How to go from JSA - ESA?

[Senteph]

Hi i have been signing on at the job centre for a year now and it is becoming too much to handle due to my social anxiety. Before they wanted me to come in and sign on once every 2 weeks which was still horrible and made me panic but now they need me to sign on everyday. It's been 5 days since i have been doing this and im near breaking point in my sanity. There now saying i have to apply for jobs with customers aswell or my benefit will be stopped. Both my parents work so i have to get the bus everyday up to the job centre myself but most of the time i just walk as i cant face all the people on the bus at times. I also have started feeling panic and out of breath just before i get to the job centre and feel awful, but i do it because my family needs me to.

I also have really bad ocd with intrusive thoughts and false memories in the past that i think about every minute of everyday that really gets me down even more.

I have booked an appointment with my gp on monday to seek help with my social anxiety and ocd as i really want to get back to being semi-normal again. I just heard about this esa thing and the whole point of it is to give you some time to get better and seek help before your forced into work? Im unsure of it all and wondered if i would be eligible and to mention it on monday to my gp?

Thanks for any replies.

[Shelly15]

I no exactly how you feel, I've been on income support as I have a child but when he turns 5 in November I will be put on jsa which im not looking forward to at all it will mean I will have to get the bus to get there. Some days I can't even leave my house where I'm so anxious, I really want to have a job in my local area so I can walk there and be close to my house but I know that the job center won't care about my needs. I was on jsa before I had a child and couldn't cope with going to sign on and I went to the doctor and he wrote me a medical form so I could go on esa but he would only do it if I went on medication for my anxiety and I can't take tablets it makes me even more anxious. Talk to your doctor though I hope you get the help you need but people with anxiety don't get taken seriously at all it makes me mad