Stress Center Peer Support

I have major depression and anxiety disorder. I'm curious about the whole process of getting disability for my disorder. I am able to work but I miss a ton of it because of this. I would love to work but would also like to see how this benefit may help me. Please share your experiences. Thank you

I have a friend that is on dissability. She has major depression and anxiety and has been taking meds for years now. That tells you meds are not the cure. But yes you can be elegible. She said to me that you have to be off work for a while. But if a psychiatrist gives you the recommendation then you are good to go. I was off a lot from work due to anxiety but I am no longe working. The good thing is you have time to rest, to work on the program and to really focus on yourself until you get better. I had this anxiety before and got out of it on my own. One day I woke up and the fear was not there anymore. That was without the knowledge I have now.

I am in a bind because alot of people have told me that I must be out of work in order to be eligible. I have to work though. I am only working part time. I also heard that it is a long tedious process .

Hi. I have been off work for two years b/c of this stuff plus migraines. I was twice denied by SS and have an appeal for an administrative hearing filed. I did get a lawyer for this hearing and they think I have a good chance. According to the questionaire my doc filled out, I am/have been completely incapacitated. He also says the only automatic "shoe in" for lack of better words is having schizo (sp?). Another doc wrote a letter for me earlier last year so that I could get out my pension funds and get the disability waiver (premiums automatically paid) on my life insurance policy. It basically stated I was unable to work due to exacerbation of anxiety and depression and frequent inpatient admissions. I think bipolar was also mentioned- can't remember. I would tell you to try for it. That's what it's there for. Be prepared to be turned down automatically though. Then you might talk to a lawyer about your case. Mine is working on a 25% of back pay arrangement plus I pay expenses. Let me know if you need more info. Beverly

I can only speak for myself:

I was approved for S.S.I. 1st time around - no appeals or lawyers. My anxiety triggered in April-2005. It was bad. I did initiate therapy w/ a psychiatrist. Both my regular doctor & psychiatrist(who has 30+ yrs experience) said my case was 1 of the worst they had ever seen. I was forced to not be able to work.

I think, not sure now, what got me approved was my history - the government is always looking for those who try to milk the gov't(they exist). In other words, is it really bad & is this person lying. Prior to anxiety disorder triggering: I was on my own since senior yr of high school, I graduated, secured a ft job, an apt & worked. Eventually, I went to college @ nite & graduated w/ a 3.9 G.P.A. Those facts alone told them I was not the type of person who didn't want to work, was lazy, etc(all reasons they look for). All of a sudden, this person that was capable of ALL THOSE GREAT THINGS was rendered incapable of working(lol, that person being me)& in this severe state of emotional unrest.

After maybe the initial 3 sessions, I was diagnosed w/ the following: Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, & PTSD fr: surgery I had for the 1st time that acted as the TRIGGER for anxiety disorder + 9/11: I was there physically + fr CHILDHOOD. In my case, upon consoltation w/ therapist, I was put on an anxiety med @ 3 x's per day - in addition to 2 sleep aids(for the 1st few mths, I was only getting 1-2 hrs of sleep per 24 hrs: the sleep aid gave me relief).

I went to therapy, initially, 1x per week & after maybe 9mths -1 yrs, 1 x every 2 wk's. I never missed 1 session. This is my story, so I am only able to quote as such. I had a lot of hard & painful stuff to face in therapy(childhood trauma)- that cumulatively, most folks don't face in a lifetime. <span class="ev_code_RED">my anxiety disorder triggering can be thought of like this: like a volcano & its lava, since age 5 - I suppressed a lot of pain/fear/trauma fr events I had experienced - so, they built up & up & up, never allowing myself to FEEL THEM - just suppressing them. There was no more room in my emotional storage & so, like a volcano & its lava - my cumulative emotions EXPLODED & ANXIETY DISORDER was the result.</span>

This was MY CASE w/ anxiety disorder & S.S.I. Now, I know they literally LOOK FOR A REASON TO DENY YOU & sure, I've heard many a stories. I just know mine: there was no denying how bad my anxiety disorder was 3 yrs ago + stopped me fr being able to work at all - physically/emotionally incable of working & my adult background may have told the federal gov't/SSI - that "something must be up here, this person worked, graduated college & all of a sudden - she can't".

In addition, as informed - I was approved for SSI - not for "supplemental income": cause my husbands works/his salary - rather, final approval for me for SSI - was considered cause of my WORK HISTORY - worked 20 yrs.

3 years later, I am humbly greatful & happy to say - I have recovered fr anxiety disorder. I haven't taken a SLEEP AID in I don't know, 1 1/2 + yrs & I haven't taken ANXIETY MED since Dec-2006. Now, as a result of all I have addressed & been thru in the past 3 yrs - I am experiencing depress for the 1st time in my life (I'm 39 yrs old) & on a med - NO BIG DEAL -I understand why & I'm addressing it all in some therapy. My recovery is the SUM TOTAL of 3 YEARS of busting my tushy + facing my past + facing myself + feeling the pain necessary for change to occur. I went thru therapy + initiated journaling + researched = read 16 books + did LUCINDA'S PROGRAM. As a result, I am ready to GET BACK INTO LIFE AGAIN. That means, I'm gonna take whatever steps necessary(never been thru this b/4) = contacting SSI/THE FED GOV'T & all necessary steps: I am looking to go back to college in the Fall & I rec'd literature & paperwork @ home for the local college.

Again, this is MY STORY W/ SSI.

I wish you all the best.

LENORE

Originally posted by KrissyU84<3:
I have major depression and anxiety disorder. I'm curious about the whole process of getting disability for my disorder. I am able to work but I miss a ton of it because of this. I would love to work but would also like to see how this benefit may help me. Please share your experiences. Thank you

I'm in the UK and am on Incapacity Benefit. I checked your profile and it doesn't give a location. If you are in the UK, you can get a doctor's note to show that you suffer from panic anxiety disorder and take that into the Job Centre. If you've been claiming unemployment benefit, you might be able to get it back-dated too.

I have been working without a period of unemployment for 3 years. I was in school but it was to overwhelming at the time. I am definately not lazy. I do have a definate problem. I was committed to the hospital January 2.I have had a past with depression, bi-polar, adhd, and severe anxiety since the I was 15. I have heard that they will make it very difficult for someone to receieve SSI. Thank you for sharing experiences. Anyone that is on it, are you getting payed enough to survive? That is something else that I am concerned about.

it's a long, tedious process. that's correct.

they calculate your income according to what you've made in the past as an employee. that being the case my check from SSD is relatively high--and I qualify, technically for Section 8, but that's very difficult to come by here and I haven't even gotten on a waiting list yet. My SSD income is too high for me to quality for SSI. I fall between the cracks.

It depends on where you live, too. I live in NYC so cost of living is way high.

i am on ssdi for disability and live in a HACLA housing for the disabled and seniors and just starting the program today
worth applying for! i can tell you how i did

i was homeless for a year and had been in the 72 hr holds and have been depressed all my life. i got ssdi in 1990 was easier then but you just need good docs and history, it is also determined by education levels. i went on general relief and when i appllied for that was crying and it wasn't fake so i got the intake worker for the disabled, and then they made me apply for ssi/ssdi. easier for females than males to get help with the gov. just start saving letters etc from work and days off etc. sorry but it will take a few years to get help from the gov.