What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania
I live in very rural PA without access to “real” doctors. Almost all specialized medical services around here are filled by nurse practitioners. I have not been able to be seen by a “real” psychiatrist because the closest one is over an hour away and I have a limited ability to travel significant distances due to my circumstances.
I have already been denied SSDI/SSI about six months ago on the grounds that while my condition is severe, it’s not severe enough. Since then, I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, agoraphobia, and psychotic features in addition to my preexisting diagnoses of severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, dissociative episodes, and severe OCD. I’ve struggled with psychiatric issues since childhood but almost two years ago, work stress culminated in a nervous breakdown and my whole life fell apart. I was only in the workforce for five years before I could no longer work. I haven’t worked since March 2017.
I had consulted a disability lawyer for my initial case and he basically told me there was no possibility of being accepted because I hadn’t been put into a psychiatric hospital at least four times in the past year. My insurance doesn’t cover inpatient psychiatric services and my parents are skilled at handling me and preventing me from harming myself or anyone else within the confines of the house. Lawyer said that doesn’t matter. Then he asked me a lot of personal questions about my sex life, which I’m not sure were relevant but certainly made me suspicious of his services.
I think my new diagnoses would be enough to let me pass but I’m concerned that a diagnosis by a psychiatric nurse practitioner won’t carry the same weight as a diagnosis from a proper doctor. Has anyone found this to be an issue?
I live in very rural PA without access to “real” doctors. Almost all specialized medical services around here are filled by nurse practitioners. I have not been able to be seen by a “real” psychiatrist because the closest one is over an hour away and I have a limited ability to travel significant distances due to my circumstances.
I have already been denied SSDI/SSI about six months ago on the grounds that while my condition is severe, it’s not severe enough. Since then, I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, agoraphobia, and psychotic features in addition to my preexisting diagnoses of severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, dissociative episodes, and severe OCD. I’ve struggled with psychiatric issues since childhood but almost two years ago, work stress culminated in a nervous breakdown and my whole life fell apart. I was only in the workforce for five years before I could no longer work. I haven’t worked since March 2017.
I had consulted a disability lawyer for my initial case and he basically told me there was no possibility of being accepted because I hadn’t been put into a psychiatric hospital at least four times in the past year. My insurance doesn’t cover inpatient psychiatric services and my parents are skilled at handling me and preventing me from harming myself or anyone else within the confines of the house. Lawyer said that doesn’t matter. Then he asked me a lot of personal questions about my sex life, which I’m not sure were relevant but certainly made me suspicious of his services.
I think my new diagnoses would be enough to let me pass but I’m concerned that a diagnosis by a psychiatric nurse practitioner won’t carry the same weight as a diagnosis from a proper doctor. Has anyone found this to be an issue?
