Charlotte Hargreaves-Wright's life took a dramatic turn when her strange episodes, which began in her teenage years, were initially dismissed by doctors as panic attacks. , only to be given antidepressants for anxiety.

"He'd say 'you're just having panic attacks' and give me some medication," she recounts. "When I got back home, I'd put it in the bin." It was not until a seizure struck one morning in 2014 that Charlotte's condition was taken seriously, leading to a referral to a neurologist.

An MRI revealed lesions on her brain, and the following year, she received a diagnosis of "It was a relief to know that I was experiencing symptoms and that other people could at last understand," Charlotte expressed.

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can manifest in various symptoms. While studying nursing at university, Charlotte faced a barrage of challenges, including vertigo, brain fog, and facial numbness, forcing her to abandon her studies.

She took a job at KFC, which was followed by several other roles before landing a position at HSBC. However, as her memory worsened and mobility issues necessitated the use of a wheelchair, work became impossible. "By this point, I felt like a prisoner in my own home," she admits. Struggling with depression, dependent on her then-boyfriend Adam's income, Charlotte found herself at a loss.

"I'd applied for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and when I was refused, I considered ending my life. However, the thought of Adam coming home and seeing my lifeless body, and how he'd react made me determined to think of another way to get PIP."

Charlotte sent her health records, including pictures of her brain scan, to the Department of Work and to appeal the decision. It was reversed, and when the back-dated money landed in her bank account, she was overjoyed.

The money allowed her to overhaul her life. She installed a stair lift so she didn't have to shuffle up and down stairs on her bottom, placed additional steps and grab bars outside her house and fitted accessibility aids in the bathroom.

Charlotte and Adam are now married and live in Bolton. She is able to move around independently and says she is much happier. But the Government's planned changes to the benefit system are cause for concern and she fears that her PIP payments will be affected.

"I know many people receiving PIP are worried, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it," Charlotte said. "I'd like people to understand that there will come a time when we're not able to look after ourselves properly or even get out of bed without help. That causes great sadness, especially when you can't stop yourself from remembering what you were like before diagnosis.