Not sleeping at all 🥲
I have many mental health problems, and alcohol addiction as have ptsd from sexual assault. I applied for pip two months ago and waiting for outcome and it’s just making me spiral even more . I’m surviving on about an hour , 2 at most sleep and so run down . My IBS , is bad , I’m having panic attacks and wish I’d not even applied for pip now even though benefit advisor told me to , but my brain doesn’t function well with change or stress I just get manic and make myself unwell . I struggle to get through every day life as it is so I hate that I have this added stress . The horror stories I read about this bloody pip just makes me feel ill. Feel like I’m losing my mind . I try so hard to get by each day but it’s difficult. Hugs to anyone else who’s struggling right now also . 🥰
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sorry to hear that you aren't sleeping at all what helps me when I'm not sleeping is listening to meditation on YouTube and you can get pillow spray and rescue drops that goes on the tip of your tongue I hope these suggestions help
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Thank you @durhamjaide2001 il give these a try as feel like I’m losing my mind it’s awful. What’s best rescue drops so I can have a look ? And pillow spray ? I do listen to a thunderstorm app at times but that’s stopped working for me as I’m so highly strung . My mind is constantly 100 miles an hour. X
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Sorry this is effecting you so much @tracies1996 I remember how stressed I was when I first applied for PIP, when I was dealing with extreme anxiety and freshly diagnoses PTSD, it wasn't fun. My best piece of advice is try to keep busy and try not to think about your PIP application. Easier said than done I know, but it's worth remembering you only ever hear about the bad experiences people have, never the good ones. Many people are claiming PIP with no bad experiences.
Have you spoken to your GP about how it's been making you feel?
I'll pop you an email in a bit, so please be on the look out for it. ☺️1 -
The cruelty of PIP is in the wait. Once you’ve applied, you are stuck in limbo, exhausted, anxious, and destabilised. It does not just test eligibility. It tests how long you can endure uncertainty.
I cannot offer solutions, because the process itself is the problem. The horror stories are real and well documented, and they dominate the conversation for a reason. But many people do get awarded. It is just that when the outcome is fair, most are too relieved or too worn down to talk about it.
I hope you do not have to wait much longer for your claim to be approved.
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Thank you @Albus_Scope and @MW123 your right it’s exhausting. I could have applied a few years ago now but I refused to because I found it hard enough when fought for esa and I did appeal that but was soul destroying and draining .Struggling with my mental health etc is bad enough. I only applied as my benefit advisor lady talked me round and said look you really should it will help you massively. I wish I was a person who didn’t overthink or spiral or have the worst panic attacks it’s like my brain is wired totally wrong at times . I would love to be that person who never worries or suffers ptsd or flashbacks . I guess I should be proud I did apply though and I’m always trying small steps to accept help again from counselling etc. ( I hate appointments of any kind or talking on phone lol ) but I know I must try and push myself at times . Thank you for replying to me and sorry for your hard times too. X this forum btw is full of lovely kind people I really appreciate it x
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Hi there. I can really relate to you and some of your conditions and other conditions I have doesn’t help and makes it more difficult and impacts severely on our conditions of the fear we face due the uncertainty for being in the hands of dwp. We have added stress or losing our benefits. We think we’re the only ones but we are not alone trying to survive just from being unwell never mind the uncertainty of our own circumstances and situation we’re in. I sent off my pip review form 4 months ago it’s not even been looked at yet. It’s stressful as the first time I did it!
I sometimes think is it worth the hassle, the upheaval, anxiety and fear and then I think I don’t have any choice. I am so tired of fighting the world but I have no choice it would certainly affect my life if I lost pip due to my circumstances and situation in my time of need. My circumstances are very bad at the moment and I can’t see a way out and it makes me think of bad things all the time, I think anyone reading this would know what I meant. So sorry I don’t mean to be feeling so low but I have no one who understands to reach out to.
