Going on Disability for Mental Illness

[Eternally Learning]

Has anyone here ever been on disability for their mental illness? I feel like that's something I should consider if I lose my current job as clearly I'm not able to motivate myself. Even if it's only for a little bit while I get the help I need, I think I'd rather do that than disappoint another employer. My main questions (and I'll be doing my own research as well) are about whether there's different types of disability for mental illnesses than physical ones. Also, does disability come with some sort of health insurance for me and my family?

[Artmart]

Hi,

I wish I knew the answers. I think it may have to do with the state you live in. There should be a way to find out by calling your state mental health bureau. Good luck!

[GilmartinFan]

I live in Canada, so this might not help you, but I did go on disability for depression. It was basically the same thing as getting employment insurance. My doctor had to vouch for me and I received a little more than half of my salary from the government just like as if I had been laid off and was between jobs.

[Eternally Learning]

Thanks Gilmartinfan. I appreciate it. Hopefully I won't need it .

[psm45]

Recently, someone asked me if I would like to go on disability for mental illness. At the time I was in signifigant denial and had major shame about admitting that I was even depressed. Since then, I've lost contact with person (more like isolated myself from him). So it is possible to do. I wouold suggest using an attorney to help you with your claims.

[manuel_moe_g]

Welcome to the forum, psm45, hope to see you around. Please take care, we here are all cheering for your very best today and tomorrow.

[BCZF]

Agreed.. even if you dont want/cant afford/etc to talk to a professional, unload here.. This forum is a great place to find a shoulder if nothing else..

bczf

(John)

admin

[manuel_moe_g]

Great to see you bczf! You always have a great contribution! All the best!

[comaseason]

I know this is an older question - but thought I'd add my reply to anyone still wondering about Disability for Mental Illness.

Has anyone here ever been on disability for their mental illness? I feel like that's something I should consider if I lose my current job as clearly I'm not able to motivate myself. Even if it's only for a little bit while I get the help I need, I think I'd rather do that than disappoint another employer. My main questions (and I'll be doing my own research as well) are about whether there's different types of disability for mental illnesses than physical ones. Also, does disability come with some sort of health insurance for me and my family?

I've been on both short term and long term disability through my employer - in total I was out for about 18-19 months due to mental illness (double depression and PTSD). I have known many people through the course of being in hospital/treatment facilities that have been on disability or were in the process of applying for SSI/disability based on mental illness. Some employers use the same measuring stick for granting private disability insurance policies that the government uses for SSI, in some cases an insurer might make a claimant actually file for SSI and get approved before they will approve long-term disability benefits.

My understanding of SSI/Federal Disability is that there is no difference between how physical and mental disabilities are categorized. In general there are 4-5 main questions, if memory serves (sometimes it does):

1) Are you working currently? If so, there's a maximum amount that you can earn per month to still be considered... I think it's like $900 or something.
2) Severity of condition? Your condition must interfere significantly with job related functions. I'll use myself as an example: My symptoms included severe lethargy and anhedonia (loss of pleasure in all activities), suicidal impulses, severe dissociation, difficulty reading/retaining information, inability to focus, inability to sit for extended periods of time (when anxiety kicked in), and marked difficulty in communicating (my speech was very slow). All of those things together added up to me not being able to perform in my job as it requires a lot of reading/retaining info, communication, presence, focus, and sitting at a desk.
3) Is your condition on the list of approved disabilities? There is a whole list of mental disorders and the accompanying symptoms. The ones I know with certainty are: schizophrenia, bipolar, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders (including PTSD and severe OCD), personality disorders (like Borderline), and substance abuse. Check the SSA website and look under List of Impairments.
4) Can you do the work you did previously?
5) Can you do other work? This can be the tricky question and is commonly where people with mental impairment get denied (in my experience).

In order to get disability for mental illness you SHOULD:

• Be currently seeking treatment. If you aren't your likelihood for getting approved goes down significantly. There needs to be some kind of documentation of your history and current situation. In general they are more likely to approve someone who is actively seeing a therapist/psychiatrist/PCP than someone who did in the past.
  Be prepared to answer questions about what you can and can't do, and have doctor's recommendations to back it up.
  Be ready to fight for it. The government is stingy about disability for depression and mental illnesses other than schizophrenia, mental retardation, and autism. It is definitely possible to get, but you need to be prepared and have doctor's on board to help you get it.

Added note - if you are prone to severe depression or mental illness and have the means, I highly recommend looking into private disability insurance policies (if your employer doesn't offer one).

[Lady]

Disability really is a state to state basis but everyone I have talked to says the same thing (and this is my experience as well as I am just getting off disability that I got after I had major health complications after my tumor removal), getting disability is incredibly difficult.

Disability comes with medicaid and medicare after a few months (at least in my state of KY it does) but those seem to be very limiting in what kinds of drugs you can take and how often you can see a therapist. They do not cover my valium but blessedly they cover my sleeping pills and antidepressants which makes the $1.10 per prescription.

However, being on disability and SSI if you can get them (and I know people with advanced cancer who can't which really plays into my survivor guilt) is a nightmare. The employees no matter what the state are woefully ill educated and you must ensure that you have a paper trail. They will want allllllllllllllllllllll of your medical records to even consider you (thank Christ for my multibinders of records). If you can work, they can be quite abrupt and tell you to just go work. I had a person tell me I could have SSI if I paid $556 rent to my parents for 6 weeks and then continued the practice after getting SSI. At that point no one could tell me how I was supposed to pay $556 a month when my whole disability check was $269 a month.

Each year they will try to feck you over..if you are out of town for more than a few weeks beware. They send letters demanding to see you in person and the deadline for getting to their office can be as little as 5 days. If you do not show up you are denied.

That said...it is a huge hassle and a pain in the ass that doesn't stop long long long after receiving disability and SSI but it is worth trying if you need the help. And now that I no longer need my wheelchair if you need it as a prop, let's try to figure out what we can do to make it work.

Good luck to you.