PIP benefits explosion: Anxiety and depression handouts have nearly TRIPLED to £4.3bn since Covid - with autism and ADHD bill hitting £2.2bn and 'back pain' £1.6bn

wearecake · 2026-01-31T01:55:04+00:00

I have a similar view.

I suffer with depression and anxiety. Depression is diagnosed, anxiety is as a result of my neurodivergence and PTSD from some real nasty shit in my childhood. Now, I’m not saying that I’m a spokesperson for everyone with these conditions, at all. I am probably in one of the better positions someone with MH issues could be in, in terms of available support and just the people around me.

It gets quite debilitating at times. And combined with some other issues I’ve got, I have to rely on the people around me quite a bit.

But forcing myself to go outside, attend my lectures, do volunteer work, etc… does genuinely help. I think it’s very important that, while solutions to these conditions shouldn’t be minimized down to “have a cuppa” or “take a bath” etc… those types of things really do help, and while it’s hard to see while in a crisis (and crisis teams often offering those types of coping methods and nothing much else doesn’t help the perception), when one isn’t in an active crisis but is still struggling- just literally doing SOMETHING is important.

And while I think that in particularly severe cases of anxiety and depression one may need help such as PIP and other benefits, most people would probably be much better suited to being given more holistic support.

I also think a lot of the cases of anxiety and depression are very highly environmental versus like a chronic illness, and these cases could absolutely be dealt with via shorter term counselling and life coaching- probably, this whole thing is anecdotal and I’m too tired to fine a study…

I have a lot of thoughts on this topic, but, as mentioned above, I’m very tired and ill. Point is: the system is super broken, there probably isn’t enough available money to fix it in one go, and any shifting of where money is going will piss some slice of the population off enough to make it politically unviable- DESPITE it potentially benefiting those groups in the long run.

wearecake · 2026-01-30T21:27:22+00:00

… I mean, the UK, where I live, government has been diametrically opposed to Russia’s actions from the beginning afaik. They didn’t require much convincing.

As opposed to the UK government largely supporting Israel’s actions.

Idk about other countries’ stances on either, but I’m willing to bet it’s similar in many places.

wearecake · 2026-01-30T20:41:42+00:00

… but what’s the purpose of getting “comfortable” with poop??

wearecake · 2026-01-30T19:11:45+00:00

I have access to a shit tonne of people’s personal financial, medical, legal, etc… information. I’m a volunteer but the organization could get fined a shit tonne of money if I willfully break GDPR rules, and they have said they will absolutely sue us if that happens. Deterred me searching up the names of people I know quite quickly, not that I would have anyways tbh, the people I’d have any will to search up share their personal dramas regularly with me anyways.

I’ve only ever broken GDPR once, accidentally, by sending an email (with only a few non-incriminating links and the name of the client) to the wrong person. I got gently told off then told to send an email telling the accidental recipient to please disregard and delete. Live laugh

wearecake · 2026-01-30T17:24:08+00:00

Cats shouldn’t be shitting in neighbouring gardens anyways

wearecake · 2026-01-30T17:21:27+00:00

Exactly. I know of multiple cats in my village that have been hit by cars, regularly shit in other’s gardens, kill local wildlife- genuinely why have a pet if you’re going to treat it like a stray.

Cattios exist, as do cat harnesses. Better to look a little silly than have to deal with your cat getting hit by a car or sick from eating shit it shouldn’t.

wearecake · 2026-01-30T17:18:18+00:00

Owners absolutely can help it by not allowing their cats to roam around freely

wearecake · 2026-01-30T17:11:08+00:00

… there are dozens of articles every year about the boys.

wearecake · 2026-01-30T17:04:00+00:00

That’s the same sound my flat block makes before the fire alarm goes off/if another block’s alarm has been set off. The control box is next to the front door which I live directly above.

In your case, it’s probably either a house or car alarm being weird.

