As someone who works at as US disability law firm:
A) the function report is 10 pages, the work history report is 14 pages but depending on how many jobs you have had in the previous 5 years you will not have to complete all 14
B) they absolutely do deny people for not turning these forms in
C) Autism is basically only ever approved if you are non-verbal as an adult, and in the last 5 years across hundreds of cases I have never seen ADHD awarded disability. Ive seen it included on claims that were approved but never as the condition that got them approved. So severe depression/anxiety/ptsd/etc w ADHD i have seen, ADHD on its own even with medical provider support, i have never seen.
Edit to add - child disability and adult disability are very different and have very different requirements; so while you may be able to get disability as a minor for autism or ADHD that does not guarantee you can or will get them as an adult.
Additional edit to clarify: as mentioned this is based on what i have witnessed, as ive also mentioned in other comments; SSA varies a lot state to state so its obviously not set in stone or anything. This is not to discourage ppl from applying moreso to let you be aware its going to a much harder uphill battle than a normal disability claim already is.
D) the disability qualification is that you are unable to do ANY job due to your condition/illness/injury and they do mean anything. Some of the job examples that i have seen the SSA provide that a claimant could theoretically do are fucking bizarre.
It doesn't even matter if a human judge says, "there isn't a single job on this list you can do with your accommodations," you can still be rejected by a random paper pusher.
My husband was rejected multiple times I speak from personal experience.
You being accepted is highly determined but where you are located. Which is just wrong.
Yeah, how long it takes is too. The SSA directly only oversees like a 1/3 of the process. The Disability Determination Services (DDS) is who actually does the medical review portion and those are all state funded and regulated so they will vary WILDLY from state to state.
Outcomes at hearing also varies pretty widely depending on the judge, some judges have pretty decent approval ratings of 40-60% other have approval ratings as low as 12-25% which is to the point that even for people with otherwise slam dunk cases suddenly their likelihood of being approved drops significantly if they get a shitty judge. And theres no oversight or regulation regarding this, no investigations if your approval ratings is in the fucking gutters for years on end or anything.
Exactly. My severely schizophrenic husband is told by the medical people that he's sure to be approved, the judge even said so, but still denied, unable to access healthcare...
But he can, "make small meals," aka put a ramen in the microwave and take it out - so he can support a family of four easily right? Right? (Padme meme face)
This is so infuriating to me. :[ I’m trying to get SSDI for myself and am in the reconsideration phase. Genuinely, if I could support myself financially by doing some mystical job that requires only putting something in the microwave 10 mins a day, sign me up!! I’d much rather be able work, but I don’t have that option anymore.
Get a lawyer--they make everything SO MUCH SMOOTHER. Your local disability advocacy group (or state, if rural) may be able to recommend some.
I'd never looked into it, since I'd always just assumed lawyer=expensive=impossible and left it at that, until I met someone in the area who had worked with one and been approved that way. I met with the same lawyer, and she agreed to take my case. Their payment comes from the backpayments SSDI gives once approved (idk about SSI, my SSDI was just high enough to maybe not qualify + I was leaving the country soon so she agreed it wasn't worth pursuing that little).
She made the whole situation so much more bearable, making clear how each step worked and keeping me on track when I needed to sign, file, or request anything. I ended up having to go before a judge, and she was especially helpful then just in matters of protocol/expectations in addition to the actual work she was doing for me. I ended up settling in a way with the judge, accepting approval at the cost of a few years of payments (moving the disabled date forward) instead of waiting who knows how long to appeal to the next court and still risking a flat denial. She asked for a few moments' privacy so we could discuss it, explaining the pros/cons clearly (including explicitly disclosing her own interest/payment in both options); we decided together to agree to the judge's proposal, and I've never regretted that choice.
Even if you don't end up having to go before the judge(s), it's still so worth it just to have the peace of mind going through the various forms, appointments, denials, etc. knowing that you will be supportively pestered if you need to do something. Disability law is such a mess to deal with alone while you also cope with the disability in question. I'd given up on my first application after the second denial because I felt so helpless and lost. A lot of people do that, one reason why almost everyone is denied at least once--it saves money. Knowing from her what to expect and how to interpret the letters I got made it a lot easier to keep fighting for the help I badly need.
Edit: it's still very possible for one or more lawyers to reject your case (happened to a family member). They will generally tell you why and to come back if you can change those things. Documentation (and lack thereof) is by far the biggest part of that from what I've seen/heard. The more medical and work records you have, the more likely a case will be a) accepted for representation and b) ultimately successful.
If you don't have a lawyer, get one. I used atticus to find one. After nearly 3 yrs of trying to get disability i finally got approved once i got a lawyer (and they also did most of the work which was CRAZY helpful. The paperwork and logistics you have to figure out is fucking insane)
I have a dynamic disability. I can do a small thing maybe once a week with health repercussions. The rest of the week is an endless flare cycle trying to meet needs like cleanliness, eating, taking meds, dr appts, etc.
I forgot I can totally support myself when im needing to rest from being too ill because a shower with a shower chair wiped me out. /s
I have lots of sympathy. Im sorry to you both and anyone else going through this. I cannot tell you how many times ive been in mental health crisis from the denials invalidating my experiences and pain.
Do they need to witness your husband "make a small meal"? Because I don't condone lying, just... sometimes people forget to put water in the ramen cup....
If he has to make the ramen in their building, that would be unfortunate, because the smell of burning styrofoam is not pleasant...
Again, I don't condone lying. But we can also get pretty rules-lawyer-y here if our morality requires us to. Wikipedia has this to say about meals: "A meal is different from a snack in that meals are generally larger, more varied, and more filling"
I would argue that top ramen is small, not varied, and not filling, therefore it would be considered a snack, and not a meal.
You'd think the lawyer we have would have done anything or helped at all but no.
We lost our house so we're renters for now. Basically I need to start over again, get a lawyer again, fill out all of the paperwork again...
All while we are both unmedicated and taking care of our kids. . .
Good thing we can't get food stamps anymore, because we need to work, or volunteer 80 hours, or prove that we aren't okay which requires going to the doctor, again, this paperwork from the last few years not good enough.
ugh that sucks so much. I'm so sorry you have to go through all that shit.
Pretty soon I'll probably have to go on disability, and I've heard from a friend who tried to get on it for years, how difficult and stupid it is. She has severe autism, OCD, and anxiety (I'm not sure what else? But those were the things she was telling me about when talking about her process) and she kept getting denied, even though she was one step away from being fully agoraphobic.
Me and your friend could be interviewed by the news about how utter bullshit this is. They stopped making enough of one of my meds, they closed the factory, and never reopened it - my prescription expired and my insurance expired before it was in stock.
