Social Anxiety Woes - dipping the toe in again

I’m currently on ESA benefit long term, now 2 years due to Social Anxiety/Avoidant personality disorder issues stretching back years. Have LGV C with all upto date CPC/Digi etc but never had real chance to use it. I also was a bus driver for 18 months in 2000 but again was unable to stay due to anxiety issues.
I get frustrated not being able to use my driving skills, as I’m a very confident driver. The problems manifest when I have to face co workers, deal with customers. It can take it out of me at times.
The rules of ESA allow me to try some work upto 15 hours a week without loss of benefits - it’s called Permitted Work. I’ve seen a weekend LGV C job with Driver Hire in Bristol and I’m keen on trying it. I’m 48 so well aware how agencies work so not holding out much hope or whether as the job even exists.

Anyone been in a similar situation and willing to offer any advice/tips?

Cheers

Why don’t you try a night trunking job especially on a weekend when some companies are struggling for drivers, with that kind of run you’ll earn a decent wage for one night and you’ll probably just do a trailer swap without even the possibility of actually meeting anyone.

Just a thought .

Think trunking is more C+E than C, but to the OP, all you can do is give it a go, I reckon one shift will be enough to let you know if you can hack it.

Harry Monk:
Think trunking is more C+E than C, but to the OP, all you can do is give it a go, I reckon one shift will be enough to let you know if you can hack it.

I did some class 2 night trunking years ago when I was a limper but you’re right more class 1 work about, the trouble with the 15 hr rule for the OP is he’ll only realistically be able to do one shift a week.

To the OP Bibby in Avonmouth do some class 2 trunking as do Wincanton on the Magnet contract.

metrorider:
I’m currently on ESA benefit long term, now 2 years due to Social Anxiety/Avoidant personality disorder issues stretching back years. Have LGV C with all upto date CPC/Digi etc but never had real chance to use it. I also was a bus driver for 18 months in 2000 but again was unable to stay due to anxiety issues.
I get frustrated not being able to use my driving skills, as I’m a very confident driver. The problems manifest when I have to face co workers, deal with customers. It can take it out of me at times.
The rules of ESA allow me to try some work upto 15 hours a week without loss of benefits - it’s called Permitted Work. I’ve seen a weekend LGV C job with Driver Hire in Bristol and I’m keen on trying it. I’m 48 so well aware how agencies work so not holding out much hope or whether as the job even exists.

Anyone been in a similar situation and willing to offer any advice/tips?

Cheers

I know nothing about your ‘condition’ mate, that and the fact that I am not the most sympathetic of blokes in general, (and especially to this sort of modern type of diagnostic buzz word lable put on things) maybe I should not comment as it may cause offence.

However you brought this up on a public forum to attract opinion, and although maybe mine is not the type of response you want or expected, I will try and be tactful here.

If they give out ‘benefits’ for this sort of thing as an alternative to work to guys like yourself that are otherwise physically fit, …Does that not only go to exacerbate the situation and give you an excuse (for the want of a better phrase) not to face up to this way that you feel, to try and beat it and lead a normal working life?

Apart from that, does it not also send out the wrong message to the workshy, to jump on the benefits bandwagon using these sort of things as an excuse, and an easier alternative to getting up at 4am for a 15 hour day in a truck…I mean you can even get benefits for self inflicted obesity these days.

As I said mate, I don’t know the next thing to jack ■■■■ about your stated condition, but I personally am more inclined to try and face up to crap dished out to me in life, and try and get on with it, and have done in the past, .rather than look for an easier and financial laden alternative.

I will undoubtedly get stick from some on this opinion, and I know this will maybe offend you, if so I apologise.
However, no apologies to the liberal left yoghurt knitters on here who will be offended by proxy , and will think I am being unduly harsh…I aint, it’s just my opinion being a ‘black and white’ type of guy, I can’t help it.

If you are wanting to get off benefits and back into full time work, the only thing I can say is Good luck with it.