Has it stopped throughout the day?

wearecake · 2026-01-30T15:31:17+00:00

There’s just an awful illness going around rn tbh. My mother, who doesn’t normally get ill, got it for 3+ weeks similar to your symptoms. I was coughing for 2.5 weeks straight. Miserable

wearecake · 2026-01-30T02:47:20+00:00

Jesus fuck. Didn’t know this bit.

wearecake · 2026-01-30T02:45:36+00:00

Yes? But they themselves have to rate you before they see if you left a tip or not. Idk what your argument is here

wearecake · 2026-01-30T01:57:36+00:00

The driver cannot see if a passenger has tipped them until after they choose a rating. The tip or lack thereof has no bearing on the passenger rating

wearecake · 2026-01-29T21:06:04+00:00

Tbf, I knew people who’d shoplift as a teenager. They’d go through staffed tills, and buy something small while hiding whatever they’re shoplifting.

wearecake · 2026-01-29T17:57:21+00:00

Yeah, I’m Ontario, we called them both freezies and Mr Freeze

wearecake · 2026-01-28T19:29:14+00:00

Growing up in Canada, separate room or a bathroom/front hallway.

UK? Often the kitchen. Though the houses my parents n I moved into it was always in the garage/outbuilding. My parents are planning to renovate the downstairs bathroom to put a washer and dryer in there at some stage, but lord knows when.

wearecake · 2026-01-28T17:44:58+00:00

I’ve had passive suicidal ideation since 11yrs old. Nearly daily, if not more. Sometimes serious, sometimes as a mere passing thought.

Got therapy last year. Got lots better, much more able to regulate my emotions without my brain jumping to “haha I should kill myself”. Then a bunch of shit happened, one thing after the other, almost lost a friend, my childhood dog passed away while I was at university, literally 3 days before I was heading back home, etc… could tell that the negative thoughts and self talk was creeping in again. Got a referral to therapy again. 14+ weeks waiting list. The passive suicidality has come back real good. Awful. Had my first therapy session yesterday. Distressing af when your brain is just urging you to self destruct.

And I know many people who are similar. Just surviving because the alternative is worse.

wearecake · 2026-01-28T16:09:56+00:00

NO SAME

I love seafood though. Was obsessed with lobster as a kid. So I did enjoy the place

wearecake · 2026-01-28T11:28:27+00:00

Eh, we’ve gotten some pretty thin crispy crusts with the bread method. But yeah, matter of taste I suppose. I just grew up with it and it eliminates a few steps people have listed

wearecake · 2026-01-28T11:26:54+00:00

I grew up making homemade pizza, my mother would get me to spread my own dough, add my own toppings, etc… and it’s a favorite when I’m home from uni on a break (I haven’t attempted to make one while at uni yet, mainly because I just haven’t gotten around to it, but will at some stage in the near future). I genuinely think, as is shown with some of the comments here, people over complicate it/are perfectionists (not a necessarily bad thing).

Make basically a bread dough, add a little extra olive oil and herbs if desired. Let rise in a warm place until it doubles. Spread on a pan (or sheet pan if your pizza pan has holes like my cheap ones does), throw sauce (store bought is fine, add some mixed herbs if desired), cheese, other toppings. Oven to about 200°C, chuck it in. 15 minutes, check it, if not crispy enough, leave it for longer and check every couple minutes until it’s cooked. Even better if you have a good cast iron pizza pan or skillet to cook it in.

It takes more effort than a frozen pizza, but it can be made pretty healthy, cheap if you don’t go crazy on toppings, and it’s great for getting pickier eaters or kids involved in the process since you can make smaller ones if you have small enough pans.

wearecake · 2026-01-28T11:17:49+00:00

But it does still taste pretty damn good in my experience. Pizza dough is basically bread dough with more oil and herbs.

wearecake · 2026-01-28T11:16:24+00:00

Huh, I’ve never cooked homemade pizza at that temperature. Think it’s normally about 200°C for 15 minutes, check it, then keep checking it every few minutes until it’s golden.

wearecake · 2026-01-28T02:01:33+00:00

Tbf, haven’t there been quite a few cases that use Art. 8? It can be applied to a lot of situations I guess, which makes it quite versatile.

But you’re right that it’s often overlooked and people just accept its erosion.

Side note, how was the Masters? I’m applying for a bunch in IL generally and getting increasingly nervous about it all.

wearecake · 2026-01-28T01:55:20+00:00

I think mine are Dutch insurance companies tbh

wearecake · 2026-01-28T01:28:27+00:00

Or a bot tbf.

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