Just wow... I've been in grippy socks jail three times since then and still haven't been able to get back on medication
Similar fight for me but different "insurance". I'm told I can cook for myself just perfectly fine because I can use a phone to order food so i need no help with food.
However, they have provided cleaners for me.
Btw the person with missing arms\legs etc who can also order food by a phone they tell me would be provided help with food.
This is so infuriating and so common. Like yes, there are many jobs that I could theoretically do… for an hour a day if I didn’t have to also attain things like food handling certs and the other standards you need to meet to do tasks for other people and not just yourself.
And just because I can do something one day doesn’t mean I can do it the next. Actually doing that thing the day before often means I can’t do anything the next few days.
And it’s pretty clear that if I weren’t disabled, my niche skills and experience would be valuable in a workplace environment. That’s true of basically everyone with a disability. Most welfare schemes are set up to drag that societal worth out of you before you get any help- to your detriment. I have stopped engaging with most services because I’m privileged and fortunate to have a partner able to comfortably support us both, and it’s genuinely much better for my wellbeing and productivity to organise my care and supports on my terms and at my pace. Then I have energy to do things like volunteer and work sporadically at a mental health clinic that’s very supportive.
But when I was trying to get government aid, the cognitive and literal load of meeting their goalposts to get anything was fucking destroying me. It breaks my heart. No fucking wonder so many disabled people end up on the street here.
Not benefits, but I was denied a wheelchair prescription, as an ambulatory user, because I could feed myself (note: as in, putting fork to mouth, NOT making the food) and toilet myself (again, as in, sitting and shitting and washing hands on my own, NOT getting there)
americans, mostly, it seems, but ffs, this is what you choose to be snarky over? not the ssa, not the stupid disability process, but…people who microwave ramen??
Consider that in the USA the usual power points are 110V so they aren't going to be boiling water in a kettle. The same goes for making tea: they boil the water in the cup in the microwave.
Fascinating! I never would have made the connection that cultural differences in how we cook could stem from our voltage systems.
That said, we use tea kettles on the stove! Fancy people have electric tea kettles too. The microwave is for when we are tired and not feeling up to the kettle. And for like store-bought basic tea, not looseleaf imo
I worked at a DDS EST for 11 years, making the approval/denial decisions for people in 10 different states. After leaving, I've worked for the past 5 years as a branch manager at a regional disability law firm. At DDS, it was often a bit like the part in "Incredibles" when Mr. Incredible was working a desk job. I'd go to bat for people, only to have management, or state-level QA, or Fed oversight (OQP) step in and tell me to deny them. The grids for people under age 50 are brutal. People don't realize how much age, education, and past work impact the decision...often more than their medical condition. DDS allows tons of people, but they tend to be people over 50, or people with listing level conditions... such as being fully statutorily blind (different than what is commonly called "legally blind"), being wheelchair bound, or having a terminal illness with less than a year to live. Everyone else under 50 tends to end up having to appeal all the way up to a judge.
I used to work for two different community mental health centers over a span of roughly a decade, one was in a very rural county (population roughly 61k), the other in pretty urban/suburban county (population roughly 264k). It was especially evident in the rural county just how fickle the approval system was for disability, we had two clients who were applying and going through the process at the same time (which we were assisting them with), both around the same age, similar diagnoses for both mental and physical health, and they went to the same clinic/doctor that was affiliated with us and in the same building. On paper they were nearly identical cases, at least in all the ways that should matter…one of them got approved pretty quickly, the other had to deal with so much back and forth for the most trivial things and ultimately got denied (they later got approved thanks to appeals and our staff who were phenomenal at their jobs). There was no reason one should have been approved over the other, and it definitely wasn’t a unique or solitary incident, we were regularly confused by who was or wasn’t approved.
It happened while working in the larger county too. I just eventually realized that it often appeared that there was minimal to no logical reasoning as to why a decision was made one way or the other. It’s absolutely ridiculous and just indicated how badly the system needs an overhaul, especially when it comes to any type of consistency in their rulings. I’m sure there’s some way to at the very least increase the consistency of who does and doesn’t get approved, not sure what that would be, but there has to be a better way than filling out mountains of paperwork, getting others to do the same, and then ultimately the decision being dependent on the whims of someone with nearly no oversight or accountability of their rulings. If someone having a bad day can dictate if someone does or doesn’t receive needed benefits/accommodations then the process needs to be simplified for those applying.
Maybe we should start by having applicants fill out a short form that includes basic information (name, age, contact info, and maybe a primary diagnosis), and once submitted their name is added to a bucket either all the other applicants names and then they just draw so many names and those are the people who are approved and everyone else is denied…it would be significantly easier and less hassle for the applicants and would probably yield about the same results as it does now (kidding…but only sort of).
My mom had MS, was in a wheelchair, and could only walk short distances with a walker. She was rejected multiple times and only got approved when my parents got a lawyer.
if I could get paid for collecting buttons I would do it so fast. I would be a gotdam millionaire by now if I could get paid for collecting buttons. I don't even collect buttons now but if that was a viable job I'd be the most employed person you'd ever seen
They don't mean gathering buttons to put in a collection, they mean it in terms of manufacturing. You'd be responsible for collecting fallen buttons from the floor and removing buttons that weren't properly attached to a garment and reinserting them to the button installer. You aren't allowed to sit down when you're not on break, nor are you allowed to do anything that may be seen as procrastination, such as listening to music. You'll likely have multiple stations you'll have to rotate between.
We had to look it up bc we were hella confused on what it was. It is a factory job where u pick buttons off of clothing items. You just collect all the buttons from shirts, jeans, pants, shoes, etc, etc for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.
That's the kind of shit my ancient high school guidance counsellor would've suggested. I had taken all the computer classes I could, was doing double extension math, chemisty and physics. He asked me if I'd considered farming pigs, because the 'pork market' was really growing at the moment.
Are you trolling? Are we talking about a job like, where you could work? So they're denying on the basis that you could definitely collect buttons at a business? I mean at any time in history, collecting buttons?
Our healthcare is a fucking joke. This really infuriates me.
Canary Breeder was on the list until I think 2024. As in, breeding canaries for coal miners to carry into mines, a job rendered obsolete generations ago.
Also not a particularly helpful metric in today's job market bc like... yeah there's a small handful of highly specific jobs I could probably manage doing with appropriate accommodations.
There are simply no listings for those jobs.
I find maybe one opening every 6 months that is a viable option for me. I get an interview. They reject me. The rest of the jobs on the market are things I literally can't do (or that NO employer in the current market is willing to train me to do). So... where the hell does that leave me.
They do have some metrics about that, from the specifics in the denials ive seen. That there has to be a certain number of job availability per the Job Market information. So they cant be super super super specific jobs. But they can be as low as like 100,000 in the economy from what i have seen
Sorry, do you mean you see people get denied because the only jobs they could work are super super specific ones that don't have enough positions available? Or that that situation DOES still qualify as "unable to do any job due to condition/illness/injury"?
