I've seen things my therapist has filled out before. He always makes sure to remind me that first he can't make me look good on the applications. But even then sometimes things surprise me, like reading that my appearance is often somewhat disheveled or that I lack insight into the severity of my illness or what is happening during episodes.

The records that most stunned me were from an ex-pdoc who sucked. She saw me 8 minutes per month and was documenting that I was functioning at a very high level because in her mind I couldn't have finished grad school and work in healthcare if I had bipolar or apparently even severe depression. I guess she couldn't picture a bipolar healthcare worker? So she made everything minimal, even when (I was still not dx'd bipolar yet). I was coming home from work, eating cold chefboyardee and climbing into bed in filthy scrubs and she was documenting that I was functioning higher than most non-mentally ill people do routinely. I got those records after I stopped seeing her and it just affirmed my decision to move on to someone competent.

I've seen disability paperwork from my current pdoc but never an evaluation or visit note. I think I'm happier this way. She is very truthful and honest with me but I know my paperwork shows a side that I don't care to think about much.