I wish everyone all the best luck and God bless.❤️🙏
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So sorry you are so low too lovely @Leelitsa . You’re right we rely on what we get but it’s sooo much stress which as anyone knows stress and anxiety can bring on so much more it’s not as black and white as the government might think . Things like this make me spiral more and I self destruct which isn’t good at all . All I want in life is to find some peace and try manage day to day but it’s never really possible. We don’t ask to be this way , unfortunately things in life happen to us and mess us up. In my life I’ve just came across very bad ppl from a young age which carried on through life . So if I get one day out of the month where I feel ok I’m thankful as a lot of my days ain’t so . I hope you get some good days hun and I hope you hear good news about your pip soon .Fingers crossed 🤞 . 🥰
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Hi @tracies1996,
Thank you for replying back to me, I really appreciate it. You have helped me feel valued just by replying and grateful.🙏
Goodness 🙆🏻♀️ I also have suffered in the hands of some bad ppl for many years of my life and it really badly messed me up too. Also one of my mental health conditions is ptsd due nearly passing away. Thank goodness am here still.🙏
We have come a long way and like others on here too.
Wish you many good days and finding that precious peace and happiness. Also wish you very best outcome on your pip claim.🤞All the best my lovely.❤️
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I am glad that I managed to help a tiny bit
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"The cruelty of PIP is in the wait. Once you’ve applied, you are stuck in limbo, exhausted, anxious, and destabilised. It does not just test eligibility. It tests how long you can endure uncertainty."
This is exactly the reason why I haven't applied for it to date, even though I've been contemplating to claim it since mid 2023.
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@Passerby yeh it’s definitely made me spiral mentally .😩
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It took me three months to go through the WCA from the the day I received the ESA50 form and the day of assessment at the end of which the assessor genuinely confirmed me that I had passed. Those three months were a torture for me. I've been having sleep issues for the past 30 years or so, but during those three months it was a serious struggle to sleep.
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I only found out about PIP when I applied to my council for a Blue Badge back in 2018. I genuinely didn’t know working people could get extra help with disabilities until then. I rang for the forms, and my first assessment was in person at a centre, a physiotherapist who was professional and kind, did my assessment. It took five months from application to award. I was awarded standard daily living for two years.
Two years later, during COVID, my review was due, conducted over the phone with a nurse. The assessor came across as dismissive from the very start. The call began at 9am sharp, and after confirming my identity, she said: “We have to be quick, I haven’t got much time.” It was abrupt and unprofessional, no explanation, no courtesy. Just a clear signal that she saw the assessment as something she had to get through as quickly as possible.
I wasn’t prepared to put up with that attitude, and I made it very clear. I said firmly that I wouldn’t be rushed through a process meant to evaluate my needs with care and respect. I even suggested rearranging for a more suitable time for her. She backtracked and said she did have time, so we continued. Six months later after that assessment, I found out I’d kept the same award for a further two years. But that interaction stayed with me. It was a stark reminder that the system doesn’t just test eligibility, it tests your ability to stay composed while being treated with indifference.
Then a year before that award ended, I received a renewal form. I sent it off, and it took 17 months from start to finish. Near the end of that 17 months wait, I received a voicemail from a DWP doctor asking me to call back by 6pm on a mobile number. I rang, and all they wanted was to confirm my medication was still the same as I’d listed 17 months earlier. That assessment was paper based. I was awarded enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility, backdated for the full 17 months (minus the standard award I’d already been receiving). Awarded for ten years.
Passerby, if it’s been on your mind, I’d gently encourage you to apply. The process can be slow and tiring, but many people do get awarded. And if they say no? You’re no worse off than before. You’ve lost nothing by trying, but you might gain something that makes daily life a little more manageable.
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Thanks a lot for your encouragement. I appreciate it. I'll definitely apply before the end of this year. I was finally planning to apply for it last August, but my Mum passed away in the same month and I was having more health issues.
You're right, if they say no, I won't be worse off.
BTW, do you think enclosing the PIP form with a copy of my ESA50 form and the report of the WCA assessor could help me, as they're well detailed?
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I’m truly sorry to hear about the loss of your mum, and your health issues on top of everything. It’s completely understandable that things got delayed.