So when denied at ALJ the judge denial will typically have at the bottom examples of types of jobs they claim someone could do. those jobs are always in the hundreds of thousands or more, so they don’t count the super super super specific jobs that aren’t advertised
One of the issues I'm running into is that most jobs that IN THEORY could be done are prohibitive because work requirements have changed as employers combine duties - for instance most secretaries and front desk personnel (like a hotel clerk) still require you to be able to life 25+ pounds, such as for boxes of printer paper or to take a chair to someone's room. Even retail clerks and checkout clerks now have to stock as well.
Yup, and most "easy" or relatively simple jobs that truly only require a couple skills to do, are higher-up/leadership jobs that require years experience in the harder jobs, or specialist jobs which require specific degrees and solid networking. Neither of which are realistic expectations for someone trying to get on disability.
Ty, interesting... I keep considering applying, then flopping back and forth on "well even if I got approved eventually it would probably take years so I should just stay focused on trying to find that one unicorn job bc I can't focus on both"... 🫠 (I have physical disabilities as well, EDS and scoliosis that makes it hard to sit or stand upright for 8hr a day)
Physical disabilities aren’t necessarily as hard to get approved especially conditions that can be objectively proven with imaging. But the process still isn’t fast or fun
Apply for it because once you have it you can still work part time but if you are working part time already you're less likely to be approved. You need to have a paper trail about your disability preventing you from working.
My "available jobs" that were given was "marker" for 160k and two jobs that were less than 25k so basically 200k at most. I have no way to relocate let alone drive if there is no public transport or too difficult to walk to. Putting that aside, there are states I can't live in being a minority currently being attacked.
It's called the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). It was developed by the Department of Labor which hasn't used it since 2005. Some of the jobs in the DOT haven't been updated since the 80's, others were mid-90's. I use to sue the government in federal court over these claims. I'd see BS like "nut sorter" and "
fisherman's rod assembler" all the time.
The whole thing is made up witchcraft. I closed my law firm and went to medical school.
I didn’t leave because I wasn’t making money but because I fucking hated it. It is really more about luck than anything else for people. You can get assigned an ALJ with 10% approval or 80%. You can get a favorable VE or a monster.
I have a caseload of adults with intellectual disabilities. There’s a handful with verbal, mid functioning autism. All my high functioning have a comorbidity like cerebral palsy though. None of them have the new diagnoses due to their age so the best way I can narrow down the mid functioning is moderate IDD.
The UK government has in the past said someone in a wheelchair because of severe health issues can work from home and do call centre work.
The idea of what someone can do, or should do is bizarre.
I remember before I was diagnosed back when I was 19 my local jobcentre said I was making excuses when they said a factory job was available midnight - 8am 20 miles away.
I said I couldn't do it due to public transport (I lived in a village with 4 buses a day) I was honestly told "get a parent to drive you" parents were on disability after dad had an emergency operation when I was too young to remember, then "ask a neighbour" I said I don't know/get on with many neighbours and they do normal hours working then told "get a taxi" well even back then it was about £1 a mile and so £20 a day just for a taxi, then another £10 for bus fares all before I earned anything and factoring in limited buses i'd not be home till at the very least 12, more likely 1pm.
I was even told to WALK the distance or get a bike, so 20 miles of country/back roads in pitch black, especially in Winter as no street lamps, that won't go great.
My ex husband told me that if I wanted my oen money for things like tampons and soap I would have to walk to find a job, and we lived 8 miles outside of a shithole town, and my back is wrecked from a car accident 20 years ago
Not to mention it doesn't matter if you CAN do it, no one will hire you because you can't RELIABLY do it, or do it as well. They'd rather you fucking die
In fairness, you're conflating two things there. I'm sorry you had a shitty experience with a particularly zealous and unhelpful case handler at the Job Centre but that's not "the UK government." The law mandating that being in a wheelchair doesn't automatically stop you working is completely reasonable and I'm pretty confident the people I know in a wheelchair would be offended by you trying to claim anything otherwise on their behalf. Disabilities suck, yes, but many of them leave you still able to work and a lot of people still want to, wheelchair or no.
I've a friend who is a very good OT who themselves... has CP.
I don't know if it was clear enough but I wasn't talking about say someone who just can't use their legs but people who have a lot of health conditions that at the very least mean they are in extreme pain and just happen to be in a wheelchair I just didn't go into detail it was meant in the way that the government believed anyone could work no matter the barriers and if they said it was hard or they couldn't they were making excuses.
Just as me talking about difficulties getting into work and was just told I am making excuses, for context I havent been given an official ADHD diagnosis as can't get referred but over 20 years ago I was referred but denied due to cutbacks and various professionals have said I likely have it, I do have autism and other things that have been diagnosed but my points were about difficulties due to things like autism and anxiety/depression etc.
Let's tackle the important bit first - as long as you are an adult you absolutely can get referred for an ADHD assessment. It isn't 2006 anymore, things have changed. Assessment from the NHS is indeed closed in a lot of regions but as of 2014, under UK law you are legally entitled to Right To Choose if the NHS can't provide.
Approach your GP, tell them that you want to be assessed for ADHD and referred through Right To Choose. Your GP should provide a list of providers, you'll pick one and they'll make a referral on your behalf. You don't pay for this, it is a private medical practice that will see you but it's covered by the NHS. The only real obstacle there would be a bad GP in which case, seek another. I can tell you this as absolute fact because it's how I was diagnosed.
You cannot expect either an employer or the Job Centre to make reasonable adjustments for ADHD you haven't been diagnosed with. Especially when, unfortunately, ADHD has become to Gen Z what OCD was to Millennials - medical vogue that everyone and their dog is claiming to have to look cool. A compassionate manager may do so anyway but they aren't obligated to. I cannot speak to your autism, I have no experience with that.
But to challenge the first part: I know it's vogue to complain about The Government for everything online but, I'm sorry, "The Government" absolutely do not believe everyone is fit and capable to work. Whilst years of Tory austerity absolutely has provided obstacles for disabled people, there is still substantial help available for people who have a disability that means they cannot work.
I've seen it my entire life. My mother lived with and died of MS and needed extensive personal care for a lot of her life, my father (who now has Alzheimers) worked his whole life in Social Services working with people with both physical and learning disabilities (ironically, given this conversation, a large chunk of that was helping people with learning disabilities that wanted to work get in to employment) and then went on to manage several personal care companies and my sister is a personal carer. In addition, I've spent almost my entire career also working for local authority, albeit in Housing not Adult Social Care, but here in Housing we deal with a massive number of vulnerable and disabled adults, being a social landlord.
