People who work in mental health frequently see people who are genuinely disabled by mental illness and who desperately need PIP payments to ensure they can get on with their lives, but not everyone would agree and that makes my blood boil.
These individuals are not abusing the system, but people and the government would tell you that they are.
There has been a lot of media presence, telling us that young people avoid work for one reason or another, and that might be the case in some instances.
Disabled people do not have fictitious illnesses, but I would agree that we are breeding a generation of sloths.
Of course, the system is not flawless, especially when it comes to mental health issues. There is no blood test or scan one can do to ascertain a diagnosis of mental illness. It relies on careful questions and assessments conducted by professionals.
However, all that is generally needed is understanding the correct responses to such queries. In particular, ADHD is a complicated and divisive topic, and for many, its symptoms, which include hyperactivity, difficulty keeping track of time, and difficulties focusing and paying attention, can be truly incapacitating, but waiting lists for the NHS span years, not weeks or months.
This has led to the emergence of an incredibly lucrative private sector, with psychologists and even therapists (which anyone can claim to be, despite having no qualifications) giving out ADHD diagnoses with ease.
Ultimately, the signs and symptoms are so nebulous that we can question if we’ve ever experienced them.
Yet all of this creates an obvious conflict. Once you have shelled out hundreds of pounds to see someone for an assessment, it’s unlikely they’ll say you don’t have it—especially if you’ve come prepared and know how to answer their questions.
However, ADHD is a more intricate disorder. Studies indicate that several individuals may be dealing with alternative concerns, such as emotional, psychological, or drug-related disorders.
Most people who have mental health problems want a label because they want a clear and concise diagnosis of what is wrong with them. There is nothing wrong with that, they just need to know. Having a diagnosis is not a trendy accessory; they have a serious mental illness.
There does seem to be more and more people with a diagnosis of mental illness, and I believe that’s because way back when people never knew enough about it, I also believe it’s all to do with the world that we live in, the food that we eat, and even a twist in our environment and DNA. We are evolving at a fast pace, but who is to say that people with mental illness are not normal and those that we consider normal are actually not?
Generally, ADHD comes with other mental illnesses such as Asperger’s Syndrome and other forms of mental illness. Everyone is impacted by it differently, some can work and some can’t. Some have high intelligence, some don’t, everyone is different and most are dreadful at planning and organising and any long-term projects and finishing that project is off the cards.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 