I am on SSI and SSA because I have a mental disability.

I have an axis one and an axis two disorder.

It's "inivisible" though; I am not in a wheelchair.

Also, when I was 11, they detected some lesions on my brain, and I also have a vision problem.

But I hate it when ppl think I am lazy or don't want to work.

I got on SSI when I was 5. I was put in County Mental Health then because I was really emotionally disturbed and was upsetting the other children and the teachers could not deal with it.

For the rest of my life, so far, I have been on disability. My father, I think, collected railroad retirement or something, and now i have 2 checks.

I do not mean to abuse the system! I really think I need this money. With an axis one disorder to go with my axis two disorder, plus my physical disability, plus that ad on tv that talks about "Social Security being for mental AND physical..." Why do so many ppl assume that people abuse the system?!

I am sharing this because this attitude that I get in general adds to my mental health problems. I do not abuse anything. And I don't need MORE guilt about collecting benefits!

Carol