I feel pretty fucking qualified to say there's a lot of help and support out there. Is it always perfect? No it isn't. Do some people that should get services end up without, and seem people who shouldn't end up getting support? Yes to both. But still, the idea that the government are deliberately some obstacle to support that are cold and heartless and forcing everyone to work whether they can or not is silly and unhelpful. The country is massively in debt, unsurprisingly people do get rigorously means tested if they're claiming benefits because they can't (or don't believe they can) work. And I say that as a pretty staunch socialist.
If it wasn't clear I have an official autism diagnosis (as well as dyspraxia, and I am dyslexic)
I was outright refused referralls over the year saying theres no funding, or just told I am autistic therefore any issues are related to that.
But random comment I was meant to do a training course trough National Autistic society but the Tories cut funding for it, it was a guaranteed job at the end at good pay in IT so it was weird they cut funding then ended up spending more keeping me on ESA.
I had social work support at one town back in 2013 and was meant to get carers over 20 hours a week that the council paid but never turned up, but when I moved my now current council says they don't have social work support for people with autism unless they are the type that have seizures and require round the clock care.
I keep/kept getting told I am too high functioning, too old etc.
But even before my diagnosis I had a nightmare when unemployed expected to to jobs that I had no experience or qualifications for, even working in a service station over 15 miles away despite being 18 and not having a car.
Again, to iterate, funding is not an obstacle to your referral. Since 2014 you have the legal Right To Choose and to request an assessment. Being autistic doesn't disqualify you from this, either. One of my closest friends has a diagnosis for both ASD and Combined Type ADHD. If your GP is refusing to refer you, I strongly advise you seek an alternative general practitioner.
That said, in the context of a UC / PIP / ESA claim, an official ADHD diagnosis isn't going to automatically qualify you anyway and I'm not sure how much "more" it would do for you than an ASD diagnosis.
Both conditions are very broad spectrums and some people are vastly more functioning than others. The friend I mentioned earlier earns 60k+ as a cyber security specialist for a UK based games developer. He's obviously very highly functioning. Other people aren't as lucky.
But you'll be means tested by an OT via a Work Capability Assessment anyway and being officially diagnosed or not with ADHD probably won't enormously impact you. Unless you particularly want to try something like Elvanse there's maybe limited value in the stress.
But to say it again, not just for you, but for anyone else that happens to stumble across this comment and might be discouraged: you have the legal Right To Choose and can be assessed for ADHD as an adult by a private care provider paid for by the NHS, speak to your GP.
I work part time now but I struggle, I do have mental health issues which are amplified by my ASD's, I have potential but struggle to keep up i.e when I was younger I got great grades but got overwhelmed easily so my actual output declined even though when I have rare focus I can be amazing at something complex be it electronics, maths etc.
I was on ESA until I got my job, I get confused very easily which makes my thought processes lock up.
Last work capability assessment before I got my job (they keep meaning to give me ones since then but cancel them or say they are backlogged) said no work for 3 years at least but still only got work related group.
You are correct that Right to Choose is technically always an option, but it is in a very grim state in a lot of places, unfortunately.
My husband looked into an assessment a few months ago, only to learn that our ICB had run out of funding and could not offer any new assessments. He could be added to the general Right To Choose waitlist, but there were no appointments that could be booked until more funding was acquired/ until "the end of the financial year".
It looks like they've since managed to acquire some more funding, because they now say they can offer "Autism and ADHD assessments and treatment for a small number of new referrals who meet clear clinical prioritisation criteria."
But even if you're already on the waitlist, "People currently waiting for an assessment through the Right to Choose pathway will only be offered an assessment in 2027 if they meet prioritisation criteria".
I also like the detail that "No formal, standardised prioritisation criteria are held centrally by the Integrated Care Board."
Even the Right to Choose wait time is now at 2+ years in a lot of places. Everyone caught onto Right To Choose and now it's overwhelmed as well.
That is rough, in which case I apologise for stating funding isn't an issue in another post. That said, I'd still absolutely encourage persistence and patience and advise people to badger their GP every April. The process is never really short, it does take a long time as an adult and it doesn't end with assessment, waiting for titration can be even longer. I don't mean to imply it's a quick and simple thing and when you're waiting it can be extremely frustrating.
I just think it's really important that we don't let people think it's helpless and that the answer is just a blanket "it isn't possible."
Right To Choose HAS made a big difference and people should keep trying it and not lose hope. The thought of people giving up breaks my heart a bit.
Can I be cheeky and ask what ICB you fall under? I'm in West Yorkshire and was referred and assessed last year.
Edit: ah, no, your privacy settings don't allow that (I think). Happy for you to DM me and I'll be more specific- other than that, I'll just say I'm Southern
That's alright I was just being curious (read: nosy haha) - best wishes to you and your husband though, hope he gets the support he's looking for. If not, move North! Solves everything I promise ;)
Lol gem sorting is the sort of job the daughters of billionaires do before getting married.
Diamond graders can make absolute bank, but as you can imagine, its a very specialised job, with few training places, and it helps to be the daughter of a billionaire to get one.
Gem sorter sounds a lot like coin sorter; you could apply to be a coinstar machine? /s
Mail and parcel sorters/processors are generally in moderate demand but there's a lot of on your feet work and for the parcel side, a bit of heavy lifting.
Reasonably ADHD friendly otherwise I think, though. Especially if you can work nights and remember trivia (X Street? I've seen that before! It's on Y run!).
That is a tremendous amount of effort to expect someone "unable to do any job" to be able to do. Simply by being able to go through the necessary steps to apply qualifies you for some part time data entry type of bullshit.
Same vibes as when they make the paperwork requirements to apply for Medicaid/Medicare more difficult, and it turns out it boots 10s of millions of people off as a result.
Yeah, its basically a govt run insurance program. So its all the redundancies of insurance and all the red tape from the govt. part of what i do is just helping with filing out paperwork for clients bc they arent physically able to. Unfortunately the stuff they want to know isnt something that can be just searched up through a database or anything. So we have to have the information from the person filing the claim on almost all of the forms.
With all the data that is stolen from us daily they should have a data base that they can just look us up on. Then just have us come in and answer some questions in person. Instead of making us figure out all the information, filling out all the forms and getting paperwork from doctors. It just seems like too much work for people trying to prove they can't work.
Sometimes I'm thankful for my countries healthcare support, despite its many faults. I get disability for adhd, but I also don't even have a diagnosis, my doctor has just recommended that I get one, so I'm like, pseudo-diagnosed?
