My application was turned down and I am feeling a bit discouraged. I want to find out the experiences of others who've applied for benefits.

1). How long did it take? (or if you haven't won your case, how long has it taken so far?)
2). How old were you when you applied, approximately? (feel free to skip if you want to keep this private...I only ask because Social Security often denies cases based on age)
3). What condition(s) did you apply for?
4). What convinced you that benefits were necessary?
5). If you received a rejection at any stage of the process, what reasons were cited?
6). any pointers?