Pip and engaging with people

Cake252

Hello,
I have a condition where I have symptoms similar to a panic attack, my heart races, I feel sick, palpitations and sweating when I get stressed and have an episode. although I'm not having a panic attack. Am I likely to score any points under descriptor 9 engaging with others? 

kingfisherblue

Cake252 said:

Hello,
I have a condition where I have symptoms similar to a panic attack, my heart races, I feel sick, palpitations and sweating when I get stressed and have an episode. although I'm not having a panic attack. Am I likely to score any points under descriptor 9 engaging with others? 

I don't think it is possible for anyone here to say. We don't know whether you need prompting or support, we don't know whether you are unable to engage with others at all. If you can engage with others without prompting or needing support, then you probably wouldn't be awarded even if you have physical symptoms. I can't see anything in the descriptors that allow for being able to engage with others but having symptoms resembling a panic attack as a result. So really, it does depend on how well you meet the actual descriptors.

poppy12345

Have a read of this. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria

Alan15

Activity 9 - engaging with other people face to face.  If you cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either:
1) overwhelming psychological distress to you; or
2) you exhibit behavior which would result in a substantial risk of harm to yourself or another person;
You would be looking at scoring 8 points alone. That will, of course, depend on how well you convince the health assessor of your inability to carry out this task and indeed others.  If you are due to have an assessment with them in order to claim PIPs, bear in mind that it isn't enough simply to say you cannot do something. You need to explain why.  For example, if you know that you cannot use a standard can opener, you need to state this and say,  "I use a battery powered can opener because I have arthritis which makes it difficult for me to use a standard one as I get aches in my hand, therefore the battery powered one is easier for me."