I cant work anymore

so how do i get disability. i dont even know where to start.

Good luck. I got denied just because i’m able to wash my hair, brush my teeth, get myself up at 7AM.

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oh man, I just got disability, first try.

go to the social security website, find the online application. gather all your hospitalizations and doctor information, fill out the form. it takes 5 months, message me if you need help.

I wrote a synopsis on why I thought I met the guidelines for being disabled, took that into the local ss office. I just got my first check.

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Go online to the SS online site - apply online or go in person to get an application. Make sure you do a thorough job applying, answering each question to your best ability. Hopefully you are seeing a psychiatrist - a therapist also helps out your cause. If you get rejected I would get an attorney specializing in SS disability - You could also get an attorney from the get go

you can get an attorney from the start, but I interviewed a couple attorney’s, who said if you are denied after the first try to call them, and they would handle the appeal.

what they’ll do is review your medical records, they’ll pull all of your medical records and do a thorough review. they also talked to my doctors, because they wait for 5 months before doing the review anyway. so, they talked to the doctors I had seen for those 5 months.

I also gave them records of goofy stupid things I did while I was psychotic.

I still believe I have some kind of blood clot, did you see the posting of my eye? I believe something like a blood clot is screwing up my brain. see, this is an ugly shot of me this week after the bike trip, my eye is 1/2 shut on the left.

Maybe you could see an opthamologist first - maybe later a neurologist? It is noticeable but isnt too dramatic, does it hurt?

I’m in month 2 of the process. I went online to the SS website and applied. Then I called and scheduled an appointment at the local office. Went to the appointment where we verified all the information on the application. Then I got a form in the mail about daily living activities. Now I’m waiting to get a date to meet with one of their psychiatrists. In the meantime, I guess they are contacting all my dr.'s and getting records. I’m lucky I guess, I have a care coordinator with my county who is helping me through the process. If I get denied she has an attorney she works with at no cost for the appeal. So far it actually has been pretty simple.

I finally just got approved after two years and being denied 4 other times before. What really helped me was an out reach program at my clinic. So I basicly got a doctor that would meet with me out side of the office like at Tim Horton’s, and she would find me things that I needed help with and she would often help me with my disability paperwork and explain to me how it all works.

I did my paperwork application for disability while I was in the hospital. My mom filled out one part of it that had to be filled out by a family member/friend. Then my case manager did something to help me out too. I was approved after I got out of the hospital. It was a really easy process (for me). Thanks.

yes it hurts, and I see 2 images, one ontop of the other.
my eyes get tired, as I try to go around and use just one eye.

Hi. Will you share more about how you wrote a synopsis? I’m thinking about applying too.

It only took 3 months for me to get approved, but this was 16 years ago too.
I did mine with one phone call to social security, actually my (ex) husband made the call from his office, then did a 3-way conference call with me at home.
They wanted dates of hospitalizations, doctor visits, last paycheck stub info and the year prior. Fortunately, I had everything because I kept good detailed records and wrote everything down, at the time I wasn’t so disorganized that I knew where everything was and could find it.
They required one visit with one of their doctors not too far away and it was over in one hour.

I wrote a 2 page outline on how my health has been declining. I’m going by memory, but I believe the social security guidelines have decompensation criteria, like over the past 2 years I’ve shown increasing decompensation (disability) and why.

here is the link to the handbook

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/12.00-MentalDisorders-Adult.htm#12_03

so, I wrote 2 pages, following the information below, outlining why my hospitalizations and past 2 years of my life fit this criteria, and I also provided other non-medical evidence to prove my psychosis was going on (outside of medical records) and put these pieces of evidence on the 2 page outline to show my active psychosis:

12.03 Schizophrenic, paranoid and other psychotic disorders: Characterized by the onset of psychotic features with deterioration from a previous level of functioning.

The required level of severity for these disorders is met when the requirements in both A and B are satisfied, or when the requirements in C are satisfied.

A. Medically documented persistence, either continuous or intermittent, of one or more of the following:

  1. Delusions or hallucinations; or

  2. Catatonic or other grossly disorganized behavior; or

  3. Incoherence, loosening of associations, illogical thinking, or poverty of content of speech if associated with one of the following:

a. Blunt affect; or

b. Flat affect; or

c. Inappropriate affect;

OR

  1. Emotional withdrawal and/or isolation;

AND

B. Resulting in at least two of the following:

  1. Marked restriction of activities of daily living; or

  2. Marked difficulties in maintaining social functioning; or

  3. Marked difficulties in maintaining concentration, persistence, or pace; or

  4. Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration;

OR

C. Medically documented history of a chronic schizophrenic, paranoid, or other psychotic disorder of at least 2 years’ duration that has caused more than a minimal limitation of ability to do basic work activities, with symptoms or signs currently attenuated by medication or psychosocial support, and one of the following:

  1. Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration; or

  2. A residual disease process that has resulted in such marginal adjustment that even a minimal increase in mental demands or change in the environment would be predicted to cause the individual to decompensate; or

  3. Current history of 1 or more years’ inability to function outside a highly supportive living arrangement, with an indication of continued need for such an arrangement.

Thank you very much!

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I got SSI after first being denied. I first applied through the social security .gov web site. After I was denied, the clinic I was going to suggested a lawyer. With his help, I was able to win my case. This was after appearing before a very cruel judge. My renewal is next year, and I’m very anxious about it.

SSI is different from SSDI

they told me SSI is for those with less than $2000 in their bank accounts

SSDI is disability, and that is where I’ve worked for 20 years and paid into it, it’s disability insurance.

if you’re going to school, and go to work, then no, you won’t qualify for SSI anymore.

I don’t work. I haven’t worked since I developed major depression eight years before my psychosis. I “quit” my last job by trying to commit suicide. I got SSI while going to school (and making straight A’s). I still have symptoms, and working would be too much for me.

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wow! thanks for all the replies guys.

http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/application.html

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/topics/filing-social-security-disability-0