Nathalie Blanchard seems to have had one “friend” too many on her Facebook page. The Quebec woman is on long-term sick leave but posted pictures of herself on the beach and enjoying a show with the Chippendales. One of the viewers was the insurance company paying for her total disability due to depression from her job at IBM.
Blanchard is now fighting to get her benefits back, insisting that she told the company about her vacation. She also notes that she does not know how an insurance representative became an approved friend on the website.
The insurance company admitted that it uses Facebook for such investigations. However, the company insisted that “we would not deny or terminate a valid claim solely based on information published on websites such as Facebook.”
The intrusion into a closed site raises an issue of privacy but that does not necessarily prevent the use of this information. However, it is unclear why a person is clearly not depressed if she posted a couple pictures in better moments. Depression often has highs and lows.
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Hi there, You’ve done a great job. I’ll definitely digg it and in my opinion suggest to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this site.
Byron–
You wrote:
cant a drug help with depression? Does she need to be on disability for it? I know some people can function using meds.
I know it is a debilitating problem but cant therapy and medication get you back on your feet?
If I was depressed I would go to a strip club that gave $5 lap dances and had $1.00 beers, I think that would “cure” me.
************
I have a close friend who has been in depression for years. She is under the care of a doctor and taking meds–but it doesn’t seem to be helping her all that much. When I visit with her, we have good chats and even some good laughs together–but my friend rarely goes out with friends to lunch or dinner–or anywhere.
I think it’s difficult to understand what life is like for people who are truly depressed. It’s not like they can “snap out of it.” I’m hoping the doctor may find a new medication for my friend. I would love to have her back the way she was before this happened to her.
oj,
Apt pseudonym and I share your pain about people scamming the system, but would appreciate it more if you reserved your ire for those who already have wealth, further scamming the system to increase their privilege. Ever since that failed actor got a gig playing President people have believed his crap about “welfare queens.” The biggest one of all of course was Ronnie, who was supported by his father-in-law, wife, GE and then the Japanese who paid him 2 million$ after he left office. You would be a better citizen if you understood history rather than believing crap because it fits in with your own lack of empathy and general cynicism about your fellow humans.