Disability allowance for social anxiety?

abovebelow

Is it possible to get disability allowance if you suffer from bad social anxiety?

I can only bring myself to apply for certain jobs (those where I won't have to face many people every day). Also I tend to make a mess of every interview because I get so nervous and panicky that I haven't a hope of being considered.

I want to do something to get over this but it would make all the difference if I could get disability allowance in the mean time. Would I have a genuine claim in the eyes of social welfare?

SerialComplaint

abovebelow wrote: »

I can only bring myself to apply for certain jobs (those where I won't have to face many people every day). Also I tend to make a mess of every interview because I get so nervous and panicky that I haven't a hope of being considered.

Legally, you are entitled to any 'reasonable accomodation' that you need to do your interview, or to do the job itself. So a deaf person should be entitled to get a sign language interpreter if required.

Have a think about what 'accomodation' you might need to get yourself successfully through the interview. Could you prepare a little video clip to show your abilities to do the job in question? Could you prepare and rehearse a little speech? Or maybe just by pointing out your disability up front, this could possibly take the pressure off you.

You just might manage to get through an interview with an enlightened employer with some of these tactics.

SparrowTown

SerialComplaint wrote: »

Legally, you are entitled to any 'reasonable accomodation' that you need to do your interview, .

are you sure? To qualify for reasonable accommodation the person must be disabled. Is he disabled if he is not on Disability? I think you would need to be certified as having a disability to be entitled to the reasonable accommodation. I stand to be corrected. OP have you seen a doctor and been diagnosed as having an anxiety problem?

snorlax

maybe a cognitive behavioural therapist maybe able to help you with interviews. try asking what they do on the psychology forum.

SerialComplaint

SparrowTown wrote: »

are you sure? To qualify for reasonable accommodation the person must be disabled. Is he disabled if he is not on Disability? I think you would need to be certified as having a disability to be entitled to the reasonable accommodation. I stand to be corrected. OP have you seen a doctor and been diagnosed as having an anxiety problem?

You're right when you say that the person must be disabled, but this does not necessarily mean that he must be on Disability Allowance. To qualify for a reasonable accomodation at interview, he must meet the definition of disability in the Employment Equality Acts ;

“disability” means—


(a) the total or partial absence of a person's bodily or mental functions, including the absence of a part of a person's body,


(b) the presence in the body of organisms causing, or likely to cause, chronic disease or illness,


(c) the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of a person's body,


(d) a condition or malfunction which results in a person learning differently from a person without the condition or malfunction, or


(e) a condition, illness or disease which affects a person's thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgement or which results in disturbed behaviour,


and shall be taken to include a disability which exists at present, or which previously existed but no longer exists, or which may exist in the future or which is imputed to a person;

The employer could ask for medical confirmation of the disability.

SparrowTown

SerialComplaint wrote: »

You're right when you say that the person must be disabled, but this does not necessarily mean that he must be on Disability Allowance. To qualify for a reasonable accomodation at interview, he must meet the definition of disability in the Employment Equality Acts ;


The employer could ask for medical confirmation of the disability.

yes that is what i meant, that he would have to have a medical confirmation of disability. Best plan would be to go to the doctor and get a letter to confirm his diagnosis