tatlock
01-22-2009, 03:35 AM
Hi. I'm in a bit of a pickle regards my situation, and could do with some advice if anyone can offer any.
Basically, i'm in my mid-twenties and have had speech problems since around the age of eight. I rarely actually stammer now, but over the years i've got into habits of never saying words i'm unsure of. Sometimes when i was much younger, when reading aloud in school, i'd stammer, and since then i've been going to more and more extremes to avoid speaking. Until the last year i've been able to hold down jobs of sorts, nothing decent unfortunately, but enough to bring in a wage. But over the years i've found myself becoming more and more unsociable. I guess, to put it finely, i've grew out of the habit of speaking.
Now then, i find it impossible to use a telephone, or to simply ask for help in a shop, or a ticket on a bus, etc. I avoid going out as much as possible too, incase friends bring friends, and i'm put on the spot and mess up. Rather than me stammering, it feels more like the cat's got my tongue, i literally can't force words out. Anyhow, the problem's got more severe this last year, to the point that i don't socialise at all. I find interviews, even just approaching someone i don't know, really difficult, near impossible, and with there being less jobs about i've not been able to get back into employment. Since April i've managed to survive financially by moving back into my parents home and buying and selling stuff on Ebay for money to get by on. Now, though, i'm absolutely potless.
I've recently started a CBT course for anxiety, and am on waiting lists for speech therapy and counselling, but in the meantime i need some sort of financial help, which i've never looked into before. I've been told that i'd qualify for either an Incapacity Benefit, or Job Seekers Allowance. In truth, i'd like to cl the latter, at least then i'm still looking for work, and something might come up that i'm able to do, and getting back into regular work and patterns would be a positive step. Trouble is, with not being able to use the telephone, or even go into my local Job Centre and ask if they have a Textphone, i've no idea where to start. I was wondering if anyone knew of a service that might be available for people with speech problems to arrange a cl for benefit; say an email service, or forms by post?
Apologies for the long-winded nature of all this. Thanks in advance for any advice, either directly related to this problem, or broader.
Basically, i'm in my mid-twenties and have had speech problems since around the age of eight. I rarely actually stammer now, but over the years i've got into habits of never saying words i'm unsure of. Sometimes when i was much younger, when reading aloud in school, i'd stammer, and since then i've been going to more and more extremes to avoid speaking. Until the last year i've been able to hold down jobs of sorts, nothing decent unfortunately, but enough to bring in a wage. But over the years i've found myself becoming more and more unsociable. I guess, to put it finely, i've grew out of the habit of speaking.
Now then, i find it impossible to use a telephone, or to simply ask for help in a shop, or a ticket on a bus, etc. I avoid going out as much as possible too, incase friends bring friends, and i'm put on the spot and mess up. Rather than me stammering, it feels more like the cat's got my tongue, i literally can't force words out. Anyhow, the problem's got more severe this last year, to the point that i don't socialise at all. I find interviews, even just approaching someone i don't know, really difficult, near impossible, and with there being less jobs about i've not been able to get back into employment. Since April i've managed to survive financially by moving back into my parents home and buying and selling stuff on Ebay for money to get by on. Now, though, i'm absolutely potless.
I've recently started a CBT course for anxiety, and am on waiting lists for speech therapy and counselling, but in the meantime i need some sort of financial help, which i've never looked into before. I've been told that i'd qualify for either an Incapacity Benefit, or Job Seekers Allowance. In truth, i'd like to cl the latter, at least then i'm still looking for work, and something might come up that i'm able to do, and getting back into regular work and patterns would be a positive step. Trouble is, with not being able to use the telephone, or even go into my local Job Centre and ask if they have a Textphone, i've no idea where to start. I was wondering if anyone knew of a service that might be available for people with speech problems to arrange a cl for benefit; say an email service, or forms by post?
Apologies for the long-winded nature of all this. Thanks in advance for any advice, either directly related to this problem, or broader.