I think we signed those players out of desparation, not sentiment

You've managed to completely misunderstand me.

I wasn't necessarily arguing against your point, only that your last statement was you taking a figure, and then adding your assumption and reporting it as a fact. Which is a nonsense way of having a debate - we might as well all just go buy a copy of the Daily Mail.

FWIW, I wholly agree both with the need for the benefits system, and for those who need to be helped, been helped, and I also agree that we should have robust systems in place to make sure the system is not been abused.

I believe that there are people that are abusing the system; certainly, I also believe there are many people out there who just assume that anybody that is on benefits is work-shy. Martin Gleeson's case is the perfect example, there have been some ridiculous statements made on here made completely without fact.

Sorry, sent this thread on a bit of a tangent, i do agree that those who genuinly need help get it but there has being such a huge rise in people claiming incapacity benefit in the last 15-20 years that something needed to be done, take this as an example, my old next door neighbour was on incapacity benefit, car , rent everything payed for, the only thing wrong with her was that she was clinicly obese! now i am sorry but anyone who claims because they cannot stop shoving pies into their mouth should not be eligible. it is a problem effecting the whole of the Western world, people are getting fatter, lazier and more workshy and the system has helped them do this, its gotta stop.

That may be the case (although we have absolutely no evidence either way), but that wouldn't make his illness any less real. If you were a business person and you made a wrong/foolish decision (or several) that lead to the demise of your business you might become depressed about the matter. If you contributed to the break down of your marriage you could quite rightly say that it was, at least partly, self inflicted. It's still perfectly possible to become depressed about it.

The same goes for physical injuries. If you're rock climbing and break your back, you would still deserve the same consideration as a person who had broken their back any other way, wouldn't you?



This is, of course, rubbish. There is a massive difference between relaxing with friends and being at work. Depression manifests itself in a variety of different ways and it's simply ridiculous to suggest that sufferers should either stay at home all day or get themselves back to work.

in your opinion, which is fine, I don't share it, if you were signed off sick and then seen at the cinema with friends, I'd imagine your emploter would have words.

Not if you are off sick with mental health....Once a mental health nurse becomes involved various holistic approaches are used in care plans, this may well involve going to the cinema etc with friends.

A large chunk of that increase has been down to successive governments massaging the unemployment figures by moving people from the Dole/JSA to Incapacity Benefit where they no longer count on the total. A large proportion of the claimants being removed from IB and put back onto JSA will fall into that category rather than being deliberate benefit fiddlers or the work-shy.

That would depend on a number of factors, including what activities your job entailed and what illness/injury you were signed off with. For example, my wife has managed to break both her ankles in the last 6 years (not both at the same time, fortunately). On both occasions she was signed off work for several weeks. She was not expected to stay at home 100% of the time.

It's not an opinion, it's fact. The best treatment for depression isn't sitting at home all day. The pressures of being in the workplace can quite easily exacerbate a mental health problem, whereas a trip to the cinema (and other similar activities) might actually help in its treatment.



For a start, he wouldn't - my employer is me. Secondly, see Kosh's answer.

I just don't get what part of his job barring public appearances (Playing/signing autographs etc) would be seen as causing further problems towards a stress based illness.

I think we should have a capital punishment discussion next to see who would re-introduce the death penalty

I imagine you would only want it for CEO's

so cinema and watching darts is helpful whereas training and playing rugby isnt,gotcha

It is difficult to answer on individual cases, however generally if a client is suffering an episode of stress/anxiety/depression they will be feeling very low, it is highly likely they are suffering with sleep & possible eating problems due to lack of appetite. The treatment will consist of a plan for the individual to feel strong again and resume their daily routines (work included), this can take a few weeks, months or years.They maybe offered medication and/or counselling also it is worth noting their employers often send for reports from their GP/mental health team.

No not if the training/playing rugby was one of the triggers for the individuals condition.

Defiantly one for the off season, that is a very interesting debate. Also euthanasia generally produces a good debate.

it wasnt

....Your not going to tell us you are his GP are you ?

Let us be honest here you do not know that, you are just putting 2 +2 together and getting 8!

Training and playing rugby is his job. So what you're saying is that leisure/relaxation is helpful and work is not. Which, in many cases, is indeed correct.

I was under the assumption that work was not a contributory factor to the stress

I've highlighted the relevant word for you that renders the rest of your sentence worthless.

And even if your assumption were correct, do you really think that someone who may well be medicated, not sleeping well, and not eating properly is in a fit condition to train for and play in a sport like pro RL?

It is no good any of us assuming or surmising as we simple do not know what has triggered or contributes to his stress. Work may not be the cause but once the illness triggered work may well contribute more to the illness.

...and dayvoz gets the award for daftest comment on RLFANs today award.

Fairy Nuff

Don't buy his stress related illness personally but that's just me

Yeah, but, you know, he should just get over it. You know, get a grip (what other good ones are they, oh yes...), snap out of it.

The shear ignorance of the severity of depression, and the idiocy of suggesting that going to the cinema is proof that he is well enough to work is truly shocking.