Trigeminal neuralgia is a serious impairment of which effects the trigeminal nerve which runs through your neck and face. It is often referred to as the suicide disease due to the severity of the pain, and is considered to be the most painful nerve condition in the world. Some recieve one episode a day/night, usually lasting between 15 minutes and half an hour sometimes up to an hour, whilst others recieve them randomly for around the same period of time, and others can end up having them non stop almost all day every day. In my case, I get them mostly at night, both in the early hours of the morning and then usually shortly after getting up for up to an hour and a half.

I am a 26 year old sufferer of this illness for 2 years now and have discovered how difficult it is to get proper financial support. Whilst I am trying to get ahold of this illness however I face the same problem as many do, that being trigeminal neuralgia only counts as 15 points of impairment, 20 being the required amount. This illness is life controlling, and anyone suffering from it should be putting it first as their main priority to solve, rather than having to jump through hoops with Centrelink attempting to claim with only 15 points.

This is rediculous, as thousands around the country are suffering this illness, some far worse that others. As someone who has it first hand, I can agree it is the worst pain one can go through and due to this it effects your friendships, social life, work life (which for me is non existant until I find a treatment that works...if i do) and by far your general mental health. Depression and anxiety are a VERY common side effect of this illness due to the isolation it puts you in and the lifestye you live on it is almost unbearable.

The lack of government/Centrelink support due to it not eing very well recognised further worstens this as most suffers have to resort to worst case scenario options to stay afloat.

This needs to be addressed!!

An extra 5 points towards the required 20 would make trigeminal neuralgia a recogonized disability and make the process of receiving the correct payment through Centrelink. This needs to happen,  as the longer it doesnt, the more sufferers end their lives due to how unbearable it really is.

I encourage everyone who knows somone, suffers from migraines, or even Trigeminal Neuralgia themselves to start speaking up! This issue must be addressed!