My application for PIP relating to my bowel cancer surgery and having to now wear a stoma has led the DWP to decide that I have no mental health issues. In her notes, the lady presenting my results (who I never spoke with at all) says “there is no evidence of overwhelming psychological distress’ despite having a statement from Age UK stating that my ‘mental health has taken a severe battering to put it mildly’, and that statement also recognizes my insomnia.
She refers to my ‘mental state examination’ results even though I have never had nor claimed to have had a medical state examination at all, so where have these results come from beyond her imagination? The DWP also say that I have not been prescribed any anti-depressants as though those or other mental health related drugs are needed if you are or feel mentally ill. Do I have to be so fa gone as to be on a ledge threatening to jump to my doom to be taken seriously?
my own sense of my mental health.
It is stated that I take no prescribed anti-depressants, as if this alone equals a bench mark for mental health concerns. Just because I’m not suicidal, self harming, or physically harming others does not mean I don't have issues. I feel as though I’d have to actually be on the ledge threatening to jump to be taken seriously on this.
I feel pushed into deeper introspection than ever. I always felt no one should declare themselves mad or sane and the surest way to go crazy is self-analysis. The old joke goes that the first sign of madness is having hairs growing on the palms of your hands. The second sign is examining the palms of your own hands, checking for hairs.
I do have insomnia and much anxiety (the statements says I don’t seem anxious. Sorry if it doesn’t manifest too visibly or audibly).
Anxieties include 1/. perpetual fear of stoma leakage, splits and bursts. 2/. Fears others seeing the stoma or being aware of it will shun me and distance themselves from me. 3/. Fear of its visibility. 4/. Tendency to fidget the stoma and constantly check it for blockages, over-filling or pancaking (contents piling up in a small area rather than spreading evenly through the bag). 5/. Frustrations from ongoing Covid rulings that can impact my limited post-cancer activity. 6/. Worries about becoming a sufferer of invisible disabilities, and having to defend my position, (as I feel I am doing in getting this PIP application adequately (re)assessed. 7/. Financial worries, given my debts and uncertainty as to how the PIP award or lack of it will affect me. 8/. Despair at being ‘disabled’ at all. I have to keep reminding myself I’m not finished. 9/. Knowing there are still cancers in me, though dormant, including flakes on my Pancreas which I’m told could be untreatable if they become active, turns me into a walking time bomb, but somehow I am deemed totally unanxious about that. 10/. I have had to change many aspects of my lifestyle so I feel old and retired from much before my time. 11/. I’m left totally self-conscious, to some extent even self-loathing, highly self-pitying to the point of pathetic, low in self-esteem, sceptical, cynical and rather battle-hardened. If none of that counts as mental health concern, I’ll eat …. something generally regarded as not really good to eat.
I feel my efforts to draw my doctor's and specialist's attention to such worries has fallen on deaf ears, which does not help my case with the DWP who treat it as if I'm faking or exaggerating. Do I have to declare myself to be Napoleon and wear my underpants on my head to make them think I might have a point?
Hi Forester42, I was looking through your post about PIP in the Cancer Chat Group and I have looked through this post.
From my limited experience dealing with DWP and PIP it’s not that straightforward, it takes a specific approach and at times it makes no sense.
When I first applied back in late 2013 my application was refused after a home visit. I talked with our local CAB/Macmillan Benefits Adviser and she did my appeal for me putting my appeal into the language that helps to tick the questions in the PIP application and it was approved taking me from 2 points to 14.
The CAB/Macmillan Adviser said that about 70-80% of applications do not get past first application and this puts off so many, but about 80% of those who appeal get PIP awarded on appeal.
Do call the Macmillan Support Services on 0808 808 00 00 - most services are open 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week Clicking here to see what is available as this service provides financial and benefits guidance.
All the best.
