Go on SSI, maybe? Any tips?

I've been thinking about trying to get SSI for major depression for years. I mean I'm ALWAYS depressed and have been since I was 14 or so. But I was conditioned to work and always thought I couldn't apply anyway- depression is not "crazy", right?

I can work, but not really. I can only get crap jobs, and even then I usually get fired from them. I'm slightly paranoid- used to be very paranoid. And by crap jobs, I mean canvasser, petitioner, telefundraiser, answering service, etc.

Now I was fired from my last crap job and will probably lose my studio. I can't get a regular job NOW, because I've been looking for one all my life and haven't found or kept one. The economy, stupid.

I have plenty of crazy thoughts but I usually know they're crazy. I have nightmares pretty much EVERY NIGHT. I have S/I. When I'm broke, I have an eating disorder (who doesn't?) I think about suicide every day, and made a major attempt once. I've been hospitalized twice, but not at all recently.

But that's the problem- when I'm BROKE (which I usually am), I have an eating disorder- that is, I don't eat. When I'm not broke, I eat once a day. Which, to my potential SSI interviewer, is the cause and which the effect? My history is plenty crazy, but I KNOW what kind of society we live in- the USA, that is.

It's a Catch-22- if you've ever read "Catch 22", you know I mean literally. If you say or think you're crazy, you're not crazy, and therefore have to go and get killed, basically. If you don't know you're crazy, you're good to go.

My point is, I'm plenty crazy, and I plenty can't keep a job, but I've had to try. How can I possibly get SSI under these circumstances? Anyone who has these symptoms, but still has a semblance of a rational mind, have any suggestions?

I talk like someone who has a mind- I feel in most ways that I've lost mine. It's very complicated.

Hey,

Depending on where you live, you may be able to get vocational rehabilitation. Google "vocational rehabilitation [your state]." Services depend on the office, but for the most part, they can provide education (free of cost to you), externships, and then assistance with job placement. Some offices may be able to provide a JOB COACH, a trained professional who will go to work with you to help you get adjusted. An example would be 5 hours the first day, 4 hours the next, then once a week to check on you. If there is an issue at work, they may come back and do 2-4 extended days to help you resolve the issue.

As for SSI, depending on where you live, you may be allowed to make a few hundred dollars a month and still receive Social Security benefits. Don't forget to look into Medical Assistance. That way, you can get the treatment you need, and still keep working (as much as you can), which will help you stay dignified and positive.

You may still have to give up your studio - at least for a while. I would look into vocational rehab before you look into SSI.

In the past, I've also had trouble keeping jobs. I found this site very helpful. Some of the stuff is obvious; other things I would never have thought of. http://careerplanning.about.com/od/boss ... espect.htm

Good luck!!

I'm 18, my mom got laid of, step dad works 4-6 days a month and I they just canceled my SSI. I've got severe social anxiety\phobia, leave the house every few months, dropped out at like 10th grade. There is no way I could work, there isn't even jobs in my city with half the factorys shut down. So they decide to cancel mine after a few months. If your only depressed then they will not look at your application, sorry.

Ericisme - for you. If you recently turned 18, there may have been a change in your eligibility. Now that you are 18, you may have to look into it for yourself.

Lots and lots of resources: Michigan Social Security Disability.
http://www.ultimatedisabilityguide.com/ ... i_ssi.html

If you are determined ineligible for SSI, try this:

Career, education and workforce programs for individuals with disabilities. Extreme social phobia may qualify you for these programs.
http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd/0,1607,7-1 ... --,00.html

Office Locations:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd/0,1607,7-1 ... --,00.html

Home site:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd/0,1607,7-1 ... --,00.html

I go to a free depression/ manic-depression group here twice a week in times like these. The majority are manic-depressive, and the majority are on SSI. Are you won't believe what passes for problems for some of these people- either they're not being honest, or this is really what consumes them- their diet, for example, other than the fact they can't afford to eat. No offense to manic depressives, but it seems so easy for them, comparatively.

I also have fairly severe social anxiety/phobia, Eric. That's really the main reason I haven't been able to hold a decent job. It's not as overwhelming as yours is now, but I've had to try to take a living. And I understand your situation. My mom forfeited her job to help my sister with her boyfriend's situation and their kid, and now she absolutely can't find another. The boyfriend can't get a job, and my mom's boyfriend can't either. That leaves me, with a not-so-generous family in the first place, even more screwed. And Poppa, the miserly one with the money, has got Alzheimers young and bad.

Not that I usually rely on my family anyway. But the economy sucks a hard one. I would kill for an internship if someone would pay my rent. Some real work. There is no "career builder" for me, because I never had one. I looked for a real job in better times for 7 years. Best to you, Eric. I hope at least your family can find some work. And if any of you out there have work or SSI, thank your lucky damn stars. This country will let families out on the street- if it gives you money or lets you work, get down on your knees and pray.