Pip assessment after-effects

justjoined

Hi
I have OCD and anxiety, not sure if this is the right place to post, it was the only place a message system came up. 
After pressure from my mum, I applied for PIP recently, not received any results back yet but the initial form and assessment has made me really ill. And I don't know what to do. 

I have suffered for 23 years with OCD and anxiety as a mental health problem and it has got worse over time but changes and evolves into different things/habits.

I have been on benefits in the form of ESA during this time and my mum pays my bills. But can't anymore as she's getting older.
My gas and electric bill is the same as my ESA and I don't have anything left over for anything else. 

I haven't spoken to any medical professionals about my problems for years, I was sent for therapy by my GP maybe around 15 years ago, but he sent me away after a few sessions as I didn't want to touch the bin in his office and he told me to go back when I could. So I didn't.  I also was given some tablets about 22 years ago when my Mum took me to the doctors and they came out to the car to see me, but the tablets made me feel depressed, so I stopped, other than that I haven't tried anything. 

I live my life every day living alone and go through the motions daily, counting down the days till I am old and this can end. I am 45.
Every second I have habits. As I have a routine and this has gone on for so long it's robotic and is a coping mechanism, but talking on the sheet and to the assessor in depth was really hard, obviously she couldn't help me and they have to ask questions to see if I am qualified for any extra help, but I didn't expect it to leave me feeling this way. I had to bring everything I push to the back of my mind and speak about it. 

At the end of my assessment the lady - who seemed really nice, said she was going to ask my surgery to call me as she has a duty of care but I haven't had a call as far as I know. I don't have a mobile phone so would have to be in. I go out every afternoon to eat some food. 

I have a son who is away at University and his dad who doesn't live with me but they are like me and don't like to talk about things like this as this has affected them especially my son a lot in his life. I don't speak to anyone else apart from my Mum but don't speak to her about my illness as she know I don't like to talk about it. 

I don't want support here in the form of kind words, I am posting as I would like to know if there is any practical therapy available which could help, maybe any new therapies. I don't want to go into the surgery, the lady from PIP said the surgery can help on the phone. 
 On top of my mental health problems I now have this awful upset from talking about my problems with no solutions offered as a therapist might have done at the time, and I don't know how to deal with it. 

Cher_Alumni

Hello @justjoined and welcome to our online community, how are you today?

Thank you for sharing your story with us, I appreciate that may have been difficult and I hope we can provide practical solutions to help make life that bit more happier and manageable for you. I understand how difficult the PIP assessment can be, and it sounds like it has brought lots of unresolved emotions to the fore, which you rightly need support with now.

I've moved your thread to our PIP, DLA and AA category in the first instance, and will be emailing you shortly to see what we at Scope can offer. 

Aside this, my immediate thought is, have you tried using a benefits calculator to see if there are other forms of financial support you're entitled to? Please give that a go if not. Also, how are you coping in terms of getting food and essential items? 

Take care and do keep an eye on your inbox

OverlyAnxious

justjoined said:

I don't want support here in the form of kind words, I am posting as I would like to know if there is any practical therapy available which could help, maybe any new therapies. I don't want to go into the surgery, the lady from PIP said the surgery can help on the phone. 
 On top of my mental health problems I now have this awful upset from talking about my problems with no solutions offered as a therapist might have done at the time, and I don't know how to deal with it. 

There haven't been any improvements to OCD treatment in decades.  It's still just CBT or SSRI medication. 

The vast majority of medical professionals don't have much understanding of real OCD.  Being told to go back when you can touch the bin is the same sort of ignorance I've been shown by GP's and the local mental team.

The current setup, if you wish to attempt it, is contacting the Wellbeing service first (has different names in different areas).  They'll assess you to see if they can help with 6 sessions of talking therapy (CBT for OCD or counselling for trauma).  If they can't help you then you get referred onto an assessment centre.  Who then make another referral onto the local mental team.  The mental team should be able to offer a more tailored approach than Wellbeing, but even they are limited by what they can offer.  I was told there was nothing they could offer for my situation, and left with nowhere else to turn.  If you're already in a bad way, I'd urge caution before risking any further after effects from the mental assessments.