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Pip for anxiety success stories

anxiousbird
anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
Hi all, 
I have been suffering from severe anxiety and panic disorder and PTSD  since many years now. Would be lovely to hear success stories of people with similar issues to mine. Did you successfully get pip? Did you have to go through MR or tribunal? 

Comments

  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
    I applied for pip last year, submitted evidence and had a face to face assessment. I was rejected pip and the reason for rejection was the same paragraph copy pasted on each question saying ‘informal observations of the claimant show that she’s fine and doesn’t appear to be anxious’ . Ofcourse I was fine at that time and I told the assessor as well that I was having a very good day (I normally feel secure when I’m with other health care professionals anyway). But anyway, I cried so much as it actually affects my daily life SOOO much and I struggle even going from the front door to the car because it makes me so overwhelmingly anxious. Can’t shower on my own, struggle to cook, don’t go out AT ALL - literally crippled with anxiety. I didn’t even go for an MR and my mental health deteriorated even further. Just felt like nobody out there was my friend or sympathetic to my condition .
    I’ve gathered the courage to apply for pip again now and this time I’m determined to not let it go and fight for it. 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi and welcome there are lots of posts in our PIP section about success for anxiety and other conditions look at posts made by @cupcake88 who has just been awarded from first application 

    Good luck and let us know how you get on 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    HI,

    Lots of people successfully claim PIP for the way their mental health affects them but you can't really compare 2 people because we are all affected diffierently by these conditions. It's important to remember that PIP isn't awarded based on a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect your ability to carry out daily activity based on the PIP descriptors.

    To constantly reapply using the same evidence you previously used will likely see another refusal. Requesting the MR then Tribunal is always advised.

    When filling out those forms you should put as much relevant information as possible about how your conditions affect you. Then add a couple of recent real world examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you. stating who was with you, where you were and exactly what happened. Medical evidence is not helpful unless it states exactly how your conditions affect you and most medical evidence doesn't state this. Anecdotal evidence will always be the best you can send and the only person that knows exactly how your conditions affect you is yourself.

    At the moment face to face assessments are still suspended and telephone assessments have replaced them, which most people are having. Paper based assessments are rare.

    Hope this helps. Good luck.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
    Thanks  poppy123456
    Do you think they’ll look at my previous pip application as well when I submit my new one? 

    I reapplied because once I got the rejection I was sooo depressed that I gave up all hope. I’ve now looked online and I think I now know how to fill the forms really. Last time I just wrote very little and thought they’ll ask the questions in the assessment and that they’ll believe what I’m saying and not think I’m a liar. But unfortunately  that’s not how it happened 
  • cupcake88
    cupcake88 Posts: 1,273 Pioneering
    Hi @anxiousbird

    i just saw On my wall you wanted to ask me some ?? Which is not a problem I’m not having such a good week but always here to help as others have helped me .

    @poppy123456 is the expert of all things pip . 

    But as @janer mentioned i do have the same illnesses as you and was awarded pip first time for just over2  years . 
    I was also awarded higher Daily living and lower mobility . I think having a phone interview really helped me as no way would I have been able to do a face to face .
    my partner was there to support me with my phone call so that might be helpful to you . 
    Pip is not about your illness it’s how it affects your life your daily living . As poppy said it’s best to not keep re applying as you could be missing out on back pay . 

    When filling out my form I sended all my care plans from being under home based treatments , psychiatric Letters bout how my illness impacts me , medication list , my partner also wrote a statement to what my life is like .

    I wrote a lot bout how my illness affects me and how dependent I’m on my partner how I have days where I’m so scared of my own shadow I see no point to lift when anxiety has taken over that I suffer with psychosis also . 


    dure in my 2 hour phone assessment she would ask the same questions but in different ways . 

    It’s a very stressful time applying for pip I have had some real struggles lately which going threw pip to taking legal action against a previous employer for disability discrimination. 

