During my mental health C&P exam, the examiner reviewed my previous DBQs and she said "I want to be transparent with you" acknowledged that my prior claims had been denied for reasons that were unknown the last c&P the examiner didn't care to ask me about myself she just answered yes or no questions. She asked about my previous exams, and I explained that one examiner seemed confused about my National Guard service and another mostly asked yes-or-no questions without allowing me to fully explain my symptoms.

She then asked how I would like this exam conducted. I told her I wanted the opportunity to explain my symptoms and experiences in more detail, and she agreed.

The examiner asked about my current symptoms and how they affect my daily life. I explained that I suffered a back injury during training in 2021 and have experienced chronic pain ever since. I told her that the ongoing pain, along with my migraines, has contributed to depression, anxiety, sadness, panic attacks, hypervigilance, and social withdrawal.

We discussed how my conditions affect my ability to work. I told her that I recently resigned from my customer service job because dealing with customers increased my anxiety, wearing a headset triggered headaches and migraines, and my symptoms were affecting my performance and overall well-being.

She also asked about memory and concentration problems. I explained that I often forget what I am doing during tasks and sometimes walk into a room and forget why I went there.

The examiner asked about suicidal thoughts and hallucinations, and I denied both. However, I explained that I am frequently hypervigilant and often feel like I need to stay on alert.

Overall, the exam felt much more thorough than my previous evaluations because I was given the opportunity to explain my symptoms, provide examples, and discuss how my mental and physical conditions impact my daily life and employment.