Newbee Question...

What What is the name of your state? Florida

Hi Folks,

I will turn 53 next week. I've been in my current job for 15 years and have been employed full time continuously for the past 30 years. I have sufficient credits with SS to qualify for SSD and recieve an adequate benefit for disability. I have suffered from chronic depression requiring medical supervision and the taking of appropriate Rx medication for the past 25 years. I was hospitalized once 10 years ago and have been diagnosed as having "borderline personalitiy disorder". At times I have resorted to burning myself and driving nails into the webbing between my fingers to get relief from the emotional pressure & pain caused by the depression. I am also an alcoholic who has been sober for five years continuous. The medication eliminates the bizarre behavior but no medication that I have ever tried has relieved the almost complete lack of drive the depression causes. And that causes trouble at work.

I recently discovered that I will most likely be losing my job in the next few months. I've had it with trying to fight both the depression while holding down a full time job. This will be the third position I've held that I've been let go from for lack of performance. Those three represent all of the companies I have ever worked for I am sorry to say. The problem is that one particularly nasty sympton of the depression is a near complete lack of drive in life which leads to substandard results at work - a paralysis of sorts. Try though I have to beat it, it always catches up with me.

Do I have to wait until I actual do lose my job to apply for SSD? Or can I apply now and then quit my job when and if the SSD gets approved?

Any other pointers or advice you'd care to give I would appreciate very much.

Thanks!

You most likely will not be able to apply now,Unless you have a psychiatrist and Dr's. willing to find that you can not work in any type of Gainful Employment you most likely will not qualify.

Also, your "lack of performance " hasn't actually got you Terminated from jobs. It sounds more like a layoff situation. Being able to keep 3 Jobs in all them years will probably go against you too.

The purpose of disability is for those who CAN NOT work at any Gainful Employment.

Also, when you do apply, SSA will most likely have you evaluated by a psychiatrist/psychologist that they chose.

Blonde Lebinese said:

You most likely will not be able to apply now,Unless you have a psychiatrist and Dr's. willing to find that you can not work in any type of Gainful Employment you most likely will not qualify.

Also, your "lack of performance " hasn't actually got you Terminated from jobs. It sounds more like a layoff situation. Being able to keep 3 Jobs in all them years will probably go against you too.

The purpose of disability is for those who CAN NOT work at any Gainful Employment.

Also, when you do apply, SSA will most likely have you evaluated by a psychiatrist/psychologist that they chose.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply.

Regarding the three jobs which I have been terminated from please know that in all three cases I was given the choice of resigning or being fired. Many companies do this to avoid having to pay unemployment. In no case did I have a choice about going. I was not hedging on what happened when I described these incidents above. I was just trying to be both honest and accurate in my description. "Lack of perfromance" was indeed the reason in each case for my termination.

As for "gainful employment" are you saying that a person must not able to earn money doing anything? I mean anyone who is capable of typing and posting a question or comment here in the forum would be capable of making some money doing something I would think. Or am I just not understanding what "gainful employment" means?

I have no resevations or concerns about seeing SSA's doctors at all. I'm not out to scam the system. I want to do what is right.

Thanks,
Bill (Smoote)

http://www.ssa.gov/

Gainfull Employment means you can make enough money to support yourself and keep the employment.
SSA sets an amount to determine Gainful employment amounts.

The minimum time they consider eligibility is if you can't work at ANY job for 12 months or more. They have a list of jobs that are available in the US.

I understand now you were terminated, but for how long at each job were you able to keep it ?

The question is, are you able ( determined by Drs. ) to be Gainfully Employed again ?

Blonde Lebinese said:

http://www.ssa.gov/

Gainfull Employment means you can make enough money to support yourself and keep the employment.
SSA sets an amount to determine Gainful employment amounts.

The minimum time they consider eligibility is if you can't work at ANY job for 12 months or more. They have a list of jobs that are available in the US.

I understand now you were terminated, but for how long at each job were you able to keep it ?

The question is, are you able ( determined by Drs. ) to be Gainfully Employed again ?

Click to expand...

Oh OK I see now.

I had each job for quite some time (5yrs, 10yrs & 15yrs). As I mentioned earlier I have not had any period longer than two months or so or unemployment between jobs over the past 30 years.

I understand too about the Doctors which is fine.

You've been a big help.

Thanks,
Bill

disabled and denied

I was determined disabled back in 1985, since then my bi-polar disorder,chemical imbalance, and manic depression has caused me to go through several hospitalizations, board and care facilities, and also a period of medication changes in that order. Even though I was considered a borderline case I had difficulty in holding a job for more than a few months at a time. In 1990-91 when I finally went through the medication change was when I actually figured out I needed help. Before then I was in denial and delusional. I was able to find myself begin to try to put my life into a structured environment. Finally, I worked myself off of SSI after 2000 but in 2003 I fell from a ladder and broke my hip. Depression, and mood swings are just more than I can deal with at this time. When my hip didn't heal right I applied for SSI again and SSDI. Even though I had been on SSI for over 15yrs I was denied.They told me I was still able to have gainful employment even with my injury. My doctors specifically state that I am to be excluded from prolonged sitting or standing so I am not able to have a desk job or any other full time job that I can think of. Maybe you might consider that you can find someone that can take the time to monitor you as you try a medication change. I was lucky enough to find just such a person that cared enough to know what I was going through and what would help me in my situation. There are so many meds that do work but there are ones that will agree to your metabolism so that you won't suffer side effects. Yours seem to be minimal. I do need to caution you as I have had adverse reactions to some meds. It does take a determination by not only you but your monitor to assess the effects if you do decide to try to improve your quality of life. I am one to say I didn't think it the meds would make a difference and they weren't, it was the people who cared enough to find the right one. I am living proof! I keep those people close to my heart and in my prayers as I still have so many things to get through and overcome.