Esa and schizoid Pd

Same here Jigster, when he was younger we used to have to drug him, get him to the dental hospital, twice, they sedated him then anethetised him and when he was coming around, dripping blood, still out of it we got him out to the car asap.

One day indesperation, he was about 16 by then I asked him to find a therapy that he would agree too. From 14 they had tried CBT every single day for nearly 2 years, they would come and wait to see if they could get him out of his room. He came out near the end at which point they said they could not treat him, so he went down the drug route, sertraline, it at least helped with his total despair and he emerged. We then dcided to move, fresh start, he chose house and location etc. He did then choose a therapy route. We contacted a man called Michael James who was the only one recognised officially to do the chosen therapy. He agreed to come every day for 2 months then tailed it off until 2 years later our son decided he did not need him anymore. He did a combination of deep relaxation and positive reinforcement, everything was taped and the sessions available for use when needed. It was a long expensive struggle, nearly broke us. I gave up work, we used all our savings etc, but by golly it worked. He is still seriously suffering but last Jan he moved out with his partner, he works permitted supported work and is now very good at nagging his GP and getting what he needs. They give him intervention meds when he calls in a crisis or he needs to do something. He is on 150mg sertraline, and beta blockers, he has emergency diazepan and they up the dose on all if he has events he need to get through. He is part of the mental health services and has occupational health/resettlement support when needed. He gets drugged at a dental sedation clinic when absolutely essential. But he has a life, to the outside world he is just a bit different and finicky, he has friends is part of a massive group of people who LARP, he has various group events at his house, he works, is in a permanent happy relationship and they plan for a future, more than we could ever of imagined 5 years ago, 10 years ago we saw no future, nothing at all.

Good luck

There is hope you just have to fight. The best advise I can ever give as the parent of this special kind of person (a friend has recently gone through same) is, once you throw away all the dreams and hopes you had for them and accept they only exist in now and you cannot fix this alone, you will find it easier to cope, stay calm and sane.

As for ESA, we have friends as I said in a similar position, when you do the application you must make it clear he cannot and will not attend, the stress for you all will be too much, unless you are in this situation it is impossible for people to understand what it's like. Whatever specialists he has seen, get letters, follow the guide on here, reasonably, safely, etc start every section with that. Treat the way he is as a physical condition because he is as severely disabled as the most extreme cases of physical disability.

This worked for us and for my friends daughter who had a home assessment, our son has never had an assessment the mental health services and his GP intervened on the last request to reassess, we are overdue another even though we got a letter saying that it is not expected that his condition will change in the near future, the date they chose was 2019 2 years ago. Others we know are getting reassessment letters.

When ours was really really bad and we feared for his life, we were 24 hours away from having him committed, we told him we could not look after him any more, we had failed and he needed more help than we could give him. He said he would find a therapy and give it a try if he did not have to leave home for treatment. This was not fake, we had his doc with us, we really thought it was the only option to try and help him, he was struggling taking the tablets consistently etc.

Thank you both very much .
Elizabeth it is so hard ..The hopes and dreams have me in tears and we stopped thinking of those years ago ...he is a wonderful son (the oldest of four sons) ...
I knew things weren't right years ago but just thought he was really very shy as he was quite badly bullied at school and I did think autism ...but the schizoid diagnosis was a shock but when I read the description he ticked every single box not just the 5/9 or so they accept as descriptors.
It also says that a lot of people with that difficulty do not ask for help as the condition makes you not want help ..It's a vicious circle ..he is completely solitary and isolated ...never smiles rarely laughs ..
I'm hoping the assessor will see all this and just recommend support group ...

Update ..Phoned up DWP as I wanted to send in a letter my GP had written in support of my son and needed an address (I had sent esa50 in 4/12 )
She said paperwork was now closed and has been sent back to DWP decision maker as a face to face was not necessary.
Does this mean he will be put in support group or not necessarily so ?

I have a friend in the same position (her son refuses help)
They are the most severe cases and yet, so difficult to get help and recognition for!
Did you get anywhere with your PIP claim for him?