think I don't suffer with anxiety anymore just because I receive treatment? That's far from true. It's something I deal with every day.
Of course it's difficult. I just don't let it control my life anymore. When you change your mindset, a lot can be accomplished. I'm not going to live off of government assistance because I have anxiety. Do some people need to? Absolutely because they are unable to receive CBT treatment, pay for medications, etc. But I also believe living off government assistance is enabling the person.
I was enabled when I was first diagnosed. My parents would let me skip out on going to church and going to family parties because they knew how difficult it was for me. Going to places like the mall or restaurants would literally make me sick. But did it help that my parents let me stay home? No, of course not. I had to take two medical leave of absences from school and give up my dream of becoming a nurse because of my anxiety. But that didn't stop me from going back to school and pursuing public health. It wasn't until my parents stopped enabling me that I saw a major improvement in my anxiety. I believe the same can be done for others out there suffering from severe anxiety disorders.
I know there are many people who cannot afford to receive proper treatment for their mental illnesses and I feel for them. I wish the treatments were more readily available to individuals who work a minimum wage job or don't have health insurance. Because not everyone is able to shell out thousands of dollars. It's a lot of money. People with mental illness are fully deserving of receiving government assistance if they truly need it. A lot of people take advantage of the system. But those who need it, deserve it. However, I do not agree with those who receive assistance but do not do anything to try to improve their anxiety, for example. Someone who receives assistance and sits in their house all day isn't doing anything to help themselves.
I do not believe everyone with mental illness looks into all resources out there before deciding they need government assistance. Many mental illness facilities have post-doctoral fellowship programs that are free because the psychologists/psychiatrists have taken the exam but simply aren't licensed yet (these programs would be a couple thousand dollars out of pocket with a psychologist/psychiatrist who is licensed). I know it isn't easy to come by but all a person has to do is look into what's out there and make a few phone calls.
I did not say you were cured but I suspect the tens of thousands of dollars worth of treatment probably goes a long way in helping you cope. You were able to get the help you need. Not everyone has that luxury.
You seem to be missing the whole point of this. What do you do when you don't have the luxury of getting the help you need? You had to drop out of nursing twice but because you had help, you could return.
I'm not in the US but here, the disability benefits barely give you enough to live on. Mental health care is lacking. We don't have options like post doctorate free programs. Many just don't have the option of treatment to change their situation. It is not a simple situation.
I also find it interesting that you edited your earlier post about your treatment.0 -
Because I'm a 21 year old who is in school. My parents don't expect me to be able to shovel out tens of thousands of dollars. Any parent who does is a bit unrealistic.
Now if I was working full-time then I'd be able to. But I chose education instead.
Funny. A lot of people who work full time don't have tens of thousands of dollars to shovel out to assuage their anxiety.
So the full time job that you'll have sometime in the future will pay you at a rate which facilitates the medical necessity described above? Great. And it should be compatible with your diagnosis right? I mean, just in case it isn't all smooth sailing. These jobs! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.
And by the way, it's easy to choose an education when it's bought and paid for. I'd call such a scenario more of a privilege than a choice.
I pay for my own education and loans. Thank you very much.
Which you can do because your parents have paid for your treatment.
If they couldn't, where would you be? Could you have gotten treatment? How?
Would you have been able to go to school? Would you have been able to take a job that would allow you to pay for school? Would you be able to manage both school and work?
I suspect with severe anxiety doing any of that would be very difficult.
You think I don't suffer with anxiety anymore just because I receive treatment? That's far from true. It's something I deal with every day.
Of course it's difficult. I just don't let it control my life anymore. When you change your mindset, a lot can be accomplished. I'm not going to live off of government assistance because I have anxiety. Do some people need to? Absolutely because they are unable to receive CBT treatment, pay for medications, etc. But I also believe living off government assistance is enabling the person.
I was enabled when I was first diagnosed. My parents would let me skip out on going to church and going to family parties because they knew how difficult it was for me. Going to places like the mall or restaurants would literally make me sick. But did it help that my parents let me stay home? No, of course not. I had to take two medical leave of absences from school and give up my dream of becoming a nurse because of my anxiety. But that didn't stop me from going back to school and pursuing public health. It wasn't until my parents stopped enabling me that I saw a major improvement in my anxiety. I believe the same can be done for others out there suffering from severe anxiety disorders.
I know there are many people who cannot afford to receive proper treatment for their mental illnesses and I feel for them. I wish the treatments were more readily available to individuals who work a minimum wage job or don't have health insurance. Because not everyone is able to shell out thousands of dollars. It's a lot of money. People with mental illness are fully deserving of receiving government assistance if they truly need it. A lot of people take advantage of the system. But those who need it, deserve it. However, I do not agree with those who receive assistance but do not do anything to try to improve their anxiety, for example. Someone who receives assistance and sits in their house all day isn't doing anything to help themselves.
I do not believe everyone with mental illness looks into all resources out there before deciding they need government assistance. Many mental illness facilities have post-doctoral fellowship programs that are free because the psychologists/psychiatrists have taken the exam but simply aren't licensed yet (these programs would be a couple thousand dollars out of pocket with a psychologist/psychiatrist who is licensed). I know it isn't easy to come by but all a person has to do is look into what's out there and make a few phone calls.
I did not say you were cured but I suspect the tens of thousands of dollars worth of treatment probably goes a long way in helping you cope. You were able to get the help you need. Not everyone has that luxury.
You seem to be missing the whole point of this. What do you do when you don't have the luxury of getting the help you need? You had to drop out of nursing twice but because you had help, you could return.
I'm not in the US but here, the disability benefits barely give you enough to live on. Mental health care is lacking. We don't have options like post doctorate free programs. Many just don't have the option of treatment to change their situation. It is not a simple situation.
I also find it interesting that you edited your earlier post about your treatment.
I realize not everyone has that luxury. I've stated that a number of times. Which is why I said people who truly need government assistance because of their mental illness are more than deserving of it.
And what post about my treatment did I edit?
Edited to say that I returned to school prior to receiving CBT and biofeedback treatments.0
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