Isolation

[purplefan]

I have experience isolation, but not long term and so many people are slipping through the cracks of the mental health system. I have no idea why that is but it must be addressed. I cant understand how you can have a job yet fail to make ends meet. Did the tory government not say last year that it is always better to work than be on benefits? I disagree and although i support people who work hard and earn a living to work hard and not must be soul destroying. There is something wrong if people who are working cant afford to pay their rent or even go out for the evening with their friends.

[Paula]

Ah pf, isolation and economy are separate issues (though there can be a link). People become isolated because they become ill, not always mentally ill either; they lose family; no sense of community etc.

[purplefan]

Ah pf, isolation and economy are separate issues (though there can be a link). People become isolated because they become ill, not always mentally ill either; they lose family; no sense of community etc.

I agree that people become isolated because they are ill but the documentary was exploring financial hardship as a link to the growing problem of younger people isolating themselves and becoming ill because of it. I am flabbergasted at how many 20 somethings just work, eat and sleep and make no contact to go out. They become more and more isolated.

[Suzi]

I have experience isolation, but not long term and so many people are slipping through the cracks of the mental health system. I have no idea why that is but it must be addressed.

It's not just those with mental health issues. But where the services have been cut, cut and cut again there isn't the staff or the money that is there any more.

I cant understand how you can have a job yet fail to make ends meet. Did the tory government not say last year that it is always better to work than be on benefits? I disagree and although i support people who work hard and earn a living to work hard and not must be soul destroying. There is something wrong if people who are working cant afford to pay their rent or even go out for the evening with their friends.

With the rise of rent costs, the rise of food and utilities it's not that hard to be working full time and not make ends meet. I have had members here who have had 2 working parents and 3 children living in a 2 bedroomed house because they can't sell their home to buy a bigger one. With all the money they have coming in the bills and mortgage swallow most of the money meaning she ends up at the food bank most months because even though most of her shopping is done when the food is reduced she still can't make ends meet.
Another of my friends works in a school and nearly all of her wages goes on after school childcare for one of her children!
Society is wrong when people are paid far more to kick a ball than they are to educate children, tend to the sick and the elderly and police our streets and put out the flames....

[S deleted]

I have had members here who have had 2 working parents and 3 children living in a 2 bedroomed house because they can't sell their home to buy a bigger one.

I was stuck in a one bed maisonette with two kids and couldn't afford to get a bigger home. Because I owned it (mortgaged) council refused to help us until I sold it, but if I sold it I was intentionally making us homeless and ineligible for council support. I went through hell not knowing what to do and being on maternity leave after the little man was born money became even tighter and in the end I had to just hand the keys back to the bank because I couldn't afford to stay there and it wasn't fit for our needs. Even then we had to jump through hoops just to get emergency accomodation let alone anything else. The council were happy for for me and my ex a 5 yr old and 10 month old baby to sleep in the car in October!!!

[Paula]