Help Getting on disability for mental health in the US

[ArchmagePrincess]

Does anyone have advice or experiences about getting on disability? Financial troubles and having to work are the main factors for me wanting to CTB so maybe I could get better if I have financial support. My mental health certainly gets in the way of keeping jobs and I've had a few mental health professionals say I could qualify if I tried, but what's the process like? I'm completely new to the concept and don't know anything.

Other than that my big concern is being forced onto medication to keep the benefits. I know they just make things worse for me and while therapy has just been really patronizing I could deal with it if I meant I could get benefits.

 

[western_heart]

I wish you luck... if you have medical professionals who will support your case it is probably worth pursing.

I tried to get social security disability and failed. I was seeing doctors that were supportive of me not working and told me to file for disability, but I could not afford to stay living in the city they were in & moved out of state & the doctors I got in the new state were not good, neither at treating me nor helping my disability case. I had an attorney, they filed the appeals and did some documentation gathering, and after two years it went to an in person hearing (pre pandemic). My case wasn't the strongest, at the time I was mainly diagnosed with depression/anxiety, had never been hospitalized (...was avoiding it, and learned to be very good at hiding how I really feel, because I know the hospital would be traumatizing), and was starting to seem better around the time of the last appeal. They said I was moderately disabled, and that because I could theoretically do some job that does not actually exist anymore, that I am not eligible for benefits.
in reality I have DID/OSDD and PTSD, I am not always the same person, I will appear high functioning for doctors appointments and official appearances, or not show up at all. I was diagnosed with those things a few years too late though. The main psychiatrist I was seeing at the time when the case was ongoing, he kept wanting me to try antipsychotics, which I refused/lied about having side effects after just a few doses, and then said he could not really provide any new/additional treatment unless I agreed to go into the hospital. Which... fuck no. The guy was creepy and I left his office crying too many times (okay, once or twice), but even if I wanted to go to a mental hospital, I definitely wouldn't have gone to one with HIM as the one who would decide when I could leave.

I actually did successfully get short-term state disability, and after settlement got a partial benefit from a private long term disability plan that I had through my employer.

Recent news article (idk about quality of source, just the first result I found) on one way Social Security denies disability claims: https://justthenews.com/accountabil...urity-relying-outmoded-occupational-directory

 

[ArchmagePrincess]

I wish you luck... if you have medical professionals who will support your case it is probably worth pursing.

I tried to get social security disability and failed. I was seeing doctors that were supportive of me not working and told me to file for disability, but I could not afford to stay living in the city they were in & moved out of state & the doctors I got in the new state were not good, neither at treating me nor helping my disability case. I had an attorney, they filed the appeals and did some documentation gathering, and after two years it went to an in person hearing (pre pandemic). My case wasn't the strongest, at the time I was mainly diagnosed with depression/anxiety, had never been hospitalized (...was avoiding it, and learned to be very good at hiding how I really feel, because I know the hospital would be traumatizing), and was starting to seem better around the time of the last appeal. They said I was moderately disabled, and that because I could theoretically do some job that does not actually exist anymore, that I am not eligible for benefits.
in reality I have DID/OSDD and PTSD, I am not always the same person, I will appear high functioning for doctors appointments and official appearances, or not show up at all. I was diagnosed with those things a few years too late though. The main psychiatrist I was seeing at the time when the case was ongoing, he kept wanting me to try antipsychotics, which I refused/lied about having side effects after just a few doses, and then said he could not really provide any new/additional treatment unless I agreed to go into the hospital. Which... fuck no. The guy was creepy and I left his office crying too many times (okay, once or twice), but even if I wanted to go to a mental hospital, I definitely wouldn't have gone to one with HIM as the one who would decide when I could leave.

I actually did successfully get short-term state disability, and after settlement got a partial benefit from a private long term disability plan that I had through my employer.

