PIP appeal next week, any advice?

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Nige_S

Hi, I have my PIP appeal next week, I had the assessment for it over the phone, I explained as best as I could my symptoms of ill health, fatigue, that I keep getting ill and am suffering from really bad anxiety. My social anxiety is so bad I avoid all social situations, even family get togethers.

It's taken a while but I have now finally managed to get seen by a psychiatrist and have been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.

My bad stress has been ongoing with the doctors since 2009 and I have been to stress awareness classes once a week for 8 weeks and stress counseling once a week for 6 weeks. The doctors think that my bad physical health is being caused by my anxiety = my ill health is stress related.

The PIP assessment I had didn't seem to take into account my mental health, it seemed to be more concerned with physical ability health, but when I get ill it's my stomach that becomes really bad, my back gets bad, really bad headache, sickness and my anxiety gets terrible and I become very confused and depressed ( I also lose weight and have become very underweight).

The problem I think is that the assessor was not a mental health expert so it was unfair for me. 

Can anyone give me any advice for the tribunal? 

chiarieds

Hi @Nige_S - altho you may not feel it, PIP does look at both physical & mental problems relating to the activities that are looked at with PIP; some are quite specific to those suffering from the latter.

The assessors have some understanding, but not even a Dr can know about all disorders.

All I can say is that with a tribunal (& they're totally separate from the DWP) they will listen to you. Just answer their questions to the best of your ability.