From a Paranoid Schizophrenic's point of view 4 Questions.

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NoOne

Sorry if I'm asking obvious questions. Not thinking too well at the minute.

4 Questions here, some based on the idea I got in previous PIPs where if you can do something, you can do it regardless of background (like use a calculator to do maths you couldn't otherwise do).

Interacting with People.

Since losing my Mum I've isolated myself from people. This has been very good for me. I do go out but don't interact with anybody. Now my PIP assessment is nearing, all those symptoms I used to have from dealing with people are making a return. Am I going to lose points because people will say I've developed a coping method that avoids the problem? If I can be isolated on a daily basis I don't get these anxieties/thoughts so does that translate to I don't have problems because they don't exist in this state of isolation?

Going Out.

I don't get any prompting or assistance at all and it takes me time to prepare mentally, if I can go out at all. If I do go out regularly after all this (incl mixing with people angle), will this see me lose points because "I do go out"? (I'm not after changing my story but how to stick up for myself under their rules).

Medications.

Maybe the easiest to answer. Finally something I only noticed in this last PIP. There is one tablet I'm prescribed that isn't blisterpacked, and because of this I always forget it (not for my mental health). Will this one tablet mean I cannot reliably etc manage treatment even with an aid?

For the tablets that are blisterpacked, I do eventually take them, but hours after I should. Could this delay, in hours every day, be used in the respect of "to be able to manage therapy that takes X hours a week"?

The last two Medication situations have been present through previous PIPs. Is there a way I could claim back money or points, if the last two points are valid, that I didn't realise were possibilities? That one nonblisterpacked tablet for eg has been like this for I'd guess about 8 years or more.

Sorry if I should know the answers. I half do but half don't for the first two. Just need help the clear my mind from the 'but what if'. This PIP is now very very important for me to live a live worth living pretty much for the first time in my life. Thanks for reading till this point!

poppy123456

For PIP, it's not about the help or support you receive, it's about the help you need, even if you don't receive that help. Many people live alone and continue to claim PIP without any issues.

Going out.. following and planning a journey. If at the moment you are unable to go out on the majority of days then that should be activity 1E which is 10 points. Going out sometimes will not affect this. For PIP it's the majority of the days that count, so at least 50% over a 12 month period.

Medication, taking tablets isn't part of therapy so you won't score any points for the therapy part. Taking tablets comes under medication and the most you could score here for not remembering to take the medication would be 1 point.

If your current PIP decision was made more than 13 months ago then you're out of time to do anything about that now.