Need some encouragement, and any other support vectors
I am in a really rough spot. Life this year has been so difficult that i have almost died due to refeeding as i was unable to feed myself, which doing so has subsequentially put me in debt (food deliveries) and an even more fragile state. In which i also got a chest infection that sent me into hospital. As i am recovering from refeeding the dreaded PIP review comes in. Last time this happend it almost killed me because of how bad it tanked my mental health, but there is even more this time to contend with.
I know i can do it. After all, even with all the thinking problems and memory problems i have, from a purely logical point of view i have the information. But i can't even look at the form. I freeze when i try to write my firstname on it. Just having it anywhere within my cone of vision is enough to cause problems. But as i am typing this i am sitting here shaking.
I can't convey information well, and i am forgetful, so i can't have someone else fill it in for me. I can't delay the review long enough to get into a better spot (I have been told they only extend the deadline by 2 weeks)
I have been filling it out on the computer but i can't do it for any good length of time. It will takes ages and i already foresee forgetfulness loops where i spend most of my time in a session reading what i already wrote because i forgot, so i don't repeat myself and to make sure i have included all information, then i am actually spending time writing information.
Any encouragement especially considering how lonely it has been this year too in a dark room, and any potential points of help i can lean on to try and get through this i would greatly appreciate you making me aware. I have spoken to citizens advice recently who made me aware of an email thing i still need to investigate. Of the people i do have around me, they can in no way relate to how difficult this process is, even without the additional factors.
Thank you in advance
Comments
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I'm so sorry you're having such a difficult time. PIP reviews are incredibly stressful, I'm currently waiting for the result of mine. There's some great information here There's a 'Helper' tool which you can work through to help you get your thoughts together. You've communicated brilliantly in your post so maybe you're being a bit hard on yourself. I know when I filled mine in I definitely repeated things and it probably read terribly but as long as you're getting across what your needs are it doesn't matter if you say the same thing twice.
If you'd prefer some support in person, you can look here:
Find a local benefits adviser (Turn2us)
Lots of us here have been through this process and can relate to how you're feeling. I know it's hard and I wish they'd make the process less daunting but you can do this. You said you have people around you, are they supportive? Do you have support for your mental health?
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Hey Rachel! Thank you for responding, yes, oops! This is what i mean, for example. I can communicate well over text because i can read over what i am saying and take time, i meant i can't have someone else write it out for me because i don't communicate well over voice, which i would assume is how i would if someone else was going to fill it out because text would be both inefficient and eventually i'd get into that forgetfulness loop i mentioned and not be able to write more.
The people around me are supportive, but day to day i don't see them and am alone, which is tough. I don't have any support for my mental health, i was working on setting that up but the weight piles on.
I wish you great luck with your review and thank you for lending your time, i'll check out your resources :)
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It is a stressful time when the dreaded form arrives, but try and stay calm. Set a time in the day to complete part of the form, read over what you have written and make a note that you are happy with that part and then forget it until the next day. Make yourself a nice cup of tea and get on with something else! Put the form out of sight if that would help. You can ask for an extension too. If you have a copy of your previous form you filled in, this will help you fill this new form out. Make sure you let PIP know your struggles with your disabilities. Have evidence ready if you have any to attach. Rachel has given contacts for help if needed. You can do this, like we all have done. Get it over with and relax!
Come back to this thread if you need more help and support!
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Thanks Trevor! I will absolutely need an extension, there is no way i can complete it in the time given. I don't want to end up constantly going over sections and would like to "complete" them but i am stuck on one that i think would benefit from me getting additional information from a source that makes me incredibly anxious to think about so i'm trying to overcome this at the moment.
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Concentrate on that issue where you need extra information. Get that over with. Do a section at a time, read over what you have written and if you are happy, make a separate note that section is complete! You can do this!
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There is no way i am on course to have a remote chance at completing this form in time. Seriously, and absolutely nil. My symptoms are already so bad without this extra stressor, and the process is making them worse. I'm going to need several days break at a time per 500-1000 words and i don't believe they will extend it enough. I think i'll need 2-3 months.
I've been adding to a bullet point list of points i am supposed to talk about, but as i said my symptoms, and the brainfog and depression ontop i'm just not able to make any progress. It's surreal to actually almost d*e, have your life flash before your eyes and then work your way up to this point only for probably the biggest obstacle i could face to be slammed down just as i am starting to atleast get out of bed.
Something tells me they are not going to give me the time i would need, even with the support i am and will be getting filling in the form. I'm already in a territory that i can't find words to describe.
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Sorry to hear that @VillageRepeat, it's not easy at the best of times let alone when you've got so much to deal with.
Have you managed to get in touch to ask for an extension?
Hope things start feeling easier for you soon, even if the form isn't a possibility right now.
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Sorry to read it has got that bad. You need the help to fill out the form, so work on getting that help. You can ask for an extension, and I believe some members of this forum have had two extensions. As Rosie has commented, get in touch with the DWP and let them know you what you are going through and you need a decent extension. Try and stay calm too.
