Ah, I misunderstood the unemployment benefits portion! That’s entirely my mistake. In that case, your system is far and away more reasonable and I apologize. It still physically hurts that disability is horrifically broken in the US but at least it isn’t universal. I hope we’ll eventually achieve something approaching acceptable treatment.
It physically hurts to know that the US system is essentially identical to any other. It really offers a 1-2 punch to anyone unlucky enough to become disabled. I sincerely appreciate you writing this out, it was eye-opening.
Technically possible, sure. Just don’t get caught during a random inspection where someone surreptitiously follows you for multiple days to see whether you’re faking.
Disability income is horrifying in the US. You’re essentially disallowed from owning things. Given that Europe will be waking up in a few hours, I’d like to ask whether the situation is panic-inducingly dystopian over there as well.
The short answer is yes, you can trade one addiction for another and no, it doesn’t necessarily cause spiraling.
The long answer is yes, with a great deal of patience, you can condition yourself into just about anything. Breaking from an addictive personality is far from easy and requires a deep understanding of yourself and your triggers. Introspection and therapy aplenty. There can be relapses or worse if you try to hack together a treatment plan for yourself. Support groups can be helpful and leaning on friends and family, when possible, can make or break you.