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Dreading my 2nd face to face DWP assessment in 3 weeks

2 replies

dangermouseisace · 02/06/2018 17:07

I’ve had a work capability assessment about 1 1/2 years ago, and have now been called in for a face to face assessment- I don’t know if it’s for PIP (recently awarded) or ESA. I’ve got severe recurring depression. I think just the stress from filling in the ESA form last autumn, and the worry about a face to face triggered a massive decline that resulted in a prolonged hospital admission. In the past few weeks I’d finally felt that I was getting a handle on things after 8 months of hell/horribleness. And now I’m trying to tell myself not to worry...but it’s not working and it’s all I can think about. I don’t want to be ‘not ok’, I want to get on with my life, get back to work eventually and be a decent mother to my children. I feel the whole re assessment process is counter productive- it’s prolonging the ‘bad’ periods by creating stress about whether I’m going to have my income taken away. I’m really concerned that I managed to get through a face to face once and didn’t get everything stopped, I can’t help but think that was just luck and the balance of probabilities is such that I’ll definitely not get through it this time. I don’t want to end up a suicidal mess again as it’s purely by chance that I’m alive now, I don’t know if I’d get through another bout of that. I realise this sounds a bit catastrophising...but my thoughts are if I can’t cope with the idea of an assessment then I’ve got a too low stress threshold and have pretty much failed at life. How can I get through the next 3 weeks without ending up a wreck? Or maybe that’s what the DWP want Sad

OP posts:
Haribogirl · 02/06/2018 19:28

It’s the pits isn’t it
I don’t think they take mh issues strongly enough, they are horrendous.
If you look at your back letters
They probably have different addresses have a look
The pip One will say
Daily living allowance & mobility
The Esa will say
up to £73.10 a week if you’re in the work-related activity group
up to £110.75 a week if you’re in the support group
I’m sure they come from different offices. In your panic you may have over looked it

It’s so stressful filling those forms
It takes everything out of you
The thought of having your income just stopped is scary because somebody made a decision.

If you did it before without any call back, they must of thought you were suffering and deserved it.
Well you must of been really bad to be hospitalised, as it’s really bad just trying to get someone to see you regarding mh
I’ve waited 8 mths for psychology apt the psych I was under secondary care wont see me, gp as asked 3 times. Just told to up meds
Which I did and no difference only gave me heavy chest sensation (not palps) so because I had them got to go and have echocardiogram have injections to put heart into stress mode!

I had to go to tribunal on my last Esa and Dla claim, so I know the worry your going through.
I suffer chronic anxiety and recurrent depression

Sure it will be ok, take somebody with you

dangermouseisace · 06/06/2018 10:41

Hi haribogirl I'm sorry that you had to go all the way to tribunal. That's the situation that I'm dreading- I really don't think I could cope with that. And it happens to so many people. Such a load of stress for no good reason, and a waste of everyone's time and resources.

Unfortunately the letter doesn't give any clues as to who it is for other than DWP.

I hope you get an appt soon for psychology. Medication is not the solution to everything, unfortunately.

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