Thankyou for the replies so far. As for offending me this is a public forum so expect positive and negative reactions.

metrorider:
Thankyou for the replies so far. As for offending me this is a public forum so expect positive and negative reactions.

A noble answer mate, but do you not have any opinions or answer to my point of view ?

I mean, am I talking ■■■■■■■■ due to ignorance of the condition, or do I make a fair point, or what?
Just curious.
Not after an argument, or asking you to justify yourself at all, it’s just that I am curious.

Being physically fit compared to mentally fit for work are two extremely different things and someone who hasnt experience of the latter really wouldnt know what its like. I have no experience of it either but the OP having come on a public forum to share his situation and showing the will to work should be praised imho…

metrorider:
The problems manifest when I have to face co workers, deal with customers. It can take it out of me at times.

Cheers

That’s not a syndrome or whatever, it’s a natural intolerance of idiots

AndrewG:
Being physically fit compared to mentally fit for work are two extremely different things and someone who hasnt experience of the latter really wouldnt know what its like. I have no experience of it either but the OP having come on a public forum to share his situation and showing the will to work should be praised imho…

If you read the last two lines of my post aimed at him, you will see that I did just that… or at least wished him luck.

Doubled post.

robroy:
I mean, am I talking ■■■■■■■■ due to ignorance of the condition, or do I make a fair point, or what?
Just curious.
Not after an argument, or asking you to justify yourself at all, it’s just that I am curious.

I think the thing is Rob that you have to understand that every single part of the human body is susceptible to imperfect function issues, and this includes the mind. If somebody has a malfunction with their brain, I don’t really see why that should be treated as less serious than a malfunction with, say, the heart.

Just a thought, what about working nights? Prob is, any job in driving, you’re going to come across people. Don’t know what to suggest really. Is it large groups of people you’re looking to avoid or just face to face with anyone? Maybe the best thing for you is something like nights where not many people around and just a few sleepy warehouse workers to get back in the groove. You know who it’s like though, you’ll always meet some nob heads in transport, especially warehouses so you have to be braced for that. Could be a good thing though for getting back out there.

I’m no ■■■■■■-analyst-matrician though and it shows

I’ve not responded to the questions about being on benefits as it’s not relevant. I don’t expect people to understand my difficulties but as said mental health is just as real as physical abilities.

As for being work shy, that’s not me. I’ve been doing Voluntary work for the last two years trying to keep sane as it were. There are many people who do take the p*ss yes but there are also many who are genuine.

Sadly, too many people read the Daily Mail

Freight Dog:
Just a thought, what about working nights? Prob is, any job in driving, you’re going to come across people. Don’t know what to suggest really. Is it large groups of people you’re looking to avoid or just face to face with anyone? Maybe the best thing for you is something like nights where not many people around and just a few sleepy warehouse workers to get back in the groove. You know who it’s like though, you’ll always meet some nob heads in transport, especially warehouses so you have to be braced for that. Could be a good thing though for getting back out there.

I’m no ■■■■■■-analyst-matrician though and it shows

The best way for me to overcome my issues, or rather find a way to manage them is to confront them head on. However, the more you do push yourself out there the more depressed it seems to make me. A personality disorder really [zb] up your life in all areas, but you just try and deal with it.

metrorider:
The best way for me to overcome my issues, or rather find a way to manage them is to confront them head on. However, the more you do push yourself out there the more depressed it seems to make me. A personality disorder really [zb] up your life in all areas, but you just try and deal with it.

Becoming ■■■■■■ off about the people you have to deal with when you drive a truck for a living isn’t a personality disorder, it’s called “being normal”.

metrorider:

Freight Dog:
Just a thought, what about working nights? Prob is, any job in driving, you’re going to come across people. Don’t know what to suggest really. Is it large groups of people you’re looking to avoid or just face to face with anyone? Maybe the best thing for you is something like nights where not many people around and just a few sleepy warehouse workers to get back in the groove. You know who it’s like though, you’ll always meet some nob heads in transport, especially warehouses so you have to be braced for that. Could be a good thing though for getting back out there.

