[gruvingal]

I have a psyc eval on Monday for SS. Along with my other ailments I am also Bi-Polar with PTSD and anxiety. I am a little apprehensive about it since I don't trust psychologists/psychiatrists. I am hoping I can relay to him that this has been a problem since I was very young but I wasn't diagnosed until I was 35. I was in therapy at 13 and sent to a hospital at 14. No one figured it out! I didn't even have therapy at the hospital. After that I was in foster homes because I told them if they sent me home I'd run. I did see a psychiatrist when I was about 17 or so, but I never felt like I could tell them exactly what dysfunction had gone on in our home and didn't even have a clue that I had been molested by my Grandfather. I have been in therapy on and off throughout the years, but since I have physically been unable to work off my manic phases I have had to confront all of my demons. This makes life a lot harder on me these days. I just hope he will see my agony.

[Kittypaw]

Try to look and act as bad as you can....they will use ANY reason to deny you. I wish I'd known how unethical the SSA was when I had my evaluation over two years ago. I would have acted practically psychotic and not have bathed. SSI is a different world...it's a huge game you have to play to get help. It isn't an ethical game, either. Anything they can use against you to deny you for as long as they feel like it, they will. I wish someone had told me this long ago.

You can be truly disabled but if you don't look it, act it, have records saying you can't work, then they won't believe you are. Thing is, many disabled people are intelligent, socially skilled, and neat and clean in appearance but that seems to work against anyone trying to get SSI. Everything just has to look and sound the worst it can without it seeming fake. If you're like most people and are honest and ethical, looking and acting your worst might be difficult but that is where the SSA "gets" ya....it's almost like honesty and decency is used against people who really are disabled and really need SSI.

[Janke]

Originally Posted by Kittypaw

Try to look and act as bad as you can....they will use ANY reason to deny you. I wish I'd known how unethical the SSA was when I had my evaluation over two years ago. I would have acted practically psychotic and not have bathed. SSI is a different world...it's a huge game you have to play to get help. It isn't an ethical game, either. Anything they can use against you to deny you for as long as they feel like it, they will. I wish someone had told me this long ago.

You can be truly disabled but if you don't look it, act it, have records saying you can't work, then they won't believe you are. Thing is, many disabled people are intelligent, socially skilled, and neat and clean in appearance but that seems to work against anyone trying to get SSI. Everything just has to look and sound the worst it can without it seeming fake. If you're like most people and are honest and ethical, looking and acting your worst might be difficult but that is where the SSA "gets" ya....it's almost like honesty and decency is used against people who really are disabled and really need SSI.

I disagree.

"Acting" as bad as you can is called malingering and a good psychiatrist is trained to look for it. You don't want to be labeled as a faker.

Deciding to game the SSI system could also be called committing fraud.

Of course SSA is going to look at all the evidence and then consider which pieces support your allegation that you are disabled and which pieces do not. It is not like a drive through where you make your order and then pick up your check at the window. Not everyone who files is truly disabled and they should be denied.

Do liars and cheats and thieves get away with their lies, cheating and thievery sometimes? Sure. Does it happen often? Not when SSA is diligent about reading the evidence and questioning the inconsistencies.

Can't have it both ways; paying only the truly disabled and denying the not truly disabled without applying the same policies and procedures to both.

For the original poster, I hope you do get the therapy and medication you need regardless of the outcome of the disability claim.

[Jomar]

Originally Posted by gruvingal

I have a psyc eval on Monday for SS. Along with my other ailments I am also Bi-Polar with PTSD and anxiety. I am a little apprehensive about it since I don't trust psychologists/psychiatrists. I am hoping I can relay to him that this has been a problem since I was very young but I wasn't diagnosed until I was 35. I was in therapy at 13 and sent to a hospital at 14. No one figured it out! I didn't even have therapy at the hospital. After that I was in foster homes because I told them if they sent me home I'd run. I did see a psychiatrist when I was about 17 or so, but I never felt like I could tell them exactly what dysfunction had gone on in our home and didn't even have a clue that I had been molested by my Grandfather. I have been in therapy on and off throughout the years, but since I have physically been unable to work off my manic phases I have had to confront all of my demons. This makes life a lot harder on me these days. I just hope he will see my agony.

Be honest & truthful when answering questions & telling your story.

Make sure all records have been copied, sent and received by any person that is supposed to have then for your case/claim.

[jinga]

When you are approved for SSDI , how do you know what specific issue garnered approval if you have several in your medical record. I know the cumulative issue are considered but some alone would not be a total disability.

[St George 2013]

I'm so sorry for everything you have been through. It hurts my heart to read your words.

I hope the process goes well for u....I've filed for disability and was turned down initially for small fiber neuropathy....I'm in the reconsideration stage in GA and expecting to hear any day now.

The only thing I can say is that my advocate told me that if we have to go to the hearing stage to be truthful but to not wear any makeup and to wear my oldest clothes.

Good luck on Monday and please let us know how it goes for you.

Debi from Georgia

[ginnie]

When I had my evaluation, I looked him right in the eye and answered the truth. I was down, angry, hurt, going from one surgery to the next. I was glad to have the opportunity to tell the psych just what happened to me. It was a relief more than anything. The process can be a very long time in coming, so look at it as an opportunity. Don't be afraid to tell the truth. I think that gets you in the right direction. ginnie

[echoes long ago]

Originally Posted by jinga

When you are approved for SSDI , how do you know what specific issue garnered approval if you have several in your medical record. I know the cumulative issue are considered but some alone would not be a total disability.

they send you a decision in writing in which the administrative law judge explains the reasons for their decision.

[ginnie]

In my case there were four separate medical conditions, that taken as the whole did disable me. Mostly it was my cervical spine, and degenerative joint disease. ginnie

[gruvingal]

Well, I went to the evaluation. It only lasted about an hour. I expected more although we did talk about some very serious things in my past. I'm tired now.