Bless your heart. First, you CAN get an attorney without having to pay for it, in order to get disability. You hire him on "contingency," meaning he gets paid out of your disability award when it comes thru. And he can't get more than 25% of that award. At least that's the percentage when I got my disability. But you don't pay him anything until you get your disability. And if you do NOT get the disability, he gets paid NOTHING. So that gives him an incentive to work hard for you. Usually, once you hire a disability attorney, you almost always are approved. So hire one!!

Secondly, just because you're on disability doesn't mean the end of your life. DO NOT buy into the thinking that being on disability is next to having one foot in the grave! Also, you PAID INTO this fund, and this is YOUR MONEY you're getting back!! It's is NOT a "hand out." This is money you have coming to you!!! You've been paying into it for years and years!!! If you don't get it, it will just go to the "general fund" of the U.S. and they will waste it like they've been doing!!!

You MAY never be able to work in your field again -- no one knows. I can never work in mine again either because my disability is due to severe spine issues. I was an Optician for many years and it was necessary that I be on my feet all day -- well, I cannot do that anymore. In fact it's difficult to stand for 5 minutes now. Plus I have times I have to lay flat, and I doubt there's any place that will let me do THAT. lol I've been disabled since I was about 44 yrs old -- and I really took a hit, mentally. But, I got thru it and I'm now 64 yrs old. But that happens to all of us -- having trouble accepting it mentally. It IS difficult -- and sometimes we need counseling to deal with it. I'm glad you're in therapy.

You do have a few things to think about, but as far as disability it doesn't have to be permanent. You can get back OFF of it if you decide you want to go back to work -- or you can work a LITTLE while you're on disability. There's a certain amount of money you can make while you're on disability -- they'll tell you how much. If you go over that, you'll lose your disability.

I wish you the very best. Please take care and God bless. Hugs, Lee