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Thank you all for your sympathy, i haven't reached out to get an extension yet, that will require i write out its own document.. I will absolutely take all the help i can get with filling out the form, a bad crash today after my last message has been the final nail in the coffin that i simply can't do this (Manage my condition and the form). I plan to complete my bullet point document as well as possible and then reach out to my local CAB to hopefully write it for me, but i'm very eager to know of any other planes of support, specifically of people who can help me with the form, because i already have good self-help reading materials and guidelines and i simply can't use them, within the timeframe i am expected to do this in, especially.
My capacity isn't just going to magically triple by tomorrow and so i know that even x2 extensions at two weeks each is not going to be enough if i am doing it on my own, or even be able to make sure all bases are covered (I've mentioned everything important, i needed a friend to remind me about an aid i wear all day every day and had on when they told me..) although that'd surely give me a better chance than just 2 weeks. Should i immediately nudge for the month? I know my capabilities and i've been thoroughly smashed out of delusion world that i could fill this form in myself.
Doing my best guys, your time and humanity is invaluable, love to you all <3
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You definitely need to get the extension and that is one worry out the way. You could try for a month by letting the DWP know what you are going through. The bullet points is a good idea and then get somebody else to write up your PIP form using them.
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I found cab amazing helping me with my uc form and I hate asking for help god yes dreaded pip forms seriously think got ptsd from them firstly call them get an extension honestly people on phone lines nine times out of ten are helpful what I did with mine was everyday Id try focus on two pages and write everything like I was talking to my doctor or therapist putting every thing every emotion every struggle so I tackled it like that I actually got a bit of rage which helped me easy to say dont be scared but you are entitled to pip ao see this as your chance to voice everything goodluck you got this you can do this its hard but once you get extention and fill it out that part is done the rest is up to them you can get sars form from doctors with your medical history if any family friends support you they can write a.letter stating how your disability effects you
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@Trevor_PIP I certainly will do that.. I can't say it is a worry out of the way though, just makes it more possible that its doable, but i feel no more safe
@Catherine21 Thank you for stopping by! It helps to know someone found what is my only hope incredibly useful as you have done. I really would not be surprised to know it has caused you trauma, this is dreadful and i am sorry, i hope you are able to seek help to deal with it as i plan too. I am so severely and seriously depressed in this moment that i have no space for anxiety, but that will prop up the minute i start trying to do anything related to the form. For now the form is hiding out of my vision so i feel safer.
Thank you both :)
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I understand completely as we all do with the dwp when it comes to that time easy to say gather your strenght and face if head on more than easy to say as our minds and body flooded with total fear and this is the part that makes me so so angry its done to have that effect cruel unfortunately we have to do it dont let them win its Saturday today do you think if you phoned pip first thing in the morning for an extension will be one major hurdle out the window or have you got any support to help you call sometimes the sheer terror stops us and makes it feel impossible my latest fear for years was uc god I lost sleep over it the works but you know what it wasnt as bad as I thought first time in years had to deal with talking to people from dwp and all of them was respectful sometimes we have to grab the bull by the horns pls dont think im not understanding I get it completely I think break it down call get an extension and take day by day from there write your truth your pain your suffering put it all in there dont need special words or answer in a certain way I never do that I say it as it is and ive had paper based so dont worry about what you write I always write from the heart and to the point
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Hey, I'm sorry things have been so difficult, and PIPS forms are soooo long. I don't know if this is relevant, but I had a form to fill recently and used ChatGPT to turn lists of points I wanted to make into sentences. Then you can ask it to do it with less detail or more detail etc. At least it stopped me agonising about how best to write the actual sentences so they come out making sense and in the right kind of tone to communicate effectively.......my guess is it would also work the opposite way.....you could type in a totally disorganised 'stream of consciousness' stuff and ask it for bullet points.
AI makes me very suspicious in general, but in a tight spot when I was too stressed to think clearly, it helped me.......
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Hey Cally, thank you so much for being here, for your time and information :)
I do have access to chatGPT but i am incredibly anxious about using it as i will not be able to read the information it gives me so have no idea if what is being said is truthful. I would have better hopes though in doing what you did by having it expand on your information, but i can't review if its an accurate reflection or not.
Ooh your stream of conciousness idea is good. I was thinking about sending a GPT cleaned up version and my version to CABs to help me fill in the form.
And for those who was wondering on an update to the extension business, unexpectedly i was given an extension through the post without contacting them, just as i was struggling to even get started on writing the document that i would type from when on the phone. I cried for 15 minutes straight
Unfortunately the time to ask for another extension has come and i have incredibly anxious. I can't reach CAB and am worrying about not having something prepared that they may ask for, since one i am sat down, i am already pushing through a lot just trying to get through the call and can't go wandering for information.
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Sounds like it's one worry after another for you, what a tough year. The other thing to keep in mind is that PIPS is meant to be an assessment of your functioning right now and you can't make your functioning crystal clear when you are out of resources. In my recent assessment, they went through all the sections asking more detailed questions (lots of questions!) so you will get a prompt from them as to what the key areas are that they are interested in. It wasn't long silences expecting me to produce a long list of things unprompted (thank goodness)
Good luck with getting it sorted and I hope CAB get back to you quickly.
Carol
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