failed esa

i got letter saying that my benefits are being stopped (they stopped um a week before they told me) as i am fit for work regarding my medical assesment, they want me to sign on and look for work, how can someone with g.a.d & agoraphobia do this?? :mad:

my family say i should appeal but i just to stressed thinking bout it, gonna have to live on me mums money now, and now my xmas is canceled, no buying presents, they gave me a physical test, which i can do coz i don't have a physical problem,and told them i can't go out on my own or socialize, i can't even visit my own dad! i also got to go to pathway to work interview next week, thinking of giving up and just stay at home for ever!
they wouldnt even listen to my doctors note that told them my problem.:lac:

If youre gp says you are unfit for work then do appeal,but do not just give up and expect your mum to pick up the tab,thats unfair on your mum sure she doesnt need the stress either:)

Clare are you on any treatment or receiving any therapy for your anxiety problem?

Unfortuantely they often just disregard GP's letters but if you are seen to be having treatment of some sort it might help you to appeal?

Hi Claire

I failed my esa medical too. Please appeal. While you appeal they will put you back on the basic benefit.

I had to wait a year for my appeal date, but i knew i was bad and couldnt go back to work. Most of people with mental health conditions will fail the esa medical.

At my appeal i saw a judge and a doctor. It took about half an hour and at the end i was told i had won my appeal!!!

I now go a pathways to work interview once a month but i am not forced to get a job, only if i feel i could. At the moment i am suffering very bad with anxiety and panic attacks so i know im not ready to go back to work.

Please dont just give up. What would be the point in that? I know how you feel, it happened to me, but i fought because i knew i was right and so did the judge and the doctor in the end.

love mandie x

I had to have an assessment, I just got a letter from my psychiatrist and showed them that - they quickly read it and say no need for an assessment, that was proof enough! If you can get a letter that might be worth a try.

i am getting therapy, :) for past 4 months, the thought about all these interviews with job centre makes me more anxious, gonna go monday and sort it out, if i was fit for work i would of gone back ages ago, i really miss working, hate anxiety

I've posted on a number of threads about this lately. This all makes me very sad that this sort of thing is just going to get worse with the new government and the massive cuts that they want to make in benefits. Also, it would seem that the overwhelming view is that a lot of mental health conditions are curable (which they are, but they can take time)

I think someone else has also mentioned it, but demonstrating that you're having treatment could be useful - and it will help you out in the long run.

From my own experience, I've found that working actually helps me feel better, as it gives me something else to think about. One of the big problems with anxiety is that it makes you turn inwards, and as a result of this, it can be difficult to interact with the outside world, as you're so focussed on what's going on inside your own head.