Comments on: Does Social Security concsider social phobia a disability?

By: TomaszStasiuk

TomaszStasiuk — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:40:00 +0000

Social Security is not easy. The touchstone question is whether an individual is able to work and earn $1,000/month before taxes (increasing to $1,010 in 2012). If an individual’s part time work is less than that, the work would not result in an automatic denial. Social Security would have to consider if all the circumstances (work plus school in your case) suggest an ability to do full time work. So… it is possible that you might still be able to work and apply for Social Security benefits.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:16:00 +0000

I still live with my mother (i’m 20) but have been dealing with social anxiety. I work part-time, and I am going to be going to school (I’m off for the next semester) but there is so much anxiety in these two departments that in some respects I just want to take online classes and quit my job (which is in retail) … but, I can’t because I wouldn’t have money to pay my bills. I don’t feel well about this issue. I wish I could receive these benefits so I didn’t have to work but I doubt they’d give it to me since I’m technically still dependent on my mother in a lot of respects. But she doesn’t make money so..

By: TomaszStasiuk

TomaszStasiuk — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:56:00 +0000

Social Security isn’t going to “run out of money.” It’s a matter of less money coming in than going out. However, as the US has operated with a deficit for quite some time. And the notion of maintaining a deficit is even one of the early precepts of this country (see Alexander Hamilton). So, the possibility of Social Security running on a deficit for a period of time is not out of the question. The bigger issue is the push to cut expenses on those who are not paying their “fair share.” That philosophy is more likely to lead to cuts in services and benefits for the poor, elderly, and disabled.

By: TomaszStasiuk

TomaszStasiuk — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:42:00 +0000

Fortunately, no. However, a number of my clients have.

By: Ewingcakes

Ewingcakes — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:18:00 +0000

You sound very supportive to others,do you have social phobia also?

By: Ewingcakes

Ewingcakes — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:15:00 +0000

Wow,sounds so like my situation,I’m so fearful to go to the dr.,just going to the hospital is just ,,,can’t even describe,too scary,been on ssdi few years now,so grateful,but now so worried they say ssdi runs out of money in 6 years,don’t know what I will do,i have thought of ending my life,being around people is death to me anyway,thanks for reading,Edward.

By: ViridianGym

ViridianGym — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:38:00 +0000

lol i have this but i can still over power it … the only probelm with me is my family if i had my own place i would go out anytime and welcome people to my house and be friends … but i have this fear that say if i go out my mom will ask where are u going and am afraid if i get bored and come back in in 20 mins so yeah i just need my own home to spread my wings in other words my life

By: TomaszStasiuk

TomaszStasiuk — Mon, 30 May 2011 16:21:00 +0000

Hi Amanda, thank you for sharing. While I recommend working a lawyer (we try to make it as simple as possible), I understand it can still be very difficult, to find someone and go in for appointments. In most cases, individuals can appeal online https://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/appeal

There are not forms to wait for the appeal can be done in the privacy of one’s own home. The online appeal walks you through each step.

Good luck!

By: TomaszStasiuk

TomaszStasiuk — Mon, 30 May 2011 16:21:00 +0000

There are not forms to wait for the appeal can be done in the privacy of one’s own home. The online appeal walks you through each step.

Good luck!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 30 May 2011 06:08:00 +0000

Hi Sarah. My name is Amanda and I could have written everything you just did. I was also denied and feel hopeless. I don’t know how to appeal..it involves contacting people, attorneys, doctors and hello, that’s why I applied for disability – I *can’t* do that sort of thing. I can’t make phone calls. Can’t leave my house. I feel utterly doomed.

By: TomaszStasiuk

TomaszStasiuk — Mon, 09 May 2011 04:11:00 +0000

Sarah, it sounds like you are dealing with serious problems.

I am glad you applied and that you are appealing. Hang in there.

By: sarah

sarah — Sun, 08 May 2011 01:11:00 +0000

I’m 25 yrs. old, and have been dealing with some social phobia since around middle school. I can’t say exactly what is wrong, I’m too scared to go see doctors.The last time I went was years ago, and i was told it was only social anxiety. I hardly leave the house, let alone my room. I have panic attacks almost daily. I’ve distanced myself from friends, and hardly talk to family.The only time I really do get out is to the grocery store. I feel trapped, and sometimes leave on that fact alone. Someone has to go with me now, in case I feel too panicked and have to step outside. I have palpitations that keep me up at night. I have filed for disability,and was denied. I’m trying to complete an appeal. I’m having a hard time explaining my disability, I feel everything I think of or write down is stupid, and have difficulty with someone reading something I have written, for fear of them judgeing me..I know it’s more than “social anxiety”, but I can’t get past feeling like an idiot for the reasons i have for not functioning like a “normal” person.. And I don’t know how to prove something is wrong with me, since I have not been to see a doctor in some time.

By: ik

ik — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 05:10:00 +0000

I’d recommend to people who feel this is happening or is going to happen with regards to avoiding their doctor/psychiatrist because of a mental illness. To see the doctor and have them document that your mental illness is causing problems with your ability to actually see doctors. That way if there is a gap in treatment, or no recent treatment. Then at least it would be documented that the person’s mental illness was causing problems and/or preventing them from seeing the doctor. That would probably be better than having nothing documented as to why you haven’t been seeing your doctor.

By: TomaszStasiuk

TomaszStasiuk — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:34:00 +0000

Hi, Vanessa. Every case is different so it is very difficult to make general statements about how to prove a case. Especially, when I can’t say, “make sure SSA gets your medical records.”

Personally, I recommend working with a lawyer to help figure out the best way to develop your case. However, it can be difficult during a comparison review since there are no back benefits to be used for fees (since the benefits are still being paid).

When an individual seriously isolates themselves (avoiding doctors, friends, family, etc), it may help to get letters documenting this isolation, the types of events they have refused to go (church, family get-togethers, dinners, children’s sporting events, weddings, funerals, avoiding family and friends visiting from out of state). There is in addition to documenting other examples of avoiding public situations (not shopping until past midnight, leaving stores if too crowded, leaving groceries and walking out if too noisy, sitting in the back at events, leaving events early, doing telephone meeting with children’s school instead of attending school conferences). There is no limit to the possible ways of documenting this.

By: vanessa

vanessa — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:08:00 +0000

Hi, I have been on disabiilty for five years now. but i stopped going to the doctor because i was so afraid. I am on review now, how do i prove i’m still disabled? I have no friends, i avoid my family.

By: Deb

Deb — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 14:33:00 +0000

I don’t think there would be any witnesses. In order to have a witness, you have to have someone who is your friend and care to provide testimony. If you had no friends in the work environment, then you have no witness testimony. But I do have counseling sessions where I’ve discussed my workplace problems with my counselor. So, I say could use my counselors testimony. I think I’ll see my counselor to see if he will write a letter describing my limitations. As they do GAF scores, and also have forms about your activity of daily living. So, I say he could use that to write a letter explaining how I can’t work because of my psych problems. That may help get me approved 1st thing.

I did talk to some attorneys. But all they cared about were what docs I’ve seen in the past year. Even though I’ve been dealing with these things for 10 years even though I may not have seen a doc every month about it. I did talk to an advocate, but they were kind of harsh as I told them about my many physical and mental impairments. So, I guess they were concerned about my testimony not being credible. I did mention about asking for accommodations from employers in the past under the ADA. And I guess they didn’t like that either.

By: TomaszStasiuk

TomaszStasiuk — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:27:00 +0000

It’s nice to be able to give a short answer.

Yes.

Everything you mention can be brought up. It is also often a good idea to have the individual’s lawyer lawyer try to get documentation of these events through written testimony or witnesses at hearing.

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:29:00 +0000

With regards to having Social Phobia/Anxiety. Does it help to mention all the continuous problems you’ve had with people at the work environment? People with Social Phobia tend to be socially awkward to where they get targeted just like in school. So say I get made fun of at every place I’ve work at because I’m awkward. And there are always people at every place I’ve worked at trying to get me fired because I’m “odd” or “weird”. And I end up having a lot of problems in the work environment with everyone always trying to get me fired in which I’ve gotten fired from these jobs because of these people.

i.e. something wrong happens at work. And these people that make fun of me are the ones who say to the boss that I did it when they don’t even who did it. They just use me as a scapegoat everytime because I don’t socialize with people and act awkard which is caused by my disorder. And that happens at every job.

By: Ned

Ned — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:04:00 +0000

When you filed, did you have medical documentation? Were you diagnosed by a regular doctor, or by a psychiatrist? Did you have a GAF score or something else that rated your limitations? I know some mental health clinics also have forms to rate your level of functioning as if your impairment is “marked.”

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:44:00 +0000

You don’t have SAD, you have paranoid schitzophrenia.

If you had SAD, you would go into your bedroom as soon as your roommate got home, not the other way around, and you would feel relief when he left.