Marko2020 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I received a letter today that has made my anxiety so much worse and I can't get it out my head. Notification of local service compliance office interview to discuss your employment support allowance claim. An office interview has been arranged. It is essential that you attend this interview and bring the documents requested in this letter. This interview has been arranged because your circumstances may have changed and we need to ensure your payments are correct. When you claimed benefit you agreed to tell us immediately if the circumstances relating to your benefit entitlement changed. Just can't stop thinking the worse with this letter and I know it's my anxiety and cod and negative thinking but I've never had this Walter before and neither has any of my friends. Scary thing is I googled this and people are saying it's one step before Freud . It doesn't say on the letter they are investigating me or nothing. Link to comment
carolj Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Can I ask what documents they have asked you to bring? Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 On the back it says I need to bring: One form of identity and a utility bill showing my address Other documents we need to see: Bank statements for any current accounts Occupation pensions. Earnings, your most recent wage slips Any isa or pep savings Details of any property or land you own Evidence of your immigration status or right to abode Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 My anxiety hasn't stopped for about 4 hours now and it's turning into panic attacks. I know I shouldn't of googled it, but I did and heard all the horror stories about people going to jail etc and I try and think "I haven't done anything wrong", but ocd tries to twist this as usual. Having to wait over a week is killing me and I don't take well to waiting in general. What if I go to jail, or they find something and take me to court etc. everything is rushing to my head. Link to comment
Guest Stu. Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 My anxiety hasn't stopped for about 4 hours now and it's turning into panic attacks. I know I shouldn't of googled it, but I did and heard all the horror stories about people going to jail etc and I try and think "I haven't done anything wrong", but ocd tries to twist this as usual. Having to wait over a week is killing me and I don't take well to waiting in general. What if I go to jail, or they find something and take me to court etc. everything is rushing to my head. If you've done nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about. Ring them on Monday morning if you that concerned. Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Thanks for the support. If only my ocd would recognise the "if you haven't done anything wrong then you have nothing to worry about". I have googled this to death and some say it's random checks and most are people grassing that they did stuff when they never and some are Freud. My ocd latches on to the worse case part and i have tried not to engage in the thoughts but it's far too strong. Still have anxiety and woke up shaking. Just hope they tell me on the phone on Monday. Link to comment
Dave Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 My anxiety hasn't stopped for about 4 hours now and it's turning into panic attacks. I know I shouldn't of googled it, but I did and heard all the horror stories about people going to jail etc and I try and think "I haven't done anything wrong", but ocd tries to twist this as usual. Having to wait over a week is killing me and I don't take well to waiting in general. What if I go to jail, or they find something and take me to court etc. everything is rushing to my head. The number of people prosecuted for benefit fraud is minuscule, and then it's only when deception's been used. Unfortunately many people's circumstances do change and they're unwittingly claiming for a benefit they're no longer entitled to - for example, if in receipt of a pension, having substantial savings, are working part-time, etc - in which case you'll possibly have to pay back the benefits you've received since your circumstances changed. That's almost certainly the worst case scenario. Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 I think there is more going on here than just my ocd. Burst out crying in front of my mum and girlfriend and my anxiety has risen far above what I've ever seen it as. Haven't eat anything in 2 days and don't feel like drinking anything. Feel tired and emotional and scared and shaking all the time. Thoughts are floating about left,right and centre and it's horrible. I'll phone them tomorrow and see why they want to see me, but again they just might not say and then I will worry more for another week and I really can't go through this for another week. I'm already getting suicidal thoughts and I would rather kill myself than get prosecuted and go to jail. The letter doesn't even say much and that's the strange thing. Google can be horrible with all these horror stories. Feel so alone through Link to comment
Guest Stu. Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 You need to tell them all this when you phone tomorrow, they already know you have an anxiety disorder, and the letter is not helping you one bit. The least they can do tomorrow is put your mind at rest. Link to comment
Guest Heryn! Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I hope things go well for you tomorrow, Marko. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 I phoned them and the guy is on bloody annual leave. She says trying to get a home visit will be hard as they are extremely busy at the moment. She thinks it's just a random check though and I explained about my anxiety etc and she just didn't care one bit. She had no access to my file and I let saying "I read horror stories on Google" and she said " we do a lot of different things but mostly it involves checking your circumstances haven't changed and that you are on the right benefit". I'm really in no state to go to the interview with my other health conditions so I guess my benefit will be stopped while They sort a home visit out. Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 How come with ocd that when you google stuff and you get some good reports your mind rests for a couple of seconds and then it all comes flooding back the doubts and thoughts and anxiety? I'm still not any better and it's been 3 days. Haven't eat hardly anything and not drinking and sleeping has been bad. My interview is next Wednesday and I'm already falling to pieces and the waiting is so stressful and plays on my mind. I try distract myself but I become distant when people talk to me and aways seem in another world. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow for results and I will have to tell him this. For a government who is meant to help the sick and mental health, they are not doing me any favours with this. In my head I have it they will take me to an office and record everything even though the letter doesn't say "interview under caution" or that a query has arisen etc. I'm just hoping next Wednesday will be the end of this as I truly can't take much more. I'm already feeling suicidal and not eating is affecting my diabetes. I try challenge these thoughts but it isn't working. I don't know what else to do but wait now Link to comment
