Experiences of claiming pip on mental health grounds.

dori2o

benniebert wrote: »

They don't - well not in my case they don't.


I am currently under the Mental Health unit for Older People - Neuro Psychiatry dept and have regular sessions with a therapist.


On no occasion have I been asked to describe how my condition (brain damage) is affecting my day to day living.


We talk about a lot of things and they set me tasks to do.


If I was ever asked that question the answer would be - it is CRAP! They don't ask because they know it must be that way and that there is nothing they can do to change it.

Personally if I was in this situation I'd be asking to see someone else.

Especially with mental health issues it is necessary to understand how your condition is affecting you.

Not asking how your day to day living is being afffected borders on negligence IMO.

I'm certainly glad not to be under the care of your NHS Trustt if what you say about your treatment by them is true.

benniebert

dori2o wrote: »

Personally if I was in this situation I'd be asking to see someone else.

Especially with mental health issues it is necessary to understand how your condition is affecting you.

Not asking how your day to day living is being afffected borders on negligence IMO.

I'm certainly glad not to be under the care of your NHS Trustt if what you say about your treatment by them is true.

Maybe, but I also believe that because of time constraints (60 minute sessions mean 60 mins!) If I was asked to go into any great detail about how life with me is, half the treatment time will have gone before she started.


I do have to admit that I know what you mean. Actually I have been under the CMHT for 20 years so have seen a lot of changes.
Initially the hospital had a purpose built mental health day service unit. This was staffed with OT's, SW's and all manner of mental health personnel. That unit closed down 10 years ago and is now a 'walk in minor injuries unit' Everything is now spread all over the place. MIND took over a lot of the day to day stuff but was bulging at the seams with too many referrals.


Now you have time limits for treatment - max 10 weeks and that's it. Better or not you are back out on your own until the next major episode - then back to the GP and on another waiting list.

Indie_Kid

benniebert wrote: »

So there have been no 'indefinite' DLA awards given when it should have been obvious that there was a possibility in the future that an improvement may happen beit by way of new drugs or surgery?


Which begs the question, what was the criteria for giving an 'indefinite' award?

My DLA is indefinite because there's no cure for my Autism or visual impairments that I was born with. (I know people who didn't get indefinate awards with visual impairments because theirs will change - mine won't / they weren't born with them) I am not going to suddenly wake up one day and be able do things that people my own age can do without issues.

And drugs won't cure the issue fully and can actually create more problems.

benniebert

Indie_Kid wrote: »

My DLA is indefinite because there's no cure for my Autism or visual impairments that I was born with. (I know people who didn't get indefinate awards with visual impairments because theirs will change - mine won't / they weren't born with them) I am not going to suddenly wake up one day and be able do things that people my own age can do without issues.

And drugs won't cure the issue fully and can actually create more problems.

I'm glad for you.


But that wasn't the point that I was making. Of course if there will be no change then an indefinite award should be given. However it had been suggested that indefinite awards would not be awarded if there could be a change or better control could be effected.
My point was asking that if that is correct, is it that there WILL BE NO indefinite awards for those conditions that MAY at some time in the future be more controlled.


If that is incorrect and that such awards will/have been made, then the DWP had better read their manuals again. I know many that have had indefinite DLA awards yet it is medically accepted that there WILL be improvements in the future.


Even those with chronic life limiting conditions whose only problem is pain control should NOT be given indefinite awards. Why? because with medication, those levels of pain are manageable to such an extent that life can be enjoyed once again. I know because I am one of them. My medication has resolved what is accepted by the DWP and medics as likely to have constant debilitating pain. So I no longer have unmanageable pain hence no reason or need to claim any disability based benefits.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Fbaby..your friend has been one of the lucky ones. Bipolar can certainly worsen during pregnancy and in my case this is exactly what happened. I am not going into it on here, suffice to say I ended up on a psyc ward for quite some time. After the experioence I chose to have a sterilisation procedure as I could not bare to go through that again. My case is complex as I have other mental health problems as well as bipolar. So I do have a lot going on.

My life has been turned upside down due to my mental health problems. I am no way using my Bipolar as a passport to benefits. This illness affects my life daily and it is horrible. It also has a detrimental affect on people very close to me too, so much so that my partner has had to take time off work to care for me. Also, recovery, I believe can be affected by quality of care from all medical professionals involved. Maybe your friend received excellent care. Not all are that lucky.