When I applied for PIP, I relied on consultant letters, detailed, specific, and focused on how my conditions affect daily life and ability to carry out certain tasks. That clarity made a real difference.
I always tick “no” to DWP contacting my GP. It’s not about secrecy, it’s about control. I want to decide what’s shared and how it’s framed. GP reports are often vague or written by someone who barely knows you.
PIP isn’t about diagnosis. It’s about how your condition affects your ability to function day to day. That’s what matters. If you apply, focus on how your conditions impact your daily living. Use everyday language, tie it to the descriptors, and keep it clear. You don’t need to over explain.
Including your ESA50 and WCA report could help, especially if they describe your functional limitations well. Just make sure the language fits PIP criteria and highlight what’s most relevant.
You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I’m glad I applied, the extra financial support makes a real difference to my life. It’s sad how many people miss out, either because they don’t know the benefit exists, or because horror stories put them off.
When I first applied in 2018, I took a simple view, the worst they could do was say no. If I were in your situation, I’d apply now. Don’t let fear of rejection hold you back, or stop you from claiming the support you’re entitled to.
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@MW123,
Sorry for the late reply, I haven't been feeling well.
Not only insightful, but also very helpful. I've even copy-pasted and saved it somewhere else for me to refer to it when I'm ready to apply for PIP.
What was also holding me from claiming it was the fact that my GP said that I didn't need her to write a letter/report for me, saying that the assessor would contact her if thy need more information.
You're absolutely right, GP letters/reports are often vague. For instance, when I was going through the WCA, I didn't bother to include my GP's report in my ESA50 form.
Thank you once more.
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Hi @tracies1996 👋🏼💓
Speaking to you as someone with problems with panic due to trauma, I'm wondering if you're panicked and would benefit from my latest favourite mental health tool. It's called bilateralul music. It has to be listened to with a headset or earbuds. It is supposed to help you process thoughts and emotions. In my experience, in a panic state, the nonverbal (instinct) side of my brain is screaming for attention. So the nonverbal bilateral music helps me process these thoughts and feelings, and it's incredible how quickly I can calm down. I can go from a 10 to a 3 in an hour. I also use it as prevention, if I feel anxious.
Here is my favourite playlist. I hope this helps....
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Bless you. Dont worry about the sleep as in dont fight it and keep trying to sleep when in an aroused state it usually makes it worse stressing about it. Try asking for a med that isnt a benzodiazapine that you can go up and down on so no tolerance. Maybe ask quetiapine off label you probs find first time knock you out and you can hover around 150mg and increase 300mg when you really need to. A low level dose constant would avoid withdrawl but you can go up when high arousal. Drs dont seem to worry about abuse if you explain. I found daridaroxent works. if you have ptsd you take it everynight but if you need to get up in morning its so hard to do an not something take all time and also takes time to work in system. For IBS i take pepcol and this helps do you find with anxiety and stress that you get other pains in body same time which can be scary? I only find alcohol stop this?
I never had a prob with pip because i think on paper i was homeless but LCWRA and everything else i have found nightmare. Its easy to say not to worry but your right to worry its just likely you will probably overthink and overstress and you cant control that much just accept it an try to just manage your symptoms or situation. I slow alcohol and saved it towards bed time and reduce it alot.
its painful and difficult to function but i eventually got a puppy that while world falls apart i have to take care of him, but i dont think your at that stage but that routine as commitment helps but is taxing. I find if adrenaline is high in evening i used to have beer but i never span out of control but i take clonodine and now and this helps heart rate but honestly if your adrenaline is high nothing is going to slow it down really. You can try hot baths over a few days to continually to take stress out body as part of routine before bed.
You can try holding shoulders up high squeezing tension (like a long shrug) and letting go this can help remove tension of stress by alot like euphoric, but this isnt something you can keep constantly doing the anxiety is always going to be there. If you keep thinking about suicide im supposed to say get help? i find loud music anything and try do something that you need to do thats repetitive an easy or think about a happy memory that can make you laugh?
Good luck
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