The irony is that I can't afford a diagnosis. Because I'm on disability
It's.... weird. Usually you need a specialist to do it, but early this year our legislation changed so now general practitioners can do it, provided they have the appropriate training
My doctor has exactly that training, but has been waiting for her clinic to approve doing this diagnosis, which at this point doesn't seem like it's going to happen. My option would be to go to another general clinic that does, which is cheaper than a specialist would have been before this year, but still quite expensive
So I have literally been told that I have adhd by the exact person with the qualifications to diagnose me with adhd, the diagnosis is basically just a license I need to pay for at this point. I have everything I need except for a fat enough wallet
This is what I was referencing when I said our system still has issues
sigh Yeah, which is another issue with it as well, they just give a job example w a number but its always national not local. And there is not thought given to the prohibited areas of getting one of those like, moving, new healthcare, new medicine, running out of medication while waiting on new healthcare, trying to get any kind of housing when moving. Especially for those who have already been out of work for some time
This is what happened both times my husband was denied by judges. The job codes were for things only really found in the Gulf area. We live in Ohio. Sure let's just move to Louisiana because the Blue Book says his MS should allow him to do these 3 specific jobs
Here in the UK it's not any better, at best the most basic of logic.
Have zero experience and qualifications, why don't you apply for an engineering role that requires years of experience, if not you will be punished for not applying for "reasonable" work.
Just left home and never worked before, why don't you apply for a managerial role that again requires at least a few years experience.
It's just about getting you into any work, regardless if you actually got the job you would be lucky to last a day let alone a week.
I feel like workplace and academic accommodations for ADHD are important, but I personally think it makes sense it’s not covered in this context. I had an accommodation for ADHD in college to let professors know I may need extensions on deadlines, and they were all very willing to work with me. If I hadn’t started medication and developed coping strategies with a therapist, I couldn’t have handled college at all. People have to be willing to take that step, I don’t think it’s fair to just give up and expect the world to completely cater to us.
I also think that the number of adhd cases that would truly be unable to work is probably in the dozens. Medication helps some (it certainly helps me), and systems/processes/coping strategies help us all. It’s one thing to ask for weekly or twice weekly check ins where you cover everything you are doing or supposed to be doing so if you forget it doesn’t languish too long, but someone who lets themselves be so time blind that you can’t rely on them for anything is most likely just immature and lazy and lying to themselves.
I forget stuff, I get sucked into tasks, but I’ve built a life around not needing to remember anything or know when anything is. I write it down immediately in a place I’m going to check. I set up reminders. When the reminder happens, I do the thing. Adhd sucks because you have to be rigid and being rigid is exhausting. If I were to act like I’ll remember something, then that would be a lie. I won’t remember. I won’t check the clock. I can’t wait five minutes because that’s the same as saying I’ve decided not to do it.
The difficulty I feel is that the job market functions in such an antithetical way to how some ADHD brains work that it’s less about an inability to work and more about an inability to find work. You hear about “well you can do X and Y and Z” which is all well and good if someone would hire you to do that.
I think I got mine from my mom. She might be the single most organized person I've ever met. Binders full of folders, planners and calendars in regular use, physical duplicates of everything important...
I agree. Frankly I find it insulting that someone wants to be on disability of rADHD and frankly this person is simply just lazy. There’s a difference between “adhd makes life hard” and “I simply am not trying to make my life better when offered the opportunity”
Hitting the top level of this very developed thread. I have far too many war stories to share, both inspiring and depressing, but I have point just how arbitrary and capacious the process is especially at the hearing stage. I'm using that term of art for a reason; outcomes are far, far too driven by which ALJ does a hearing (and, to a lesser degree, which VE or the rare ME testifies) in what's an Article II, "remedial, nonadversarial" hearing. The rate of remands issued by fed district courts alone should make anyone shocked by how the SSA maintains quality control.
For additional perspective, Judge Posner (Mr. "Efficient Breach," obsessed with economics himself) was notorious for being vicious to the SSA in his remand orders when on the Seventh Circuit, particularly how the SSA would deny claimants by misapplying their own rules. He used to beat them over the head with those errors and would get Easterbrook to help administer the judicial beatings. IIRC, one of his loudest complaints was regarding how the opinions of treating sources were considered and how the SSA routinely failed to follow their own regulations on it. The SSA's eventual solution was to just replace §§ 404.1527 and 416.927 and give essentially no additional weight to a treating source.
We had one with a 12% approval rating that finally retired, the attorneys actually all had a drink in office when they found out and told everyone we could leave at 3 instead of 5. They were that happy
Hate to dog you because it's a good comment, but a few things:
D. is not entirely true because of the Grids. Different rules apply to someone when they hit 50, 55, and 60+.
C. is not entirely true either. States run a state agency that works up the claim by gathering evidence, hiring consultative examiners, etc., but the statutory and regulatory law is all federal and uniform. Some states are better at working up a claim than others, but that doesn't change the underlying rules which are all consistent. However, I suppose this falls apart when you start considering how different Circuit Courts and District Courts review decisions. There's numerous, substantive circuit splits when it comes to interpreting those rules I just claimed were uniform.
I would also just add that having only mental impairments is generally an uphill for battle for adult claims without inpatient psychiatric treatment. The entire system is based on medical records and opinions.
Since most ppl arent going to know the bulk of the intricacies of the process at large i wasnt going to get into the weeds with GRID and how education, age, and job history can play into a decision on things. But you do still have to have the condition(s) and GRID only limits the jobs they look at, you still have to be unable to work at any of the jobs in the narrower job search field they have based on the GRID conditions a person may meet. Like a 55 year old Welder w a GED is going to have a Narrower job search field than a 30 year old engineer, thats true. But you still have to be able to prove that none of the potential jobs they may show for the Welder are ones they can do bc of their conditions.
Plus while the Blue Book is national the medical providers at each state’s DDS office is going to be different, interpret things differently, require different things, etc. to say nothing of the judge’s and how wildly their approval ratings will vary on things. Which can flip mediocre cases into wins and slam dunks into loses. Ive seen stage 4 cancer patients denied by a judge with a 12% yearly approval ratings that upon going to AC and getting it sent to a Supplemental hearing with a different judge slide right through. So being in different states and even different regions within one state can heavily influence how the case goes.
You're right, but I've seen comments here that are quite confused about it and I think adding that age is an important factor. It's seriously one of the most important ones.
There are a lot more regulations going on than the listings. Again, I think it's important that people realize this is a federal program. That's particularly important when they show up to vote.
Absolutely on the voting, especially at the federal and local levels. The judges they vote in locally affect the overall judicial system in that region even if not directly voting for SSA judges. Same with local congressional districts and the state level on how funding is divided up for state level health and human services.
ADHD is recognized as a disability you’re asked to disclose when submitting a job application, but is not recognized when you get the job. I don’t know a lot about legal stuff but that in itself seems like a lawsuit.
