I worked in mental health since 2006. I live with Bipolar, PTSD and Dissassociative disorder. In 2011 I had to stop work as I was fighting a 12 month long depressive episode. I was actively suicidal and ended up hospitalised.
I fought my way back to recovery and returned in a limited capacity to the workforce, while still having the safety net of the DSP to fall back on.
It was a hard battle and I finally went back to work fulltime, again in mental health and was hopeful of staying well.
I received letters from Centrelink midway through 2018 and my nightmare began.
I was slammed with a $12000 debt for the period 2013 to 2015. I appealed but my mental health took a massive hit.
I still work fulltime but now have a constant battle with suicidal thoughts. I have had to increase my medications and return to seeing a psychologist. My disassociation has become my coping mechanism.
I began repaying the debt at $100 a fortnight, which hit me hard.
Fast forward to this year and I have been hit with a new debt of $2500 for 2016 to 2018. So after repaying $1600 my debt increased to $13500.
I am now still working fulltime in mental health while walking around with my own suicidal thoughts.
I have appealed the entire debt again. I am angry and frustrated and anxious but I refuse to let them beat me.
It's a struggle every single day.
The Government has displayed cowardice by hunting down the most vulnerable people. I have lost complete faith in them. I will never seek assistance from them again.
I believe this is a strategy and scare campaign to stop people from relying in welfare.
I want to go to them and show them the thoughts that are now in my head. It's a nightmare.
I have fought and fought against my mental illness and the government have kicked me in the face and tried to crush me.
No faith in their humanity whatsoever.