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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Christ_empowered on May 9, 2012, at 15:15:32
My application for disability has been approved. On the one hand, this is great. My parents will no longer have to support me, and I can live in the little apartment they bought me and have my own funds and be more autonomous.
On the other hand...wow. I'm crazed enough to get disability. I could possibly stay on disability for the rest of my days. I"m 27 now. This is a little ridiculous. What I'm hoping is that I can chill out some (I don't know if I have PTSD, but having an untreated psychotic disorder for years and being bullied and stigmatized because of it kinda took a toll on my psyche), do some vocational rehabilitation stuff, and maybe get a decent job sometime in the future.
I'm getting Medicaid, so now I could go somewhere besides the Public Mental Health place for treatment. I'd kind of like that...I don't want to sound like a junkie, but I think I could benefit from a benzo now and then, and public health in my state won't allow benzo prescriptions.
So...bitter-sweet victory, I guess. Also, its strange. I feel less incapacitated now than I was years ago, back when the shrinks were saying I wasn't crazy, just wanted to be "special," that I was stupid, etc. Now, the shrinks are saying I'm crazy, need meds, I got disability, and I supposedly have an above average IQ. Weird.
What do you think I should do? I was kind of thinking do an online (through a non-profit school, of course) program in...something. On disability, I'd qualify for hella financial aid and my parents would have more resources to chip in, so that's possible. Ugh. I just don't know.
Posted by Phillipa on May 9, 2012, at 19:00:02
In reply to Approved for disability, posted by Christ_empowered on May 9, 2012, at 15:15:32
CE hey that's great!!! I was on Disability when easier to get for about 12 years just for anxiety/depression. I think the online course would be great. And yes there are docs who accept medicaire. I have one even though mine is now SSRI still the same. Phillipa
Posted by Solstice on May 10, 2012, at 4:24:57
In reply to Approved for disability, posted by Christ_empowered on May 9, 2012, at 15:15:32
It's not about being "crazed," CE.. it's about having an illness severe enough that it prevents you from being able to hold down a job.
Solstice
Posted by poser938 on May 10, 2012, at 17:53:13
In reply to Approved for disability, posted by Christ_empowered on May 9, 2012, at 15:15:32
well, this is good. i know it is nice to have a feeling that you can support yourself more instead of having to rely on family members. my psychiatry told me that i should apply for disabillity.. i'm thinking about it.how long did it take them to approve you for it?
Posted by novelagent on May 15, 2012, at 0:34:18
In reply to Approved for disability, posted by Christ_empowered on May 9, 2012, at 15:15:32
Have your parents setup a special needs trust, for when they "chip in," unless you want that money to be a reason thatSocial Security will take you off Disability.
Also: you'll find you'll want to revise your plans to live off of $1k/month or so once you realize dating a girl costs money (if you're a guy). Also: not having a job is depressing.
Work with voc rehab-- start now, as they won't even talk to you until you go through s waiting list period of a few months in my state.
They can set you up with funds for school. And to make cash and keep your sanity through work, investigate "clubhouses"-- google "mental health clubhose" and enter your state. These set you up with a job for a little bit of time, without affecting your disability payments-- but work with your voc rehab counselor on it first.
I'm 28. You have my sarcastic permission to shoot me if I'm on disability by the time I'm 30. This is a temporary period of transition for me, and it is no life. I want to date... I want work. I've applied for a Plan for Achieving Self-Sufficiency, and suggest for you to as well. Good luck.
> My application for disability has been approved. On the one hand, this is great. My parents will no longer have to support me, and I can live in the little apartment they bought me and have my own funds and be more autonomous.
>
> On the other hand...wow. I'm crazed enough to get disability. I could possibly stay on disability for the rest of my days. I"m 27 now. This is a little ridiculous. What I'm hoping is that I can chill out some (I don't know if I have PTSD, but having an untreated psychotic disorder for years and being bullied and stigmatized because of it kinda took a toll on my psyche), do some vocational rehabilitation stuff, and maybe get a decent job sometime in the future.
>
> I'm getting Medicaid, so now I could go somewhere besides the Public Mental Health place for treatment. I'd kind of like that...I don't want to sound like a junkie, but I think I could benefit from a benzo now and then, and public health in my state won't allow benzo prescriptions.
>
> So...bitter-sweet victory, I guess. Also, its strange. I feel less incapacitated now than I was years ago, back when the shrinks were saying I wasn't crazy, just wanted to be "special," that I was stupid, etc. Now, the shrinks are saying I'm crazy, need meds, I got disability, and I supposedly have an above average IQ. Weird.
>
> What do you think I should do? I was kind of thinking do an online (through a non-profit school, of course) program in...something. On disability, I'd qualify for hella financial aid and my parents would have more resources to chip in, so that's possible. Ugh. I just don't know.
Posted by novelagent on May 15, 2012, at 0:36:15
In reply to Re: Approved for disability » Christ_empowered, posted by Solstice on May 10, 2012, at 4:24:57
> It's not about being "crazed," CE.. it's about having an illness severe enough that it prevents you from being able to hold down a job.
>
> SolsticeOr letting you talk yourself into believing that, in my case... It's all b.s. People can overcome sh*t, and all pity parties here do is enable people to live miserable, half-dead lives.
Posted by novelagent on May 15, 2012, at 0:38:05
In reply to Re: Approved for disability » Christ_empowered, posted by Solstice on May 10, 2012, at 4:24:57
> It's not about being "crazed," CE.. it's about having an illness severe enough that it prevents you from being able to hold down a job.
>
> Solsticesorry, that wasn't aimed at you-- It was aimed at myself.