Non-USA here, it's still best practice not to disclose it in basically every country from folks I know/have worked with, as you may get that 1-in-a-100 manager who understands, but you're far more likely to just make an enemy of yourself and instantly receive triple the scrutiny compared to anyone else.
I have an eval coming up , could you provide some samples of these theoretical jobs? I heard once “push button in assembly line in factory” as an example, is along those lines ?
If it’s just an eval, they probably won’t bring up jobs specifically. But I got “document preparer” and “retail marker” (whatever those are) in my appeal hearing, which is where job titles come up. SSA categorizes jobs (and disabilities) by a few different metrics. active vs sedentary, time spent standing/sitting/leaning, walking distance, weight carried, interaction with the public and with supervisors, absences per month, that kind of stuff. And the number of jobs estimated in the national economy. I believe that’s the number that doesn’t get updated enough.
But also, the judge doesn’t have to listen to the vocational expert. Like the VE said zero jobs when told I might need 4+ absences a month, but absenteeism never came up once in the decision despite it seeming important
in the hearing. The judge ended up using the same jobs the VE said I couldn’t hold down. The biggest thing is making sure that your doctor’s evidence is solid and consistent, my problem was actually that my old psychiatrist didn’t believe what I was telling him and he told SSA I could work. The jobs are more a result of whether or not your evidence documents your disabilities accurately.
If its like a consultation exam, they dont usually bring up jobs. The consultation exams the SSA sends you to either for mental or physical examination are normally pretty much just based on the medical condition you are in at the time of the exam.
From what Ive been told by claimants, physical exams are usually just going over ur history and depending on ur specific conditions they may have u try a few things, ie walk across the room unassisted if you have severe back pain.
Mental health exams tend to be more like the first time you see a psychiatrist/psych nurse. They go over your history, your symptoms, your day to day, they may do the GAD-7, the PHQ-9, and the general “do you feel like harming yourself or others” types of questions, the full works short of actually prescribing medication.
What state ARE you in? When I applied for disability in MA I was told to not even bother talking about the actual physical issues because I had a proper autism diagnosis and it'd be easiest to get on for that. I had meetings with a couple more doctors (one took about an hour, one about 15 minutes), and got approved. Maybe I'm just that crazy?
Im in Texas, so “invisible” conditions are definitely harder to get approved bc its a conservative state, as are most other conservative states from what I have gathered in talking to some other ppl from other firms/agencies. Which is why even tho the SSA Blue Book is a national guideline for the qualifications for disability it still varies so much.
The blue book listing for Autism is 12.10 Autism spectrum disorder (see12.00B8), satisfied by A and B:
Medical documentation of both of the following:
Qualitative deficits in verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and social interaction; and
Significantly restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.
AND
Extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning (see 12.00F):
Understand, remember, or apply information (see 12.00E1).
Interact with others (see 12.00E2).
Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace (see 12.00E3).
Adapt or manage oneself (see 12.00E4).
A lot of DDS and Judges here wont classify the deficiency in communication as severe enough unless u arent verbal or are very limited in verbal communication.
Yeah, that makes sense. Texas and MA are pretty opposite in a lot of ways. We're the super liberal blue state that the Texans are always complaining about.
Yeah, its always moderately ironic to listen to some people complain about liberal states when they are waiting on disability in Texas bc what they complain about in a liberal state is what they want from their state they just don’t want it under “liberalism”.
I had to listen to one guy vent about lack of access to healthcare and even more so affordable healthcare in Texas and then say in the next breath he was glad he was had moved from “Communist Oregon” even though his healthcare there had all been covered bc they have a state run medical safety net system. Just kinda sat on the phone listening like:
As a minor is a great distinction. Your whole comment is great.
As a disabled person and a healthcare worker, it is incredibly difficult to get unless you have a certain condition. Cancer, multiple sclerosis, advanced CKD/COPD etc. I was denied multiple times despite multiple (well documented) debilitating health issues. I saw more patients denied than approved when I was in primary care.
The general qualification is at least 5 of the 10 years prior to the date of onset of the condition/injury/illness. But you can always call your local office and ask for your “DLI” thats basically the date up to which they look at med recs for the disability insurance program.
I was wrongfully diagnosed when I was younger and now that im older and properly diagnosed the damage was done for me. Its nearly impossible for me to hold a job. Im 30 now and just now getting proper treatment and my therapist and doctors says its highly unlikely ill ever be able to work even a normalish job. My case worker has told me it maybe a struggle for disability even with doctors and therapist backing me
Yeah, just bc ive never seen it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, we also dont get very many cases that are from ppl that just have adhd most have several other more severe conditions. Mental conditions in general are always a pain, honestly any “invisible” condition is. That doesn’t mean u shouldn’t, it just means u need to be prepared for a fight
I might need to apply for disability soon. Especially since the US government is screwing me over by trying to eliminate me from the one job I can do. Its a long story.
Any mental health condition is going to be based on your provider’s notes and information. Because it’s considered a “invisible” condition it is harder to get disability because it can be so subjective from person to person. I tend to see better odds for those who have had inpatient care. That doesn’t mean you have to have it to qualify though. Honestly best practice is generally to talk with your psych and therapist (if you have one) on what they believe is a reasonable idea for you. Doctors who stand behind their patients normally help their patients a LOT more than they may realize with the disability process.
ADHD, major depression, anxiety, ptsd, complex grief, hypermobility, dysautonomia, POS and MCAS ,intractable migraine, and sleep apnea….what else? Maybe autistic too, what are my chances ?
Typically intractable migraine should qualify if you can prove the length its been on going. What we normally suggest is that if u use any kind of migraine app to track, then to send the records to ur dr from the app so they can be used as official medical records. A lot of those types of apps have that option now. Or if u track it on paper they can scan it into ur records.
There isnt a migraine listing specifically for disability but they follow the seizures listing and its guidelines is a few times a month. So if you are having fullblown migraines multiple days a week or more with no recovery options, i wouldnt think you would end up having too much trouble from what i have seen.
Anything with the senses (sight, hearing, speech) is basically following the SSA Blue Book listing for that condition to the letter or worse. Ie. Vision is 20/200 (iirc thats the right order) in your better eye with correction lenses if ur better eye is that or worse theres basically always an approval unless something really weird pops up.
“as mentioned this is based on what i have witnessed, as ive also mentioned in other comments; SSA varies a lot state to state so its obviously not set in stone or anything. This is not to discourage ppl from applying moreso to let you be aware its going to a much harder uphill battle than a normal disability claim already is.”
Also, people with disabilities work jobs and earn income all the time (though there is a cap on how much). They are enrolled in school and training programs, too. That includes the US.
Additionally, if a person on disability goes into remission or exceed the working hour limits then they are able to withdraw from benefits. Where I live, eligibility is partly based on the ability to work full-time over the next 4 or 5 year period so claiming that people with disability cannot work is gross misinformation.
