scared, wish I was dead over esa reassessment

Hi @Zenkoblue, just read your post. These reassessments are a worry for us all. I have recently been for a ESA assessment myself. It is always best to take someone with you, who knows exactly how you feel. Another thing to do, is to take a copy of the ESA50 form that you filled in. This will help you, in answering some of the questions, that they put to you. Just remember, that they are there to see how you are, and glean information of how you feel, and how you function, from day to day. When you go to your assessment, try and be as calm as you can. This is easier said than done, but you will not do yourself any favours by being agitated. If you go with confidence, you will get over to the assessor, how you really feel, and how different things affect you, in your day to day activity. If you go there.all worked up, then you will forget to convey the important points, that you need to get over to the assessor. I hope that you can go with confidence. I wish peace be with you, to try and stay as calm as possible. If it is of any comfort to you, i tried to commit suicide 20 years ago, after i had a complete nervous breakdown. It took me 2 years to come through this nasty experience, but i came through it. I am glad i did not take my own life, as things got a lot better for me, after this experience. Life will eventually get better for you, if you can stay calm and positive. I wish all the very best, and may peace be with you. Keep us posted, and if you need to talk, we are always here to support you.

Hi Try not to worry too much and don't read too many horror stories online as most people go online for a moan. People with anything good to say rarely post it online. I read too much of this and it made me I'll as I suffer from anxiety depression ocd. Take a relative or friend who knows you well they can also provide evidence as they see you day to day. Just tell assessor everything you can about your illness disabilities etc and copy esa50 form in case you forget what you put. Just be consistent and don't hold anything back out of embarrassment. Cry if you feel you need to they look at how you behave and your actions as well as what you say. It all goes down on assessors report. Good look.

@Zenkoblue I completely understand the dread of the assessment having gone through the process of reassessment myself. I have anxiety depression and ocd and coping with change is a huge trigger for me. If it helps, i made a diary of my day to day routine which helped give an idea of how my condition affects me, and did a covering personal statement as I knew I would be unable to focus and concentrate in the assessment so this was something to refer to, I wrote everything down I wanted to say and gave it the the HCP for her consideration explaining that i anticipated being unable to communicate due to
my condition. It will be a challenging day for you, just take every day as a step closer to getting this behind you. The assessor i saw was very understanding and helped to calm me whilst remaining focused and she did a lot of the work in there whilst i shook, cried and went blank a lot. I asked for the ESA85 a few days afterwards to give me an idea of what to expect. As @Silver925 said your body language etc is noted in the report and helps to build a true picture of your struggle. I wish you all the best. 

Silver925 said:

Don't go to the assessment looking too well groomed dressed too smartly wearing make up etc it will give the impression you are more in control and can cope better than you actually can. Wear something casual or as you would at home. If they think you have it together when you don't this will give them a false impression of you. They also use things like too much eye contact against you. Don't lie but don't give them any excuse to think you can cope better than you actually can it all goes down on there report
 The Decision Maker will use this to make there decision. Do let them come to the wrong one. Good Luck.

 I tried to go in there as calm and confident as possible because I knew it was so important, but I still got railroaded by them. And they said that because I had good eye contact and I brush my hair and drove that I didn’t qualify for anything. So, I would just really focus on laying it down to them exactly how bad it really is. Because they used every trick in the book on me  

@Zenkoblue Please do not listen to bad stories about an ESA assessment. My son has just had one with his Dad who cares for him. Nothing bad happened at all and he got put back in the support group. There are good assessors out there who will see your situation and do their best for you. There's no point in worrying about something that might be a lot better than you think. Keep posting you will get a lot of support from people who know what you're going through. x 

Do you have anyone who can go with you ? If not, don’t trust them and fight for your own rights - tell them exactly how bad it is - detail and even the very worst of it. And don’t answer yes or no - questions. I ended up saying yes to things I didn’t know what I was saying yes to - remember you don’t have to say anything at all. Answer in the way that YOU want to and not how they want you to. Best wishes