the definition of being disabled according to social security's website is that your disabling condition must be severe enough to the point where you can't do any job and last atleast 1 year or to result in your death.social security uses "work" as a factor when deciding if benefits should be awarded and while some one is already collecting ssdi.if a person demonstrates that they can work for even the shortest amount of time social security can and will use it against you.it's happened to several people i know includeing myself.