Posted by Christ_empowered on May 15, 2012, at 16:27:20
In reply to Re: Approved for disability » Solstice, posted by novelagent on May 15, 2012, at 0:38:05
I didn't mean "crazed" in a terrible way, lol. Its just...odd. Before, I was basically The Village Idiot (unmedicated psychosis). Now, I'm much more lucid, a bit smarter, etc. etc....and I can get disability.
Anyway, my parents are looking into that trust thing. I'm thinking that I should probably stick w/ vocational rehab. Honestly, a lot of my problems aren't even psychiatric. I was treated like crap when I was un-medicated and exploited and stigmatized...it makes it hard to want to *DO* anything besides take a little bit of $$$ from the government, light up a cigarette, and chill the f*ck out. But I can't live that way.
I do have loads of college credits, so this plan to achieve self-sufficiency interests me. If I can find an online program (a non-profit one, obviously) that'll work with me, I think I could hve a 4 year degree in 1.5-2.5 years, depending on how many of my fluffly social science credits actually get counted.
I'm actually doing better now than I have...ever. I was a weird kid, an awkward teen who heard voices, and then disordered and crazed for a bit there. Now I take 1-2 meds, loads of vitamins, and I actually (gasp) function, to some extent. I have some social skills, I have the ability to learn things and interact well with people in a work environment, I've been properly socialized through Christian Rehab, so a lot of my "disordered" feelings and behaviors are a thing of the past....
...basically, I don't feel *good* about disability, but I feel like I can benefit from it. Make sense? I think that if I can get my sh!t together and just stick with the program, I can probably be autonomous by...I dunno...35?
For most people, that'd be a little bit ridiculous. But ocnsidering how far I've come, being autonomous with a long standing psychotic disorder plus all the "disorders" that used to plague my existence, is doing OK, I think.
Posted by Novelagent on May 15, 2012, at 17:30:01
In reply to Re: Approved for disability, posted by Christ_empowered on May 15, 2012, at 16:27:20
It sounds like we have a lot in common-- we both appear to be born again somewhat(?), had a psychotic episode that no longer affects us, and now, on disability (I think you said you had it already, although I can't recall). We also both appear to have a bunch of college credits from a mixed academic history, and are looking to see what college is absurd enough to help us recycle them for a diploma basically made out of our scraps.
Look, yeah, it sounds like you just want to take it one step at a time, but you need to re-approach this from a rather different light: it is precisely -because- you have a disability that was hard on you that you should expect more out of yourself, and even achieve more than you likely would have had you never had the disability challenge what limits you only know you had because you had to confront such limits to begin with. And now that those limits are rather pulled back again, all the more reason to challenge yourself to find what new heights you can strive toward.
The fact you've come this far is a reason to push yourself in ways you might never thought were worth it, if for no other reason that to prove you can beat the odds still.
The worst part is pretty much over. The storm's over, so why must you hide in your shelter? 35? The re-building might not seem fun, but it's a lot better than living a life in waiting.
What are you going to do to make yourself feel rewarded somehow? Empowered? Why would you fear answering that question? If you need motivation, take some Vyvanse-- it's being studied, with good results, for schizophrenia by Shire (although any stimulant will suffice). Google shire vyvanse schizophrenia to read the results of their phase II trial-- they also presented two posters on Vyvanse for schizophrenia.
You should probably be on a long-acting injection, if you're not on one. They are helpful in making the odds of relapse go down to like zero. I also like it, because I don't have to worry about missing a dose, which causes me to feel tired for the next four days to the point I can't function.
But yeah, the storm's over. You can do things like work just 9 hours a week for some extended time, or take just one or two classes to help ease you back into college life-- you need to be aware all-or-nothing thinking is not your friend, and is distorting your perspective + ability to make good life choices right now. No one's saying, find a 60 hour job you'll burn out at, or go back to school on a full course load and declare a triple major.
You can find gasps of breath while re-introducing yourself to the world again, and your medical benefits take years to expire and even then, there's medicare buy-in programs for when you're transitioning back off of disability once it expires. You'll continue to receive Medicaid for as long as you are somewhat poor, and you also don't need to earn much to break even, given your apartment. So, you have a lot of things to feel alright with.
> I didn't mean "crazed" in a terrible way, lol. Its just...odd. Before, I was basically The Village Idiot (unmedicated psychosis). Now, I'm much more lucid, a bit smarter, etc. etc....and I can get disability.
>
> Anyway, my parents are looking into that trust thing. I'm thinking that I should probably stick w/ vocational rehab. Honestly, a lot of my problems aren't even psychiatric. I was treated like crap when I was un-medicated and exploited and stigmatized...it makes it hard to want to *DO* anything besides take a little bit of $$$ from the government, light up a cigarette, and chill the f*ck out. But I can't live that way.
>
> I do have loads of college credits, so this plan to achieve self-sufficiency interests me. If I can find an online program (a non-profit one, obviously) that'll work with me, I think I could hve a 4 year degree in 1.5-2.5 years, depending on how many of my fluffly social science credits actually get counted.
>
> I'm actually doing better now than I have...ever. I was a weird kid, an awkward teen who heard voices, and then disordered and crazed for a bit there. Now I take 1-2 meds, loads of vitamins, and I actually (gasp) function, to some extent. I have some social skills, I have the ability to learn things and interact well with people in a work environment, I've been properly socialized through Christian Rehab, so a lot of my "disordered" feelings and behaviors are a thing of the past....
>
> ...basically, I don't feel *good* about disability, but I feel like I can benefit from it. Make sense? I think that if I can get my sh!t together and just stick with the program, I can probably be autonomous by...I dunno...35?
>
> For most people, that'd be a little bit ridiculous. But ocnsidering how far I've come, being autonomous with a long standing psychotic disorder plus all the "disorders" that used to plague my existence, is doing OK, I think.
This is the end of the thread.
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