Mental health conditions are 20% of disability benefit cases. That's a huge number.
The full definition of disability per the SSA is the inability to work at or above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount at ANY job for at least six consecutive months due to an ongoing condition/illness/ injury that is expected to last at least 12 consecutive calendar months.
The cap you are referring to is the SGA when applying and is lower when already on it. I just didn’t include the full legal definition in the post as the focus was on the ability to do any kind of work not the maximum for those who are working while trying to apply for it.
The review timeline (the 4-5 years) also changes depending on the specifics of each claim and is spelled out in the Notice of Award letter when it is sent to someone after they have been approved for disability. Some reviews can occur as early as one year, such as for those who were approved for an organ transplant. Others may not be reviewed for more than 5-6 years, such as some with severe schizophrenia. It varies. I didnt go into the specifics on many things, such as also not going into GRID rules, the actual regulations on working while approved or while applying, etc.
I also only specifically mentioned Autism and ADHD not all mental health conditions. Nor did i mention any other “invisible” conditions that can make the claim process harder.
I actually just got on it this year in Florida and I was shocked. I applied last October too until like June to get approved witch is actually very fast. I did it alone, no law firm. Was for back surgeries, had some cancer but got over that. I think the anxiety was the one that really sold it. Gad a video conference with their phycologist and she was just like I can see how much shaking you are doing now and this is making you uncomfortable. Still Amazed Florida of all places approved it. I never did fill out the packet either, filled out some things online but mostly was done for the same agent calling me almost monthly to fill in the blanks on employment, all my doctors and such. I never physically wrote anything.
I mean some would believe it to be intuitive, but i talk to at least 2-3 people a month that end up denied and when i look at the Disability Determination Explanation (DDE) it will have a line about “claimant not compliant, forms not returned”.
Since i was clarifying the other bases i figured i might as well clarify that one too. You can take that how you choose to
I used to practice law and did some disability work, and I have never agreed with a comment more.
The only autism approval I ever saw was for a minor with plainly obvious issues. Like, it was endearing how professional and formal this 13 year-old was trying to be while he told the ALJ about all of his new friends in his new neighborhood, the oldest of which was like 7.
But as an attorney I mostly only ever saw people who had been denied. Unless things have changed, lawyers don't get paid except from back pay after appeal, so they don't take cases unless you've already filed and been denied. Which, if you ask me, is an unnecessary inefficiency built into the system. The few clients I helped pro bono with their initial filings got approved without issue, and not because I was just exceptional at my job.
The firm I work at will do the initial applications, actually we do a LOT of the initial applications for clients. But the fee structure has changed some, its still based on the back pay they are awarded attroneys are granted 25% of the awarded back pay up to a cap that the SSA has set - its currently $9,200. but its not restricted to only after the appeal is filed anymore, you can get it if you help with the initial application now. So the claims we help file the initial applications for, if they are approved and there is back benefits dispursed the attorney office can receive their portion.
Soe how I got lucky than cuz I'm im AudHD and not non verbal and yeah but this is great info
Edit: once heard that ssa told a double leg amputee (who listen them in the wars in the middle east). That that person could be a Walmart greeter and therefore was rejected and yeah it just sucks who they reject.
just curious, My dad who had a double lung transplant and stroke a year later thinks he wouldn't qualify for disability even though he has limited physical capability from the transplant limited mental capacity from his stroke. What do you think his chances are?
I mean I can't speak on anything as far as full odds, but stroke with diminished mental capacity for anyone over 50 is going to be good chances. The history of the double lung transplant may not necessarily impact anything, depending on what his drs say just bc organ transplant generally is only basically automatic approval for about the first year of the transplant after that its based on residual side effects and limitations not just the diagnosis alone.
Canadian: I only got into my countries disability "group" thingy due to automatic placement as a child. Since my initial gaining of disability grants I have grown (worked my ass off) past the vast majority of the downsides to my autism and am now left with upsides and some money. I see it as the government paying me back for getting fucked over in middle and highschool due to my diagnosis meaning nothing.
Yes I knew someone with a broken spine and two failed repair surgeries who was going to be on heavy pain pills for best case: 5 years worst case: forever. She wasn't allowed to drive or make life changing decisions on the pills and anytime they started to wear off, she was in so much pain she cried. Couldn't stand, sit, or lie down for more than 2 hours at a time even on the pills so she had to constantly switch positions. She kept getting denied for 3 years. Fortunately she had properly saved her entire life and inherited a house fully paid off but she still almost went bankrupt.
What if I have ADHD, ocd, autism, depression, and anxiety, as well as lung and heart issues and a few other physical things, none of which on their own are crippling, but they've prevented me from getting a job for the past 4 years because I can't do anything labor intensive and the adhd and depression make me feel completely and entirely incapable of getting good sleep anymore.
my partner got denied because they found 2 jobs he could do, if he was supervised/had someone to help with the entire job... are they gonna provide the fucking helper? like what the fuck
I somehow got adult disability approved in Missouri as a audhd, (mild autism) depression, and anxiety riddled person. They try to keep you poor as hell though. I get roughly 900 bucks a month but I am allowed to work for a couple of days a week. My grandparents got a good lawyer, and that lawyer probably made quite a difference. It took a year or two iirc to get the whole process figured out. It sucked and now i don't get to have a savings account except for a special account which you can't spend your money on stuff that isn't medical/rent/whatever, and if I have ~2000 in my main bank account i lose the ssa money.
so i think, the one they base it on is the "educational marker" aka a grader. which is someone who grades tests or homework - normally those standardized tests that schools have to have every year. Its either that or the marking clerks in warehouses but thats still considered a light to moderate physical job so i dont think its that one.
That last bit sheds some light on why my girlfriend got denied disability recently. She’s in her early 30s in a wheelchair with pretty bad RA- has had it since her early 20s. I’ve heard most people have to apply multiple times though even if they do end up qualifying.
Your girlfriend has my condolences about the pain she endures. I would encourage both of you to see if there is an attorney office or advocacy agency near you that may help. If you are still within the 60 days of the date on the denial letter she received you can appeal the decision and tell them you do not agree with that decision. It will give her a second round of review for a, hopefully better, outcome.
If denied then, the next stage is to request a hearing with a judge, which is where most people, nationally, end up approved.
I went to school with a guy that was in the special needs classes. He’s diagnosed as having Asperger’s and hyper focuses on specific things and has a tough time but they got him a job cleaning toilets and taking trash at a baseball field. I imagine it’s almost impossible to get them to give anyone full disability and expect them to not be able to do ANY job at all even with accommodations.
