Jan 29 2009
Baron von Grimm’s Tales
In July 1790, Baron von Grimm wrote, “We are obsessed by the idea of regulation, and our Masters of Requests refuse to understand that there is infinity of things in a great State with which a government should not concern itself.” [Inappropriate emphasis, mine.]
Today has been a prime example of this for me, as the deadline for submitting tax returns draws ever closer. Without revealing too much detail, our attempts to interact with the Inland Revenue’s successor - HMRC - over the past few months has been quite Kafkaesque; especially with regard to registering for and accessing the online wealth-sharing system. The process was further complicated by the fact that supposedly unique numbers were not, in fact, unique; rather unsettling for a person with a diffuse personality to find they are considered the same entity in both singular and multiple forms.
To top this off, I have spent some days tracking the progress of an item of jewellery that I had purchased about a fortnight ago from the United States. According to the tracking data available, an attempt was made to deliver it at a quarter to five this morning: an unlikely circumstance. It transpired that it has been delivered into the hands of the person responsible for collecting the excise duties due to - guess who? - none other than HMRC.
What is the Borderline lesson in all this, I hear you ask. Dealing with bureaucracy - and not being stressed out doing so - is the answer. Trying to so unsupported is a minefield which many prefer not to attempt to cross, or even think about, which is why so many people with mental health problems have their affairs in a terribly confused state. Getting diagnosed, accepted for treatment, registered with the necessary governmental and support services and one’s financial affairs in order is really hard work, even for those with perfect mental acuity; trying to do so whilst hanging on for dear life is a near impossibility. One of many reasons I suppose why the care and treatment rates are so abysmally low and the attrition rates so high, as I highlighted in recent posts. Support is vital, but so hard to find if it is not already there.
I have even more bureaucracy to deal with tomorrow; I am almost looking forward to it, which is some form of progress, I suppose. Today’s machinations made me miss my Art class, so it had better have been worth it. It will be, I know, but it’s one of those “Daddy or chips?” situations
Links etc.
Baron von Grimm:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Melchior,_baron_von_Grimm
Mental Health among Adults in England, 2007:
http://captspacebat.today.com/2009/01/27/mental-health-among-adults-in-england-2007/
Self-help groups:
http://captspacebat.today.com/2009/01/23/self-help-groups/