I think its unfair to compare others to your 1 friend with Bipolar disorder. Unless you suffer from the condition, your in no position to judge others.

Benniebert..your right..as patients with mental health problems, we don't get much time to discuss issues ect with medical professionals. I'd be there for weeks trying to explain how things are. I might get to see my psychiatrist once every 3 months for probably less than 30 mins. Although I do see my care coordinator every 2 to 3 weeks for an hour at a time, unless I need more intense intervention. Same with the psychiatrist.

However, I have had a number of different psychiatrists over the past few years. Many of them leaving, so have never had the chance to build up a rapport.

Indie kid..totally agree that medication can and does create added problems.

FBaby

I think its unfair to compare others to your 1 friend with Bipolar disorder. Unless you suffer from the condition, your in no position to judge others.

And again, you are reading my post to suit your circumstances. Re-read it. I make it very clear that I am not saying that some sufferers don't have their life seriously affected, I am saying that not ALL do because SOME can get lead a as normal life as can be with the condition. I am not comparing my friend with everyone suffering from the condition, I am comparing her with the others who suffer from the condition but manage to live a stable life in spite of it.

So yes, your life is seriously affected and I am not in anyway debating that it isn't, I am saying that some, like my friends are able to manage a normal life with the condition and that THESE people shouldn't be eligible to claim DLA indefinitely.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Personally I don't think many people with bipolar disorder live a relatively stable life, they learn to hide the symptoms from the outside world.

None of my partner's family know about my mental health. I don't want them to know anything. So I very rarely visit them. I certainly never ask them to come to my home. Same with my own family, I can count on one hand who knows.

Many of my old friends have disappeared because they couldn't handle my mood swings. Too much uncertainty. Only a very small number of them knew about my issues. I have also pushed many of them away. So the only people I rely on now is my partner and my mother. It is easier this way.

In regards to benefits, I have never heard of anyone with Bipolar Disorder getting an indefinite award. In fact under the current climate I doubt many people get an indefinite award, maybe if an individual is very seriously disabled such as those with very very severe learning difficulties or very seriously physically disabled. However even then I can imagine those people getting called for an medical.

benniebert

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

In regards to benefits, I have never heard of anyone with Bipolar Disorder getting an indefinite award. In fact under the current climate I doubt many people get an indefinite award, maybe if an individual is very seriously disabled such as those with very very severe learning difficulties or very seriously physically disabled. However even then I can imagine those people getting called for an medical.

Maybe for PIP, but for DLA & AA, getting an indefinite award is a lot more common than you think. They generally give a short award for the first time, but after that the ratio is about 2 to 1 for an indefinite award. They are given for the simplest of conditions. Mention Arthritis (symptoms & needs) in an AA claim and it is normally an automatic indefinite award. Mention PTSD (related symptoms/needs) in DLA, and that is generally an indefinite award.

FBaby

Personally I don't think many people with bipolar disorder live a relatively stable life, they learn to hide the symptoms from the outside world.

Or they learn to cope like many people do have to learn to cope with other conditions. One of my colleague has been diagnosed with bipolar, but has always managed to work. She does go through terrible depressive times which she really struggles with, but has managed to continue working. She also has manic times when she makes very silly decisions, such as buying a very expensive car and then selling it at half the Thankfully, she earns a decent salary and can make up these financial mistakes when she is stable.

Are you saying that this person should be entitled to DLA? On which basis? What would she spend it to help her condition that she can't afford at the moment?

Indeed, having worked in mental health, I can say that a number of people were given indefinite awards from conditions such as bipolar or severe depression.

benniebert

FBaby wrote: »

Or they learn to cope like many people do have to learn to cope with other conditions. One of my colleague has been diagnosed with bipolar, but has always managed to work. She does go through terrible depressive times which she really struggles with, but has managed to continue working. She also has manic times when she makes very silly decisions, such as buying a very expensive car and then selling it at half the Thankfully, she earns a decent salary and can make up these financial mistakes when she is stable.

Are you saying that this person should be entitled to DLA? On which basis? What would she spend it to help her condition that she can't afford at the moment?

Indeed, having worked in mental health, I can say that a number of people were given indefinite awards from conditions such as bipolar or severe depression.

As I have said, an indefinite award is quite common.
It does seem wrong to me. I do wonder if I put in a claim for AA what award would I get and would it be indefinite? I don't think it should and to be honest I don't believe that any award should be made either.


But, I do 'fit the criteria' very well. So who knows, money for old rope I suppose.