Brilliant presentation Stu. I just hope someone is listening in Government. I often watch your channel, but never comment. From personal experience of someone close to me with long standing mental illness and CPTSD, I can identify closely with David's description of his life. Not military, but childhood trauma which is everlasting. It never goes away. Despite years & years of help, medication and therapy which I have had to fight for on their behalf (still on going) there is little improvement. Just existence. Being a carer is hard too. How on earth is a PIP voucher scheme going to help people? My motto is never give up, never give in & be of the moment...take one day at a time (sometimes, a minute at a time). Thanks for all you do to help our community Stu. x J x
Dave, if you read this comment: I may not have military PTSD, though I do have PTSD from civilian things. I wasn't ever deployed, though on a technicality, was part of the British Army while I was involved with the Army Cadet Force as an instructor. I can't begin to understand what you've been through, what you're going through, but I want to tell you I love you, I value you, I appreciate you. Veterans are among those people I count as my closest and most trusted friends - I worked with one who had been special forces in the US Army Rangers when I worked in stunt performance. While I trust all of those people who I worked alongside in stunt performance with my life, he and I shared a bond that sounds very similar to what other veteran friends described. On bad nights, his PTSD would wake him up, well before most of us were ready to start our workday. I was often up and about early taking care of the horses, and spent some mornings sitting alongside him in companionable silence, keeping watch over each other. I wish I was able to offer you that same comfort. While a cuppa and having someone to keep an eye out for you when you're feeling at your most raw can't even begin to make those struggles go away, I hope that you can find someone in your life who can offer you some feeling of relative peace and security as my veteran friend and I could for each other.
That's kind. I have non military cPTSD but from being a baby night times were particularly dangerous and took me to the edge of death. Even though one's adult brain knows it's safe now it's too hard to give in to the danger of unconsciousness leaving one so vulnerable. You sound like a good friend.
Hi Stu and Dave. Everything you said is true, these things need to be highlighted. CPTSD and PTSD do lead to other health conditions and vouchers will be of no help in these cases. Take care to all and thanks to Dave and Stu for making the points that you raised.
Thanks Dave for sharing your experiences grim as they are. You may feel broken by the system but despite all your problems you are still here,even though you don't want to be at times. I've not been in the forces so we are in different head spaces due to our experiences. My head is still messed up just differently to yours. All I can say really is stay strong and reach out for help anytime things are really grim, it won't solve your issues but it might get you thru another day. The voucher idea seems dumb as F**k as it'll just add more pressure on everyone, hopefully it'll get scrapped 🤞Brave thing to do opening up 🤗 Stay safe and take care.
I hope Dave gets all the support he needs and isn’t let down in anyway shape or form and we all thank him and his military colleagues for his priceless work done. Thanks Dave, stay strong.
I know many who rely on a carer for many things that need to be paid for in Cash, including the carer themselvesAlso the extra heat maybe, or even for a cold fan every day, 24 hrs a day due to over heating of the body temperature.The idea that PIP is no longer going to be payments going into the bank to pay for carers, and other extra needs is barbaric.This must be stopped.I cannot bare the thought of people going without.
I have c-ptsd as well as physical disabilities. I am on the social housing waiting list with high ranking but , with the threat of vouchers, will no longer be able to move to private rental that is single storey and ground level as the rent for such a place is double that for a house; not including the difficulty to rent whilst on UC either. Rent for suitable accomodation is but one issue faced by those requiring PIP but even the threat of being trapped in a home that I can't get out of is a trigger for panic attacks even though I often need to hide from others. This voucher scheme is scary.
He's entirely right. I had a support group for stopping disabled people killing themselves. We found that disabled veterans had very specific needs and were best helped by other veterans and their specific support systems who understood the culture and "silences" and needs. I have cPTSD from life-threatening abuse from being a baby and it's not any fun at all. I also have physical problems that leave me mostly bedridden and have professional carers in 7 days a week. Vouchers will be a disaster as it entirely limits options of extra care in our homes, options to purchase what we need unless it is "approved" by the govt. EG: motability options are crap for power wheelchairs and cars etc...many of us have to purchase outside of their limited catalogue of aids. People like myself have every penny beyond the basics taken off us by social services in order to pay for our care.
Stu you saying that I want get my pip I have terminal cancer lung disease COPD mobility problems I have cares every day for my personal care and help me round the house am even under MacMillan nurses go woodlands every Monday is this effect me please am 68 years old I now other people are in the same way that needs this Stu please get back to me asp thank you x
I'm not saying that, no-one knows yet what the decision will be, whether PIP will remain as it is or whether it will be vouchers, hence my calling on people to write to their MP and join campaigns against it.
I have chronic Paranoid Schizophrenia and am on Enhanced PIP - How the hell am i supposed to pay for taxis (cos im para on public transport) with a poxy voucher lol? Kier Starmer needs my head for 24 hours, and ill laugh when he craps himself.
PIP is supposed tp be used for disabled people extra needs/costs, vouchers cant enable that you need the freedom to spend it anywhere at anytime, whether its for fuel as you need to get out for a drive or for treatment by a different source etc... vouchers cant do this freedom which is what PIP is about to give you more freedom in life, instead of being stuck indoors 24/7/7×52 wks
David I don't know if this will be of any interest to you, there are some veterans that are given service dogs through a military scheme, these dogs are specially trained to recognise cptsd symptoms in their owners and act to lower symptoms nervous system dysregulation, anxiety, dissociation, overwhelm, freeze state, etc, owning one would also help with avoidance, and isolation problems due to having to walking and taking care of the dogs needs, giving you a purpose There will likely be videos here on RU-vid showing some of the vets with these dogs and how having one has helped them, I have cptsd not military related so don't have one of these dogs, I won't claim pip the whole process would be too stressful, likely to become homeless soon, all the best to you, take care
I don't think vouchers will be a thing, as it would create some sort of financial apartheid. Plus, every claimant's situation is different, and PIP vouchers would be one size fits all, as you only get a certain amount on a voucher. You also get told where to spend it. That isn't independent.
Reading Labour's plan, the new electronic vouchers will be recognised by Uber, Tesco and the utility companies. It stops claimants, and their appointees, spending money on illicit drugs, cigarettes and alcohol. It's not an attempt to keep claimants at home.
Giod morning, i need yiur advice and would be grateful. I have been awarded lcwra, i have applied for pip few days ago but i am so so worried if i won't be awarded pip that they might withdraw or cancel my lcwra! I dont konw if they are related.. information online was quite mixed and confusing?! Should i cancel my application for pip to be in the safe side.. i can't go through that nightmare again to apply for lwcra .. i have severe depression. Kindly, help xxx
Speaking from my experience of handling my husband’s PIP application which was finally awarded, 18 months later, last January; LCWRA & PIP are not related. My husband was awarded LCWRA in 2022. He applied for PIP & was rejected. He continued to get his LCWRA. We did not challenge the PIP decision - at that time I did not realise that most PIP applications are rejected & you must appeal & go to Tribunal to get a fair outcome. Which is what we did with his second PIP application. Find someone locally to help you. Citizens Advice were not helpful to us but I eventually found help with his PIP appeal via a debt advisory service. I hope your PIP experience is a better one than ours & wish you luck 🍀
