ESA50 review: ASD etc

I decided I'd better tick one of them as it's probably entered onto their computer that way, and there's a risk that an assessor might choose the least convincing option if it's left to them. I eventually ticked "no", as I can't realistically go out on anything approaching a regular basis or with any degree of reliability, which I explained in the comments.

Actually all of the comments boxes just say "see page whatevs of the supplemental information", the "supplemental information" now being nine pages of densely typed text. I feel rather exhausted after that ordeal, and it wasn't really very pleasant having to recount all of the worst aspects of my person. I just have to remember it's just one facet of my personality, and the only one they're interested in. The main risk now is how much they'll accept what I've written given the supporting information: I have a fairly brief letter from my GP with my diagnoses (and hopefully prognosis: I asked the other day if she could include that too) and one from my partner confirming the veracity of what I've said, and how tough it is for her too, but little from consultants: the local mental health service is hopeless and haven't seen me in years, having concluded "there's nothing more we can do for you" (actually, that's probably for the best considering the same doctor who said that did try to prescribe me antipsychotics in spite of me not being psychotic. My GP nearly hit the roof as the drug in question is also seriously contraindicated with diabetes, which I also have) and even getting letters from private consultants is basically impossible given the "new improved!" shorter time allotted to return the ESA50.

Urgh. It's been gruelling, and I hope this will be the end of it, though I won't be surprised if it's not and they try to dump me in the WRAG again, but it's not for want of trying to demonstrate my mental state, something I find is quite hard to accomplish sometimes. I admit I'm probably fortunate as it's been four years since the last ugly episode of dealing with the DWP started, and I hope it's at least as long until the next one: by which time I'd like to think the dreadful ESA50 will have long since been cremated, though considering that's what I hoped last time and it's got worse since then... :/

Gordon wrote: To confirm my previous advice you do not need to tick one of the options, the information is not entered into a computer!

Oh okay, fortunately I haven't got as far as that yet! "I just assumed", and all that, I think based on the screenshots of that awful LIMA system.

I'm still really hoping that I have sufficient evidence, I don't need to go through several rounds of this again. It's rather demeaning to have the presumption of guilt unless one can prove beyond any doubt that one isn't simply malingering: it's bad enough having the disability in the first place without someone repeatedly claiming "you look alright to me", in effect. I probably sound a bit peeved but I'm just fatigued and nervous.

The face-to-face assessment also makes me very nervous: apart from the fact that it would be extremely difficult for me to attend in person (I have pointed that out, but have little faith that they'll take any notice) I tend to take things extremely literally thanks to the ASD mentioned in the title and will probably walk straight into any trick questions they might employ.

It also occurs to me that I should probably change my username here since I use the same one everywhere: I tend to fail at anonymity like that. Now I just need to think of something, but I need to exhume my imagination first.

So now it's just a matter of waiting. I understand that the time taken to process the ESA50 is at least a couple of weeks, and perhaps randomly somewhat longer. A DWP brown envelope turned up in the post yesterday, obviously timed for Saturday delivery, as usual, although it wasn't bad news, just a tax statement. It did leave me physically shaking for some time afterwards, though: just seeing those three initials really scares me now. It shouldn't really be this way, should it?