PIP Assessment

[Trishly1234]

I applied for PIp a few months ago and had a telephone assessment last month- I received decision letter 2 days ago - zero points- I’m distraught angry and have now spent two days creating a plan of action for mandatory reconsideration- I’ve become obsessive with it almost to the point of mania and barely had any sleep- I recognise that I’ve become irrational about it and completely over the top but I’m struggling to let it go - the report has 13 comments that are the complete opposites of what was discussed during the assessment- my biggest obsessions are list making and attention to minor details and rechecking that everything I do is correct. Thankfully after a lot of crying I turned the anger into motivation and started making notes and lists of things I wanted to include in a letter - however 12 hrs in I’m on the 4th draft consisting of 12 pages - I’m only two thirds of the way through- I have about 20 lists some of which then have sub lists - I’m literally drowning in paper - I know I have hit information overload and need to reduce what I’ve written however every time I attempt that I end up adding more - the advice I’m getting is to keep it factual and give examples- I’ve researched endlessly different websites and even created a list of websites I’ve used - it’s like I’m writing a dissertation!! How do I reduce the information when the reason I’m claiming is that I’m obsessive about redoing and rechecking everything which takes a significant amount of time and impacts everything and making sure everything is perfect. I also don’t have faith that the assessors have a good enough understanding of the condition so feel the need to elaborate. A tribunal review a few years ago overturned decisions about a claim for ocd and changed the rules to take into account the length of time to complete tasks is reasonable - so I’m trying to give estimates of how long things take - anybody that has read this lengthy post relate?

[jpm12]

Hi , get help from the CAB , citizen advice, asap- they deal with this all the time, let PIP know you are s getting their help and they should extend the time for an appeal. Do this asap, good luck

[Trishly1234 in reply to jpm12]

Thank you - have contacted other charity support organisations- unfortunately because I completed the form on my own originally there isn’t funding for them to intervene at this point unless it gets declined after mandatory reconsideration and goes to an appeal tribunal- however will call cab on Monday- have added it to my ‘to do list’ - I’ve set myself a challenge not to do any work on it today - although my head will probably be spinning with overthinking I’m not going to pick up a pen or open the document on laptop - I’m going to try not to research anymore today - thanks for your reply x

[Sallyskins]

It good that you can turn your anger into motivation! That's a positive for you!

I agree about how long OCD can make you take to do a simple task. It hit me many years ago when I worked in a typing pool in my 20s (back in the 1980s) - it got so I would take back work I'd already done perfectly and put in the out tray, just so I could check it over and redo it if I wasn't satisfied!

Do describe to the assessors the inordinate effort you've gone to with your case and application - and the distress it has caused you. These assessments do take it out of you anyway - they're so stressful anyway!

Try to keep your reply as brief as possible - something to aim at that might help to cut down the paperwork. Don't get sidetracked - the punchier you can make it the more effect it will have. Don't put too many examples - just the most relevant - and try boiling it down to a manageable length. Do it point by point.

I know it isn't easy, but an effective piece of writing is down to what you leave out as well as what you put in.

And sleep on it. Give it a rest for a few days. I've often done this when I've been struggling, particularly with a piece of writing. It's as though while you are asleep, your thoughts sort themselves out of their own accord. It's like having a filing assistant in your head that works away while you sleep. And then go back to the task. Often it all falls into place!

It's a pity, but OCD is still little understood and these assessment companies are often more concerned to serve their governmental paymasters than the people they are supposed to help. They often employ underqualified staff. There is a voluntary advocacy service - perhaps ask your local disability rights group or Mind or some other helpful organization about it. And make sure you get the name and qualifications of the assessor.

And try a bit of relaxation before you start on it again. It helps to do it with a cool head.

[Trishly1234]

Thank you sally- I’ve managed to leave it for today- the thoughts have been spinning in my head but I haven’t actioned any of them- so feel that’s a huge win - I totally get taking work home and that impacts hugely on other aspects of your life - I started that about 6 years ago and would work until about 9pm after doing an 8 hr working day ! After a few years I realised it wasn’t sustainable so changed to a part time job - think I ended up putting in more hours as I couldn’t trust that work was being done properly on my off days so ended up compiling lists of things of what needed to be checked and redone - that would be after I spent an hour reorganising my office space and checking everything was where it should be - there was no time for me to complete that days work so the cycle would start again of me taking more work home - I’ve been off sick since April and really don’t know if I can return to work anytime soon - thanks so much for your input - I think the problem stems from enjoying writing and finding the process therapeutic - I’ll find a way of cutting the information down that I send to them and tell them how long it’s taken and how many pages with the offer of sending them more or discussing in more detail - maybe there’s a bit of hoarding as well as I can’t bear the thought of it going to waste !! But I’ve been thinking of writing a blog for some time with no idea where to start - I’ve always wanted to write a book too but a blog is endless so watch out internet lol

[Sallyskins in reply to Trishly1234]

Do keep on with the writing - it's therapeutic, as you say, and creative activity is good for us!

But do resist the temptation to mess about trying to improve a piece of writing once you've completed it. Going over something, making it better - that's good, but there's a point where you need to leave it! One can over-improve to the point where you undo the good work.

And don't think of discarded writing as going to waste! In doing it, your mind has made connections and come up with new things and these all go towards what you decide to keep.

I shall certainly watch out for the blog!

[Trishly1234]

Sally your advice is spot on - I’m wondering what you do now - you said you used to be a typist - I think you’d make a great life coach - I used to be a secretary after leaving school and when my head is not in the right place and people are talking to me or even watching tv - my mind zones out and I imagine I’m typing what they say - I visually see my fingers tapping away at a keyboard!

[Sallyskins in reply to Trishly1234]

Thanks - that is so kind of you to say so! I've done quite a few jobs - and have worked for a number of years as a life model (not life coach - it's about sitting, lying or standing still while art students and artists draw!)

I'm glad I learned to type - and the funny thing is that I couldn't tell you how the keyboard is organized apart from the QWERTY etc at the top and the ASDF in the middle. But my fingers know where to go! I too did some stints as a secretary - good typist but lousy administrator!

[Trishly1234 in reply to Sallyskins]

I couldn’t be a life model- my brain does not accept the concept of still ! I panic at the thought of meditation whenever it’s suggested lol