Toxic forms

 as a rule I do not like receiving forms to complete, especially from
organisations that should know better such as those that are primarily
involved with blind and visually impaired people. However, because I
cannot complete these forms myself I have some people I can go to who I
know have my best interests at heart. Saying this though there are some
kinds of forms that I feel are very toxic and I do not want them to
complete them; and these are forms that are sent on a regular basis from
the Department of Work and Pensions.
 These forms include those that mean applying for personal Independence
Payments and Employment and Support Allowance. As a rule I try to be
upbeat about the fact that I’m blind and concentrate on those tasks that
I can do and learn to adapt old skills but the two forms that I  named
above concentrate on what you cannot do and this can be extremely
depressing. There are also rumours of situations where people have dealt
with these forms or face-to-face evaluations by themselves and were so
distressed afterwards that they committed suicide. I have no intention
of letting a personal friend or relative     have to sit through the
agony of me describing all the situations I can no longer cope with so I
go to an agency that is experienced in dealing with these forms, these
are usually charities and your local blind organisation or Citizens
Advice Bureau should be able to locate one for you.

 I recently had to have such a form completed for me and so my daughter
took me to the office I asked her not to sit in on the interview and I
explain to her I would be talking about worst case scenarios. The person
interviewing me in order to complete the form appreciated the fact that
she was not going to be there as she also realised that the situation
could get very depressing.

 So my advice is to always use a third party independent person to
complete such forms and realise that the answers that you give will be
about situations that you hope you will never be in and also not to go
over your answers and the form after you have left the interview room.
Once you have left that room you must get back to concentrating on what
you are capable of doing and situations that you are comfortable in.