Hello community, Quick introduction... my name is Matt, i was diagnosed with PPMS in 2015. Life has been as tricky as you'd expect but i've soldiered on regardless. Now, however life has thrown me a few curve balls and im struggling to cope. 30+ years working in the hospitality industry as a chef with the long relentless hours, hot kitchens, stress and the general hardships we all face have certainly taken their toll. It's been obvious for many years that i needed to change my work\life balance but its not that easy to walk away from what has been my entire life for so long. The decision to make the change was taken completely out of my hands when a friendly discussion with my employer ended up in termination of my non-existent contract instead of the small scaling down on hours as i'd requested. If unemployment wasn't enough to deal with i also lost my home which came with the job. Total disaster. To be fair, i think i was on my last legs and i don't believe i'd have been able to remain in my job past the next few months anyway. legs are starting to wobble, something that feels alot like vertigo set in 6 months ago and has cause a downward spiral of epic proportions, horrific insomnia, nausea and an inability to eat normally have left me a shadow of my former self. The sacrifices i've made for my career have come back to bite me and i find myself with an incredibly small circle of support. I desperately need some advice on benefits and anything that's available to me in this shituation. Basically i know nothing about what to do now the only life i've know has abruptly ended. Who do i talk to? and about what? I've conditioned myself to be the strongest, most dependable, hard working, passionate and driven person in my domain of the kitchen, but the outside world is a mystery to me. i've always refused to go down the benifits route and stayed away from "playing the victim" believing i could do the internal work to thrive regardless of this illness and to a degree i can but not in the environment i've been subjected to for three decades. so i'm reaching out and asking for advice... what have you learnt on your journeys that you'd wished you known earlier what advice can you give to me on how to seek help, financially, mentally and physically, especially on the benefits side of things . Anything would be appreciated as i really am at a loss as to how i get myself back up off the floor. I still have unfulfilled dreams and ambitions and an idea of how to heal myself and a path id like to explore that could potentially pull everything together and give something back but i need time to heal some past wounds and recover a little first. I just need that tiny spark of inspiration or a few wise, experienced words of advice to help me out of the quagmire i find myself in. I look forward to being a part of this community and making connections that could lead to a brighter future. kindest regards Matt 43,