Not to say that you SHOULD go on disability, but if you find that you are having episodes that are getting you fired and preventing you from being gainfully employed, it might be something to consider. If you can work, though, more power to you!
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I’ve tried already I was denied. Apparently I’m to smart. I’m on government fund for my meds and doctor visits that’s about it.
My mom supports me and provides for me but we are struggling financially. It’s harder because there was one point when I was the provider for the family
What do you mean by “too smart”? I was working on a doctorate but was still approved for disability. You can get it despite a high level of education, you just need to be persistent. I was initially denied, but I got a lawyer and appealed the decision. I was approved upon appeal.
According to social security I was perfectly capable of holding a job. So I was denied
Apply at full service carwashes, it’s the easiest job/jobs I’ve had since being ill. You’ll usually end up making around $11-13 an hour.
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You could have a boss that maybe has a relative or friend that has sz or mental illness.
There are some companies that pride themselves on being an equal opportunity employer. I know Goodwill and other companies hire handicap. Sounds like you need a job were You work mostly solo. I would try to get a job without telling anyone about your illness. Make all your appointments around your work schedule. Stop drinking because it messes with the efficiency of your meds. You may need some med changes if your still having symptoms. Honestly l don’t like the advice your doctor gave you, is your doctor be worth staying with? I don’t know but something to think be about. Something has to change because it’s not working well for you as is.
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The reason why I thought that is because the best restaruant in my city has an owner whoes brother has sz. I’m thinking about trying to work there in the future!
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We struggled financially, too, once I lost my job. I was working as a financial analyst for a big pharmaceutical company, and I made a nice salary. Heck, I’d gotten a $20k raise one year! We lost our house and had to move into a rental half the size. We had to find a new home for our kitty because our landlords didn’t allow cats, but we needed the place because they were the only ones that would accept our credit (with a foreclosure) and dogs in the price range we needed while still being in a decent neighborhood. We had our electric cut off twice while we lived in the rental (we’re still here), and our church paid $1200 in past due bills to get it turned back on for us. We made too much to qualify for food stamps, but we didn’t make enough to pay our bills.
I hadn’t qualified for disability yet, but I needed back and knee surgery and so many meds it was crazy. We have good insurance, but it still costs us money. It was a bad place to be. I gave up the first time I applied for disability because we were in such a tough spot. I went back to work as an executive assistant. I worked for a whopping five months before my migraines, back, and hallucinations combined into one crippling ball of “I can’t come in to work anymore”. I applied for disability again, was denied, got a lawyer, and got approved after that. My education was also an issue. I was “too smart”. It can be overcome, though, if it can be shown that you cannot function in a reasonable position given your disability.
Your education level and job skills may give you more opportunities, but if your medical records can support the idea that your condition prevents you from working a position for which you are qualified- no matter how smart or educated you are- then you have a chance to be approved. A good lawyer will make all the difference if you are denied initially. Don’t give up.
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Here in California in my location we have employment agencies that cater exclusively to the disabled. These agencies do a number of helpful things to get the mentally ill jobs. They will do stuff like make a resume for you, the counselors will hold mock interviews so you can practice your interview skills.
They will help you prepare for a job interview by going over the most asked questions in interviews by employers and tell you how to answer the tougher ones. They will sit down and help you identify what your strengths are and your weaknesses too in RE to employment.
They will help you find what kinds of jobs you are capable of handling and what kinds of jobs you are best suited for. They have connections with employers in the community so the employers will tell the employment agency as soon as there’s a job opening. This might be all be moot I guess because you may not have these kinds of agencies near you. But you may.
They post a list on bulletin board in the agency of job openings and keep it updated. And the good thing is that the agency works with employers who knowingly hire people with mental illness. Anyways, you might want to do a search to see if you have similar types of employment agencies near you. Oh yeah, I forgot to say, these agencies help you for free!!!
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She even started an event called walk for hope where a lot of people show up to go for a walk. Pretty cool huh.
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I should clarify that, while I’m speaking up for disability, I really think working is best for anyone who can. I would if I could. Staying home is horrible and makes me feel worthless. It has really affected my self-esteem. I wish I could contribute more. I have a plan to do something, to get back in the swing of things. Disability is just a stop-gap for me on the road to recovery. I hope that you are able to find the right job.
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Good luck…
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I was approved for disability my first try. I didn’t have to appeal. It happened really fast. The bummer is that even though I make the smallest amount you can make on disability, my husband is also disabled due to a spine injury, and together we make over the Medicaid income limit. So we make too much for help but not enough for our meds. We’re getting more and more credit card debt by the day. 
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Thanks @Happy_Heather your advice means a lot at the time I can’t afford a lawyer but will give disability another try
That sound awesome!
Sorry to hear that but I truly believe due to this site we are going to make it!
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I don’t want to give up on finding a job, I really want to work instead of being home. I feel worthless and hopeless when I’m home.
You don’t need to afford the lawyer. The lawyer takes a percentage of backpay from your disability. You never have to pay them up front, and if you lose your case, you don’t pay them at all. Say you became unable to work on January 1st, 2016. You applied for disability on July 1st, 2016. Your disability was initially denied, you got a lawyer, and were then approved in January of 2018. You would receive a lump sum payment that reimburses you for all of the disability checks that you would have earned had you initially been approved. So you would have 19 months worth of payments in one lump sum. Your lawyer would take his fee out of this payment. If you get $1000 a month, this amount would be $19,000. After that, you would receive your regular monthly sum and would be eligible for medicare.
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