Markie1974 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Marko, the reason that your anxiety is so bad and you're freakivg out is this. Your OCD gave you a terrifying thought "what if they send me to jail". You got anxiety. You then performed compulsions , ie Google, to reduce your anxiety. But , as always with OCD, it only makes things worse. When you give these thoughts attention by googling, and doing compulsions , you are giving the thought credibility. I'll tell you how you can reduce your anxiety... Leave the thought alone , don't google, don't reassure yourself, don't ask for reassurance , don't engage it, don't argue with it. Don't do anything. The anxiety will be there, but it will subside if you stop performing compulsions. Link to comment
LizzyHoy Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I think it is standard practice for them to re-test people, and the letter sounds like that is what they are doing. There isn't any suggestion that it is non-routine. The comment about you needing to tell them if your circumstances change seems to be a standard comment which they will say to everybody - it is not that they suspect you of any wrongdoing (like for example my pharmacy has a notice reminding everyone to tell the NHS if they are no longer entitled to free prescriptions). Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 To be honest I wish I never went on benefits as its affecting my health more and being asked to come in to see them without knowing what they want me for is getting to me. Do they even put people jail nowadays or just pay it back ? I dunno. Link to comment
Gemma7 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 This is the problem with benefits they are impossible to get and then when you are on them they review you all the time causing so much stress. I have been on incapacity benefit and had to go to tribunals everytime. However I didn't go my mum did because I barely left the house. You are eligible for benefits Marko so you should get them I really feel for you though. My disability ran out and I haven't reapplied because of the stress. When I was going through the system we contacted citizens advice, I don't know whether there is one near you but they were a great help to me. Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 I made mistakes in the past with benefits . I hate going through all this as in my mind they are going to throw me in a room and record me and make me confess to stuff and me go to court and then jail. This is the thought in my head constantly and I can't shake it. Past few days and I haven't eaten hardly anything or drink anything and I'm feeling weak and just lay in my bed and try and occupy myself. I'm going through hell right now and feel I would be better off dead. My mum is coming to my appointment with me and she says if they start she will sort them lol. I wouldn't survive in jail Link to comment
Gemma7 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 You need to take care of yourself as best you can until your appointment and try not to overthink and dwell on the what ifs. Your mum sounds like the perfect person to take with you Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Yeah the "what ifs" are getting to me I have to admit. I wish I could say "well what happens will happen" but sadly I can't. Link to comment
Gemma7 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 What you are feeling is only natural don't be too hard on yourself, just try your best to focus on something positive when you can :original: Link to comment
Marko2020 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 The thing I really want to know is, can they bring out information they have at an interview that isn't under caution? I was told if they thought I was doing fraud then it would be a different letter and my benefits would be stopped straight away. Link to comment
Gemma7 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I think but I am only guessing that this is a standard review of your condition. You are ruminating on this and working yourself up about it which is natural but you can't do anything but go through the process and focus on other things till then. As I said citizens advice may help if you need more info. Link to comment
PolarBear Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 You are worrying about what might happen and what-ifs. Try to stop doing that because it won't do you any good. Try to refocus onto something else. Link to comment
Guest Stu. Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Lets face it having ocd is worse than anything the dwp can do to you, ie a fine or going to prison for a little while. I'd happily go to prison if it got rid of my ocd. Link to comment
ACE Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Hey there Marko I do understand your distress about all this& I'm very sorry to hear what you're going through, please try not to feel bad about googling it is hard to resist I know.Try your best from now on to resist the thought of googling anymore& try to have a best response to the thoughts I know it's not easy.Look I'm sure you did everything in good intentions& I hardly doubt you'd be put in prison or anything like that, your case is very legit no doubt you can clearly see & usually you'd have understanding people in government organizations they have to be really :original: . Try whenever if possible the thoughts take hold of you to have a good response say to yourself ok I googled but it could be& is very likely the OCD twisting all this around to ditress me.I will tell them openly& honestly as best as i can so I don't think I should have anything to really worry about I know I'm very genuine& honest :original: . Link to comment
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