I’m no ■■■■■■-analyst-matrician though and it shows

The best way for me to overcome my issues, or rather find a way to manage them is to confront them head on. However, the more you do push yourself out there the more depressed it seems to make me. A personality disorder really [zb] up your life in all areas, but you just try and deal with it.

I know to some I am coming across a bit crass on this, but that was part of my point.
I drive a truck I aint a psychiatrist, so maybe my views are admittedlly simplistic.
The benefits you receive give you the option of not HAVING to confront these issues head on, which as you point out is the best way of dealing with it.
If you HAD to through lack of income, would you not stand a better chance of overcoming things.

metrorider:

Freight Dog:
Just a thought, what about working nights? Prob is, any job in driving, you’re going to come across people. Don’t know what to suggest really. Is it large groups of people you’re looking to avoid or just face to face with anyone? Maybe the best thing for you is something like nights where not many people around and just a few sleepy warehouse workers to get back in the groove. You know who it’s like though, you’ll always meet some nob heads in transport, especially warehouses so you have to be braced for that. Could be a good thing though for getting back out there.

I’m no ■■■■■■-analyst-matrician though and it shows

The best way for me to overcome my issues, or rather find a way to manage them is to confront them head on. However, the more you do push yourself out there the more depressed it seems to make me. A personality disorder really [zb] up your life in all areas, but you just try and deal with it.

At least in road haulage you have less to deal with people than busses. I still think nights might be an idea. I found it really tranquil. Services dead quiet, no one on the road. Less people in transport yards. Only downside is the bloody road closures these days

Freight Dog:

metrorider:

Freight Dog:
Just a thought, what about working nights? Prob is, any job in driving, you’re going to come across people. Don’t know what to suggest really. Is it large groups of people you’re looking to avoid or just face to face with anyone? Maybe the best thing for you is something like nights where not many people around and just a few sleepy warehouse workers to get back in the groove. You know who it’s like though, you’ll always meet some nob heads in transport, especially warehouses so you have to be braced for that. Could be a good thing though for getting back out there.

I’m no ■■■■■■-analyst-matrician though and it shows

The best way for me to overcome my issues, or rather find a way to manage them is to confront them head on. However, the more you do push yourself out there the more depressed it seems to make me. A personality disorder really [zb] up your life in all areas, but you just try and deal with it.

At least in road haulage you have less to deal with people than busses. I still think nights might be an idea. I found it really tranquil. Services dead quiet, no one on the road. Less people in transport yards. Only downside is the bloody road closures these days

I’ve considered this yes. It will give me a chance to get my head round things and hopefully lead to better things.

robroy:

metrorider:

Freight Dog:
Just a thought, what about working nights? Prob is, any job in driving, you’re going to come across people. Don’t know what to suggest really. Is it large groups of people you’re looking to avoid or just face to face with anyone? Maybe the best thing for you is something like nights where not many people around and just a few sleepy warehouse workers to get back in the groove. You know who it’s like though, you’ll always meet some nob heads in transport, especially warehouses so you have to be braced for that. Could be a good thing though for getting back out there.

I’m no ■■■■■■-analyst-matrician though and it shows

The best way for me to overcome my issues, or rather find a way to manage them is to confront them head on. However, the more you do push yourself out there the more depressed it seems to make me. A personality disorder really [zb] up your life in all areas, but you just try and deal with it.

I know to some I am coming across a bit crass on this, but that was part of my point.
I drive a truck I aint a psychiatrist, so maybe my views are admittedlly simplistic.
The benefits you receive give you the option of not HAVING to confront these issues head on, which as you point out is the best way of dealing with it.
If you HAD to through lack of income, would you not stand a better chance of overcoming things.

I doubt he gives a crap Rob over having a discussion whether the government are doing the right thing. Hes got his own big fish to fry at the min