Ashamed to even be thinking of SSDI...I have mental (not physical) illness?

[emmanuil54]

I was about to fill out an application for SSDI then watched a show on tv

One guy had both of his feet cut off due to diabetic complications

Another had a spinal cord injury, was in a stretcher, couldn't move (he was in a serious auto accident and got a TBI on top of the spinal injury)

Both of the people above had depression

I know that mental illness is serious. It is debilitating Yet even though I see a doc for mental illness I am ashamed to apply for disability

I keep thinking there are other people who have it worse , they have worse mental illnesses and take more medication than i do

However, I am unemployed and uninsured. More than one person has urged me to get on disability. My shrink. He urged me. So maybe that is enough?

Or should I keep trying to work even though mental illness caused me to lose past job?

I don't know if Im disabled enough, however I need to do something to get insured. Advice?

[sayre]

If health insurance is your primary concern, the federal government has a website that is designed to help people find all available options. Just follow the instructions and it will give you the best options available for your situation.

http://www.healthcare.gov/

As for disability, just go ahead and apply. SSA has a process and will determine if your condition prevents you from gainful employment. In most states, approval will automatically make you eligible for Medicaid to some extent, and Medicare after 2 years. You can apply on line, and they will contact you

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/disability.htm

[favian]

I understand how you feel. I have a medical disability that has stopped me from working. Even though I knew it was permanent as neither condition has a treatment and they are both progressive, I didn't want to apply for SSDI. But, I have disability insurance and they made me.

The SSDI is there for people like us who can not work due to disability, no matter what the cause. It takes forever to get approved and you will have to go through appeals, but in the end, it's what you have to do to care for yourself. It's nothing to be ashamed of.

[maddox]

So, I can understand why you are judging yourself to such an extent. What would you suggest if the person asking this question was a friend in these circumstances? Would you want your friend to have the benefits of the most opportunities possible?

The fact that you have tried to work and lost a past job might be enough to show you that you might want to explore other options.

Being on disability might entitle you to the help of the Vocational Rehab Counseling many states offer. Did you know that to qualify for certain tax benefits, that businesses have to offer jobs to the disabled, and then make reasonable accommodation to those employees so that they can continue to work?

All of this means that applying for disability may not be the end of the line; it may be the beginning of a new future.