DH has not been to Work for the Dole because of agoraphobia and he hasn't called to explain because the phone got cut off. I went to Centrelink on his behalf this arvo and had one of those conversations that goes round in circles: "No he can't call because we have no phone. No, he can't come in person because he can't leave the house!" Then the woman just sent me away to talk to his job network member instead who will then contact them and tell them what I said.

Dizzy yet? I know I am.

So we can't get the phone put back on until he signs a form saying that I can act on his behalf with Centrelink. Then I have to make arrangements to have him "reassessed" and, hopefully, put on Newstart Incapacitated. In practice this means he has to go out to the Centrelink office to be interogated by a Centrelink shrink and a mental health nurse over his inability to leave the house (among other things).


And I can't help but think of the GP who last week told DH that he can't be suicidal because otherwise he wouldn't be there asking for help. :gunem-dow

Right now I'm at uni avoiding having to go home and tell him all of this. I am getting nothing done because I can't think about anything else. In fact I've been feeling like I've been kicked in the gut but it's taken me ages to work out why. Even though things are finally going the way I want them to (albeit arse about tit), I'm so used to nothing happening no matter how hard I try that I'm actually feeling quite panicky at the sudden change of pace. With a govt agency getting involved it suddenly feels like it's getting very official like we're only a step away from having him sectioned.

And what if they decide not to believe him?

Most importantly, it's been so much hard work just to get to the point where he's got an appointment to see a psychologist, that I'm scared that Centrelink being clueless and insensitive might make it all collapse again. I really don't want to go through another year of bugging him to do the bleeding obvious.

And it's just scarey in general. Am I really up to being The Strong One In Charge of Everything??

Annette

If he has PTSD, then you will likely find he is actually entitled to full disability payments instead, not so much unemployment. PTSD is a recognised disability...

Thanks. I didn't realise that. Crisis time has passed. The pace has slowed again and he still doesn't have a diagnosis but I'll keep that in mind.