Review due (1st review after initial award)

MarkH75

Hello. I received a text to say my pip is going to be reviewed and this morning I received the form.

Since I started my claim I've only seen a therapist for PTSD treatment and THEY said I completed the sessions and advised me to continue with online webinars for my anxiety and sleeping routine (I regularly wake up at least 5 times per night with regular nightmares) and when I've looked through this form it's asking what help I've received from professional people. I've only been using the webinars and re-watch the recorded sessions when needed. I was told by the mental health team that as my time had finished I should continue to use webinars and other options like podcasts and online therapy as spaces were very limited.

I'm scared pip will say because I've not been under a mental health professional then my claim may stop.

I've had PTSD for 15 years and only in the last 4 years that I felt able to discuss with my GP and get a referral and now I mainly manage it at home.

I still extremely anxious about going out or having to make any journeys and need my wife with me to help calm me. My wife is and has been a great help to me but how do I write that and prove all the above.

I hope I've explained it ok. Not very good at all this. Sorry.

Mark

Mary_Scope

Hi @MarkH75

You've explained everything really clearly so please don’t worry! I understand why you're feeling anxious about the PIP review and feel stressed.

Yes, ycan explain that you’ve had therapy in the past and now use the webinars and other tools that were recommended by the mental health team. It's also really important that you do mention how your wife supports you day-to-day.

It might be helpful to describe the activity you're trying to do, explain how your PTSD prevents you from doing it safely or independently and why you need your wife's support to manage it!

Here is some more information on PIP reviews that I hope you find helpful and if you would like support to fill in the form then your local Citizens Advice should be able to help☺️

MarkH75

Hello Mary.

Thanks for your message. I think I'm not in best headspace today as I had a really bad night with a nightmare and keep running that through my head today.

I'm hoping tomorrow is a better day and I can focus properly on the form.

There is not a lot of space for what I want to write, like you mentioned, it is important they understand the support I get from my wife and for what.

I think I will add a separate piece of paper with the question numbers and the extra notes that correspond to them.

I hope that is allowed and I am able to word everything properly to them.

I did look through the links you sent before I wrote my message. They are informative for general information.

Would I be able to ask my GP to help me with this form or do they charge for this.

Thanks. Mark

Rachel_Scope

Hi @MarkH75. If you use extra sheets of paper, make sure you write your National Insurance number at the top of each one.

I've also just gone through my PIP review and found it really hard to explain my condition as it changes on a daily basis, so I understand your worry and hope that tomorrow is a better day.

@Mary_Scope has given some great advice there about describing the activity and how you manage and what support you need. Citizens Advice can help you with your form. Your GP can provide evidence for your claim and they may charge for it, but Citizens Advice would be the people to go to for help filling in the form itself.

Hope that helps.

Albus_Scope

Fingers crossed tomorrow will be a better day for you, I can fully empathise @MarkH75

If you wanted, you can write it all down on paper and just add "see page x" in the box? That's what I ended up doing. Though sometimes keeping things concise can be best, as they often skim things. Set it up like so;

"Taking food and drink.
As I use a fake face, I find it difficult to ingest food and require help from my magic fairies, as when I have tried to feed myself, I set my fake face on fire. As I cannot do this safely, I feel I should be awarded x points."

I've used a very silly example, but that's basically the best way of writing things.

Yadnad

I developed PTSD back in 1996 and between then and 2002 spent multiple times under section in a secure unit not for my safety but for the public at large.

I cope easily now as I not only know how to avoid the 'triggers' and am still quite heavily medicated using Sertraline.

To be honest I know where you are coming from. Purposely I stopped claiming DLA back in 2003 as I was no longer seeing anybody for it believing that as I had no current evidence to support my claim the DWP would not believe me.

I reclaimed DLA for other new health issues in 2011 which then in 2019 became my current award of PIP - Enhanced Care & Enhanced Mobility.

As far as the DWP know I have fully recovered from the PTSD

MarkH75

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1070507#Comment_1070507

Hello Rachel.

That's great thank you for mentioning your own experience.

I will write my details in the papers I use.

And yes Mary has given great advice and I will definitely use it.

My mood has lifted a little after doing some chores. As they say clean home clean mind or something like that.

Thanks again

Mark

MarkH75

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1070520#Comment_1070520

Thanks Albus.

That's good to know. I do sometimes struggle to get my words out onto paper so may do a draft 1st to make sure I don't mess it up as you rightly mentioned they may not read it properly or as intended.

Thanks.

Mark

MarkH75

Hello Yadnad.

Tbad that they assume that you are magically cured of PTSD. I am using self referral webinar form the local council and they help but I also use podcasts and videos on platforms like YouTube which I know may not be medically supported but what they say is very relatable and having proof of these things is difficult as there is no record of them saved on a file or in an account. I am worried that because of that they may try to stop my pip.

On my original claim I did put that I relied heavily on my wife and they discounted that totally and the advice I was given was not to push to change it as they wouldn't favour that.

I will give the form another look tomorrow when my mood is better hopefully.

Thanks

Mark