Recent news article (idk about quality of source, just the first result I found) on one way Social Security denies disability claims: https://justthenews.com/accountabil...urity-relying-outmoded-occupational-directory

Jesus that's a sad and discouraging story, sorry you've been so mistreated. I figured there would be issues like incompetent medical care causing pain and trauma and the government trying its hardest to deny benefits. Your story sounds like all the worst things I feared coming true. I've been to a mental hospital once and it was a very traumatizing experience so I was scared going back to one might be in the cards if I go down this path. Thank you for sharing your story.

 

[western_heart]

Having documented history of disability & doctors who will write evaluations that support your disability goes a long way. unfortunately for me, my case wasn't that strong. I had good documentation up until I moved, then not so much after. And after I moved, I stopped trying to work at all... if I had kept trying to work & failed to keep jobs bc of untreated disability, it probably would have supported my disability claim.

If you do want to pursue it, lawyers take social security cases on contingency... they don't get paid unless & until you win, and will do free consultations and if you agree to go with them, they will do the paperwork for you. I only ever talked with one lawyer and really wish I'd consulted with a few others first. Idk if the outcome would be different, but I probably could have found someone who communicated with me better (more email, less phone, more status updates via email instead of me being surprised when I got letters from the government about changes in my case).

 

[ArchmagePrincess]

Having documented history of disability & doctors who will write evaluations that support your disability goes a long way. unfortunately for me, my case wasn't that strong. I had good documentation up until I moved, then not so much after. And after I moved, I stopped trying to work at all... if I had kept trying to work & failed to keep jobs bc of untreated disability, it probably would have supported my disability claim.

If you do want to pursue it, lawyers take social security cases on contingency... they don't get paid unless & until you win, and will do free consultations and if you agree to go with them, they will do the paperwork for you. I only ever talked with one lawyer and really wish I'd consulted with a few others first. Idk if the outcome would be different, but I probably could have found someone who communicated with me better (more email, less phone, more status updates via email instead of me being surprised when I got letters from the government about changes in my case).

Thanks for the info. Sad to know continuing to get jobs and humiliating myself with flashbacks and panic attacks at work would help build my case, even when I'm already aware I need the help. At least the lawyers being on contingency sounds promising.

 

[NumbItAll]

I'm also curious about this as I think I should qualify, but I have little documentation to prove an invisible ailment. It's a whole legal/political battle, and for some reason I'm ashamed to even try to pursue it. But good luck, let us know if you find anything useful!

 

[Looking]

In my personal experience, I had gotten a lawyer to help me through the process. It's been way easier to navigate my local SS office with one. A good lawyer won't make you pay unless you win your case, and most of the time they won't give up easily. They also would take a % of the winnings, if there is any, or setting up a payment plan that works within your monthly income. A lot of poor people think that having an attorney is this inaccessible luxury that only certain people can enjoy - And it's still objectively true - but that sometimes looking into it instead of letting the thought alone scare you off from it, might help you long term.

With that being said, obviously I know that's not an option for everyone. I mean, if you're applying for SS like I was, then we all can recognize that poor people are spooked by that kinda stuff.

The process of how easy or hard it is will depend on your local SS office. Sometimes they're so understaffed that employees will do anything to lower their workload (Throwing out a lot of cases) or just taking a longgg time to get to your case. Just to give you an idea, approximately 65-70% of all initial applicants for disability are almost instantly denied. What you do is you apply with the expectation that you're going to be denied, and then you submit an appeal.

You do need to get some kind of medical history though. Diagnosis from a medical professional is important. Also some kind of treatment is important - Sometimes taking medication is one way to classify it as treatment. * (Will send a chat message in regarding of this.)

 

[Rainy_days]

Are there community mental health clinics near you? Social workers know all the ins and outs of what you need to do to qualify.

 

[MidnightCat]

I'm not really helpfull in that matter in USA.

I managed to get a disability but in europe, I was not really planning for it but...

Your best bet may be start with social workers and if that doesn't help take the lawyer route.

Best of luck, if you get it... tag us so we know how are you! I wish you the best.