11 May 2011

In Support Of All The Disabled People Marching Today In London To Protest Against Cuts.

Today there is march by disabled people to protest against the appalling cuts to DLA, and the new ESA that disqualifies 93% of claimants. I'd also like to speak for all the people suffering from less visible mental illnesses like Anxiety Based Depression and Social Anxiety Disorder, both of which I suffer from.

I haven't been called in for my medical yet but it looks pretty certain I will be declared "Fit to work" and made to go onto Job seekers allowance, as I have heard the new medical is based purely on physical ability. The fact I find it difficult to speak to anyone I don't know will not be considered, the fact that some days I can't even go into a shop and purchase anything because the interaction with the shop keeper is too much for me will not count an iota.  This will mean I then have to apply for already oversubscribed jobs alongside fit people who have only been out of work a couple of weeks, when I haven't worked for nearly 10 years because of mental health issues.

What am I supposed to do on the days when I am experiencing uncontrollable crying and shaking coupled with suicidal thoughts? Go into work and hope my employer understands? I obviously have no chance of finding conventional employment, and what will happen to those with worse mental illness's than me? What about the people who are bipolar and schizophrenic? Will they have to work too? Do the government really think that showing an advert where a man in an office asks another man about his mental health problems will really change employers attitudes to mental health issues enough for them to employ the thousands of us suffering, over the perfectly well people also applying for jobs? What planet are these people from? How long will it be before we are like America, where ALL the mentally ill people not lucky enough to have family rich enough to support them end up homeless and the well people step over them in the street without even seeing?

Since their election the Tories seem to be trying to destroy everything that has ever made me proud to be British, the welfare system that protects our societies most vulnerable, and the NHS that ensures everyone has access to health care. Who is voting for these people, seriously? This country really has to look at what is going on, half of us don't even bother to vote anymore, if we did maybe it would make a difference. But no, people would rather vote for the X factor star of their choice than for who has control of our entire economy and government.

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