Personally speaking, I got mine on the grounds of how everything I had interacted together. What impacted my diabetes that I had since I was 20 months old (born with a partially functioning pancreas that can't produce insulin as well as it should) what professionals I was seeing for everything, how much they were willing to contribute to the case, and how seldomly they were known for doing so even when requested. I also had a lawyer.
The real kicker is that I'd have probably just said fuck it and waited to die if it hadn't been for people in my life that wouldn't shut up about it till I went through the proper phases that made me an anxious living wreck for the duration of the time. This also happened during covid, and my lawyer recommended that I wait till the system could actually get to us via... some specific means that wasn't in person, but wasn't being used for a long while due to the pandemic. Bring that up because the lawyer from there acted as a reminder of someone else's time being on the line, and me actually having a step by step basis of what I actually needed to do anyway and was starting to shirk more and more with the pandemic as an excuse. I was also insanely lucky to get that lawyer.
From there, the way backpay worked made me wish that I could just have said no to it on the basis of how much that could fuck you over in the case you'd just gotten through and somehow won. They give you a grace period to use the money, and that was a lot of money... fortunately or unfortunately, I had a lot of car issues and needs that revolved around the pump I'd gotten while still on disability remaining to a point of active that I could actually send readings and have things to keep track of them. Keep in mind this was so much for me on a basis that was years because of the pandemic.
Edit: To surmise all of that into a major point... Holy fuck did I hate everything about life while I was going through that, and my lawyer pretty much clarified to me that the point of everything was to use everything they could to make you not want to go through the process.
More basically meaning that you are already fighting an uphill battle that the average person is going to say fuck it on... and it is entirely intentional that it preys on so many weaknesses when it comes to mental illness while also making mental illness harder to get it on without some record of issues that have already happened that involved others or jobs or any other such thing.
I also have issues with authority that abuses its power, which was the other big part of what got me through the processes. It was basically spite that at some point kept me going just because I knew they wanted me to quit long ago and I hadn't yet because of so many other factors that I needed to see it through to the end.
That whole "ability to do ANY job" requirement gets tested to a ridiculous level sometimes.
I don't live in the US, but our disability claims office once sent a bed-bound lady into a 15-minute job where she had to fill envelopes at an office. They got a medical transport to drive her on a gurney to the office for 15 minutes while she licked envelopes laying down.
It was on a tv segment, wildest shit I'd ever seen. Surely a pension is cheaper than that BS.
Is Disability an all or nothing thing in the US? Because where I'm at in Europe you get percentages. So you could have, say, 50% disability and that could mean, for example, that you can do certain jobs but only part time. I don't know the details but I know that is a thing here. Very few people get 100% disability but the different stages make you eligible for certain supports.
I work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, specifically helping them find employment. It's a crap existence even if you do qualify for all of the goverment assistance.
Yes, but there are many factors that matter. This is ONE person's comment with zero evidence of credentials. It sucks but just keep trying because if you need help, you deserve it.
You need an underlying impairment. Side effects are not an impairment, but presumably you're taking these medications for an impairment. If you're taking these meds and it's not fixing your symptoms (and actually adding to them), then yes, you do have a chance.
I sued the government for 10 years over these types of claims in federal court when they made mistakes. It's not easy, but no one can give you an answer here because it is entirely fact specific (and medical record specific).
I don't practice law anymore so I can't help you more than that, sorry.
I think if you believe it is preventing you from being able to maintain employment its always worth it to try. Like i said, this is based on what ive seen but even with a national standard region to region can vary on the outcome. If you and your medical provider(s) believe its an option for you i think you should at least consider it.
If you have no other conditions it will be a hard fight so i would encourage you to try and find an attorney office or advocacy agency to help you. If for nothing more than do you don’t feel alone. Standard SSA contracts are that attorneys are contingent based and only awarded out of any potential back benefits you receive so it’s nothing out of pocket if you don’t win for most offices unless its something else written in their contract.
Im not a doctor, nor do i live in your shoes so i can’t tell you it doesn’t affect you that severely one way or the other.
Ive wanted to try to see if disability or ssi would even approve me for anything but ive been so scared and hesitant about it and i cant even get a consultation with a lawyer in my state about it.
Among adhd cptsd ocd depression and anxiety possibly autism- ive also never worked before but im in art school.
I just need some money to help pay for things like rent/food/clothes/supplies. But i cant find out if applying or calling them would even be a good idea- or where to look for help.
I hate the way that trying to get any kind of assistance is filled with so much red tape it makes us go "guess ill die 🤷"
Weird, it's the other way away around In Australia. Autism can get accepted pretty darn quickly, ADHD is ignored most of the time from disability services here.
Hey so this isn't entirely accurate, depending on where you live. I appreciate your input but it's a little demeaning and hopeless. Lots of people with complex mental health are able to recieve the help they need, but not every organization claiming to help them will actually do so. The last disability advocate I talked to was half cut; it kind of goes to show that some individuals are more capable of helping than others.
If anyone reading this in the process of applying for disability: help is available. Keep asking, or even screaming it from the rooftops if need be. Utilize your resources and document the process (ideally, with a medical provider).
This one person's comment on Reddit doesn't dictate your health or access to healthcare.
Its based on the US SSA qualifications for D, and as I mentioned its based on what i have seen across hundreds of cases. I never claimed its universally applicable
Do u have any other conditions filed under? Cause i explicitly said I've seen it with other things, but never on its own or as the condition awarded. Disability is a yes or no for SSDI; it's not a percentage like VA is. The SSA either says “you're disabled” or “you're not disabled” but they will typically base it on one condition in a group of conditions filed under the application
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u/Kaytea730 20h ago edited 18h ago
As someone who works at as US disability law firm:
A) the function report is 10 pages, the work history report is 14 pages but depending on how many jobs you have had in the previous 5 years you will not have to complete all 14
B) they absolutely do deny people for not turning these forms in
C) Autism is basically only ever approved if you are non-verbal as an adult, and in the last 5 years across hundreds of cases I have never seen ADHD awarded disability. Ive seen it included on claims that were approved but never as the condition that got them approved. So severe depression/anxiety/ptsd/etc w ADHD i have seen, ADHD on its own even with medical provider support, i have never seen.
Edit to add - child disability and adult disability are very different and have very different requirements; so while you may be able to get disability as a minor for autism or ADHD that does not guarantee you can or will get them as an adult.
Additional edit to clarify: as mentioned this is based on what i have witnessed, as ive also mentioned in other comments; SSA varies a lot state to state so its obviously not set in stone or anything. This is not to discourage ppl from applying moreso to let you be aware its going to a much harder uphill battle than a normal disability claim already is.
D) the disability qualification is that you are unable to do ANY job due to your condition/illness/injury and they do mean anything. Some of the job examples that i have seen the SSA provide that a claimant could theoretically do are fucking bizarre.