Terrified - Atos & transfer from IB to ESA Mental health

wellynever

eskimo26 wrote: »

Don't get hung up on the ATOS medical, the best thing you can do is take a close look at the new ESA descriptors and see which ones you can get points for.

Send in supporting evidence for the decision maker and they will have enough to make a decision in spite of the medical result, remember the medical is simply one aspect of evidence.

for example:
16. Coping with social engagement due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder

a) Engagement in social contact is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual. 15

b) Engagement in social contact with someone unfamiliar to the claimant is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual. 9

c) Engagement in social contact with someone unfamiliar to the claimant is precluded for the majority of the time due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual. 6

d) None of the above apply 0

What i did was put descriptor 16.Coping with social engagement due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder on a sheet of A4 then made copies of all evidence from doctors, specialists, clinics, hospitals, nurses, medicine side effects and stapled them to the sheet. I did the same with the other relevant descriptors. It didn't take me long though i it did unfortunately cause a relapse in my fatigue, but that's a different story.

The above is what i did too, Almost the same except i just got my doctor to fax my letter and his to ATOS and cc me them,

I passed and got put into the support group had the letter the other day.

andrea_louise

Dear Justanother1,

I too had read horror stories about the transfer to ESA, when submitting my ESA50 in June this year, I included my consultants report, OT report, Social Workers care plan (and everything else I deemed to be relevant).

I downloaded the descriptors, and tried to relate my condition to each one.

Found out last week that I had been placed in the Support Group with no medical. I can only speak as I find, but please don't worry about it!

bestpud

I wouldn't worry too much, OP. Remember we mostly hear of the cases where the claimant is disgruntled - many more go through the system with no issues.

As an aside, are you using the Internet to 'diagnose' the other disorders you suspect?

I'd be careful of that, especially if you tend to become anxious and paranoid!

As a 'healthy' person with underlying mental health conditions, I could easily add another 20 conditions by reading about them online! I've also had numerous diagnoses from doctors over the years, but tbh it's not really relevant and you will do better if you focus on your individual symptoms and seek help to overcome them.

Justanother1

Just wanted to say thank you to those who have replied on this thread. I do tend to worry a lot, I know i'm not alone on that. I appreciate the advice and assistance people have given on this thank you.

I have had psychologists and other mental health specialists agree there were overlapping conditions Bestpud, you may be different, but in my opinion I generally find things easier to live with when I have an actual diagnosis for them, I like to learn about the conditions I know about and understand what I can personally do to help to change things in the long term.

Personally I view getting a diagnosis as a step on the road towards dealing with conditions better, when I don't know what something is I tend to have a negative reaction towards it. As I said in my OP this isn't something i've merely looked up on the internet in the past few days this is something i've lived with for years. It's something that needs finally sorting out, and this is the best way I can personally learn to live with the symptoms I have, you might find that difficult to understand.

I have been given advice on meditation from my doc, and another doc I saw did suggest Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as well as general talking therapy. This issue of diagnosis may not be important to some but I know it will help me to deal with the symptoms and to learn what I can do to help me to overcome them finally after years!

When you know there is something additional to what you've been diagnosed with and people haven't seemed to listen to you it isn't nice, I understand this is due to things overlapping, but i'd like to know exactly what!

jayboi2005

yes thats right i had my DLA one and yet to be dragged through the ESA process.

I just had a look at the ESA descriptors i have to say that paper doesn't mean i think to me i actually do not understand it at all. I get the questions but i seriously dont get what to do. I totally understand what you are saying but it seems to be written in code to me.

Also i agree we mainly hear the bad stories on here, i only have good things to say about ATOS at the moment. But i guess that could change, and i agree i must have been lucky to get even so much as a Doctor! But i expressed all my concerns to my Shrink before i went to ATOS and he did send them a letter a month before my arrival however i have no idea on what it said.