    This forum is a great support so I’m Always here to support any one and every one .

    like you I heard the horror stories of people with mental illnessss not getting pip I’m a example of that you can get pip first time .

    apply and we are all here to support you . @poppy Is the expert for all the practical pip info but I can say you can have anxiety and get pip xx 
  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
    Thanks a lot @cupcake88 :) 
    how long did it take from the time your applied till your assessment? 
    I’m just really scared. I can’t even begin to tell you how much my life is affected by my mental health issues. I got so extremely depressed when I got rejected last time. I’ve already lost all friends because of my anxiety and when even the health care people (my assessor was a nurse) tell you that you don’t need any help you just get soo dejected! 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    There's no timescales for any decision but it can take several months, sometimes longer. How long you'll need to wait will depend on backlog in your area. Have you filled out the form yet?

    I totally understand how stressful the whole process is, having gone through it all myself quite a few times with my claim and my daughters claim. This time if you don't get the decision you're happy with then i advise you to request the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) then Tribunal, rather than to constantly reapply.

    Will they look at your previous claim?.... it's unlikely.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • cupcake88
    cupcake88 Posts: 1,273 Pioneering
    Hi there as poppy said every one is different me personally I applied in feb I got my assessment July I think then a few weeks later I had my back pay my back pay came before my decision letter . 

    Every one on here is supportive we are here for you 
  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
    Thanks @poppy123456
    yes I’ve filled in the form but I feel like it’s all a mess so I’m thinking of crossing it all out and instead typing it up and attaching those papers with the form? I struggled to write in a coherent manner on the form because I kept remembering examples or things to add and I feel like it looks weird now. 

    Is it ‘unlikely’ that they’ll see my previous application or is it not ‘possible’? I don’t mind them seeing my previous application but I don’t want them to become biased by looking at the fact that the previous assessor rejected my claim. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    I wouldn't cross anything out on the form. Just add extra information on separate sheets of paper.

    They would have no reason to look at any previous form. It wasn't the assessor that rejected you because they don't make decisions, only recommendations. Decision makers make the decision's based on recommendations in the report.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • cupcake88
    cupcake88 Posts: 1,273 Pioneering
    What would be useful that others did suggest to me which I didn’t do would be keep a copy of your form you send off . Have you got any friends or family members who can write statements on how your illness affects you ? Are you under any mental health teams ? Are you on meds put all that down if so .
  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
    Thanks @cupcake88. Yes I’m going to take photos of every page of my form :) 
    My husband has written a letter but tbf it just seems like a repetition of what I’ve already written in the form. I have also asked my mum to write a letter too. I don’t meet many people so there aren’t many others who can comment of what goes on in my life. 

    I’m on just one medicine on as and when needed basis now. Harem given sertraline, propranolol and escitalopram in the past. Also getting CBT at the moment. Have had 3 rounds of counselling in the past. But I haven’t got any social care worker or anything , I don’t know how to get that? 
  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
    Thanks @poppy123456
    because my form looks like such a mess, I have typed up the answers now and printed them out. Do you think I can stick them on top of the handwritten ones? I’m really scared that my handwritten ones are very messy and since I made the mistake of directly writing them down on the form, and then later kept remembering more points to add, it just feels quite disjointed too.  ?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    Personally, i wouldn't stick anything on top of what you've already written in the form because for me i'd be worried they would think i have something to hide. I would just add the printed sheets in with your form. Of course i can only give you advice, it's entirely up to you what you do.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
    Thanks @poppy123456 I think I’ll take your advice and not stick them on. What do you think about using a corrector? I remember I used to use them at university instead of crossing things out. Or do you think I shouldn’t use that either? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    Corrector? if you mean something like tipex then no, i wouldn't use that either because to me that just makes it look even worse. This is the reason why i also write the answers on rough sheets of paper first, then type it and print it after.

    Try not to worry too much, what is done, is done. As long as you've written a couple of recent real world examples as advised then i'm sure it will be fine.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • anxiousbird
    anxiousbird Community member Posts: 162 Pioneering
    Thanks @poppy123456
    I am just so worried. I’ve also run out of space in the ‘additional information’ section for certain answers which I’ve thought examples of now (and hadn’t written before) and now there’s no space to write it there. I could perhaps add extra sheets but then one single answer will be split in 3 different places (original answer box, additional info q15 and extra sheet). Arghhh I’m so stressed 
  • cupcake88
    cupcake88 Posts: 1,273 Pioneering
    Please keep us updated on how you get on 

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