ESA Medical-Anxiety & Depression

bedpotato_2

princessdon wrote: »

The OP said "without her partner" who is with her

To do as you say would be lying against what she said - she has said she can go with support from a trusted source (which many with MH issues will understand).
.

The problem is that the doctor doing the assessment does not have Mental Health issues, will not be understanding, and is not using his or her common sense or individual judgement. Rather, they are using a "points" system of criteria that must add up for eligibility.

As the two pages I've linked to point out, by merely attending the assessment, she is losing nearly all of the "points," and will probably fail.

However as you point out she has said that she is able to go as long as attending with somebody else (I hadn't noticed that part) so she should do the honest thing and go to the appointment if she genuinely feels that she can.

Sadly, this will mean she will probably fail - but there you go. That's the way the horrible system works.

little_monkey

It probably won't even be a doctor that does your assessment,more like a nurse,and not a nurse who is qualified either,by that i mean they probably won't be a RMN,but just a RN.

Mara69

I think someone should make bedpotato's post a sticky - we could entitle it "How to increase your dubious chances of passing the ATOS medical".

bedpotato wrote: »

having major meltdown or panic attack in doctor's office when being forced to attend their appointment if refused a home visit would be beneficial.

Honestly, some people.

treasureirealnds

If you do not attend they will fail you and tell you to claim JSA.

When this happens you can make an immediate appeal against the decision and ESA will continue to be paid until the appeal is heard which can take months!

chris1973

having major meltdown or panic attack in doctor's office when being forced to attend their appointment if refused a home visit would be beneficial.

Fear is a very personal and lonely emotion, even when people say they 'understand' they often just associate it with the gentle nervousness that they experience and are unaware of the real grip of blind fear that somebody with genuine phobias and fears experience, and are just being polite. Sure, everybody will face some form and degree of fear and anxiety in their lives, whether its sitting a driving test or getting on a plane for the first time, but for others its a debilitating condition which takes over their lives.

For anybody experiencing the far scale of fear and anxiety, they wouldn't have to fake a major meltdown or a panic attack nor have to be reminded to do it, as they probably won't be able to eat, sleep or focus on things properly for days before it, believe me when you have a genuine fear or phobia of something its carved into your emotions, and takes over your life for weeks / days before the event, and then on the actual day you are a complete wreck and constantly fear the worst. If this doesn't describe 'you' then i'm sorry, but with all due respect you really don't understand the OP or others like them.

One, recent, high profile media example, is here:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-19048737


Anybody who has to even consider faking symptoms of fear and anxiety shouldn't really be off work with it, and certainly should not be considering an ESA claim in respect of it. Believe me, if the OP is 100% genuine it will be obvious to everybody around them on the actual day, and no membership to Equity or the Shakespearean Actors guild will be required.

seven-day-weekend

If the OP can get to the medical 'with support', then they can get there with support and it would be wrong to say anything otherwise.

If they are going to break down, they will so so, they won't need reminding to do it.

My husband couldn't stop shaking at his last medical, to the extent that he could not open the door and the Dr had to do it for him. He didn't need 'reminding', it just happened and he had no choice as to whether it happened or not. If you have a choice, then it is controllable.

To the OP, just go and tell it as it is, don't minimise anything but don't exaggerate either and don't assume that the medical professional will know what you are talking about. Tell them everything, warts and all. Write it all down beforehand if you think you won't be able to speak.

Good luck.

rogerblack

Mara69 wrote: »

I think someone should make bedpotato's post a sticky - we could entitle it "How to increase your dubious chances of passing the ATOS medical".



Honestly, some people.

The assessment is to assess your ability to do various tasks, throughout the course of a working day.

To misrepresent your normal condition that you would have in work, either by making it artificially worse, or better is not a good idea.

It can be tempting to take special measures so you can get to the medical in a good state, and are able to safely get home.
If you are doing something you could not do every day as part of work, then this is actively misleading the assessor, just as much as faking an illness is.

lady123_2

After watching what them barstewards ATOS have been doing to honest people on dispatches and Panorama then you can fully understand why people who are to unwell to work get extremely anxious before having to attend these fraudulent medicals which seems to be just an excuse to kick genuine people off of there entitled benefit.
One ATOS GP stated she gets assessed if more than 13% of people she sees gets approved which is truly shocking!!!

It seems that the Government wants to divide the nation against anyone who is unwell, but wants the nation to just let the financial world carry on as per after there disgraceful behaviour over the last decade.
Why have no bankers been locked up? Why have the government not closed the tax loopholes which would bring our nation billions in tax revenue?
Seems very very strange to me!

ohdearpuzzle

This is my experience:

I was signed off work due to depression and anxiety. I was in a bad way. I went to my medical with ATOS and was myself at that time. Scared, anxious, negative and distressed. I answered all the questions as honestly as I could. Some of them made me cry and some of them didn't. I went in my normal clothes and I didn't even think about not washing my hair etc. I passed my medical and was put in the work related group. I know there are many people who fail their medicals but there are also people like me who don't. Hope it goes ok. Be yourself at this time.

Owain_Moneysaver

little_monkey wrote: »

It probably won't even be a doctor that does your assessment,more like a nurse,and not a nurse who is qualified either,by that i mean they probably won't be a RMN,but just a RN.

It's actually quite possible for it to be done by a chiropodist :rotfl: