My take on SSD is that if you can do anything at all, do it ... I was encouraged to apply for SSD early on in my recovery process and was all agog because I didn't feel as if I qualified (much less needed) to go there ...

There are plenty of jobs out there that will basically pay somebody to sit around and do "nothing" or at least responsibilities would be so minimal it would about qualify as "nothing" ... For instance, I worked as a third shift convenience store clerk for about 7 years as I underwent intensive therapy and counseling because, frankly, I could no longer do a job that required a lot of attention and detail ... It paid me $8.00 an hour and if I so desired I could make a little overtime too ...

I'm now further along in my recovery process and again am working at a job that requires a good bit more responsibility, but I'm also in a better place emotionally to handle that ...

I feel that when the government is taking care of your butt, it basically owns your butt ... Therefore, I would only want to go on welfare or disability only if it was absolutely necessary ... Believe me, it's a "last resort" option for me personally ...

I've learned I ain't to proud to turn my hand at just about anything as long as it's honest, and I've also learned that I ain't too good to perform tasks that many others would view as menial and/or beneath them ...

Of course, I used to think just like that before my first couple of hospitalizations for complete emotional collapses ... Nothing like a good dose of C-PTSD reality to snap somebody out of condescending snottiness ...