Help!!!!!!

emo75

Hi guys, please help i'm so sick of being treated like a scrounger or a criminal, i'm 37 years old and ive worked since I left school apart from when ive had my children or when ive being ill. I'm currently on E.S.A only because when my son was 3 months old I had a serious anxiety crisis that almost put me in hospital, after months of therapy with the parent and baby unit I rushed back to work after my maternity leave and within 6 weeks I was taken quite poorly again, unfortunately i hadnt earnt enough to qualify for S.S.P, hence me being put on E.S.A, within 2 weeks of my E.S.A being set up i received the dreaded questionnaire, and 2 weeks later sent for a medical, and of course failed due to not enough points, i'm now awaiting a tribunal that again i will probably fail. I love my job but my anxiety is chronic, i have severe panic attacks, exhaustion, severe neck tightness, severe muscle pain and lots of other symptoms, Because people cant see wot im going through i feel like i'm constantly having to prove myself to my g.p friends family, E.S.A. At the end of the day everytime i try to get back to normal i become ill again, so where do i fit into the benefits system, hate having this tribunal over my head its horrible feel like people think im lying or something!!!

nannytone_2

you sound incredibly stressed. but you need to try to calm sown as much as you can.
stop second guessing what is going to happen at the tribumnal and concentyrate on gathering as much evidence as possible to support your claim.
do you receive help from any other medical professional apart from your GP?
take a good look at the ESA descriptors to see which ones apply to you, and why they apply.

ignore what other people think. you knpw that you are struggling and if other people cant see it, then its theiir ptoblem

emo75

i am very stressed at the moment as im also having to sell my home as i cant afford essential repairs so going through a rough time.. im currently waiting for c.b.t help from my local healthy minds team but its mega slow.. thank you for your advice and i will try and calm down and work through what you have said.

Dunroamin

Will you be eligible for contributions based ESA, as the equity in your house will affect you getting means tested benefits.

[Deleted User]

I think your doctor needs to be more understanding

Please go and see her or him again and explain ALL your symptoms and how they are affecting you

Things get worse if they are left , plus rushing back into things before you are ready is a recipe for setbacks / relapse

You have to 'take it easy' as it were , don't be too hard on yourself at all , look after your physical and mental health as much as possible because that really is your priority in being able to fully get back on track

And get ALL the help you need , do NOT be fobbed off , you need a whole program of care and support especially with moving as well on top of everything else

I have had some health problems myself due to stress and I always turned to my doctor until he took me seriously which he did on my last visit and things improved from then as in he was very supportive with other things too like benefits and my solicitor as I am suing the council and am in the process of finding a move too so I know how stressful and difficult that is

So get all the help you need and make sure people do take you seriously as being ill is not just a matter of a physical condition even though stress / anxiety related illnesses do cause physical symptoms

I hope you get all the support you need - Keep reaching out for it as I am the sort of person who NEVER asks for help , till now , as my future happiness depends on it! x

missmontana

great reply from Cazza, go to your local Citizens Advice centre, they've been helping me with all my ESA stuff, they are really good and fill in forms, print letters and call people on your behalf.
Take care