I don't think I'm the best person to answer, but I'll share about my limited contacts with Social Security.
I was approved for SSDI about 8 or 9 years ago. I actually forget. After approval and my payments began, I didn't hear anything at all from them for years other than the annual Medicare catalog and an occasional new Medicare card. My first contact from them was a short form CDR. Then years later I got the long form. I regret that I did not make copies of them. I don't recall if the forms asked me to list my diagnosis. I don't believe they asked for my psychiatrist's or therapist's signatures. I think they basically just wanted to know if I started to work (or study) again in any capacity, and how much (if at all) my functioning had improved or worsened. At those times my functioning had not improved, and it really hasn't improved much since. At least not enough to work more than an attempt at a very limited volunteer job, which I am currently unable to do, or 2 hours per week adult school class for a few weeks. I can do chores and errands, but not even those that perfectly. My ability to handle many basic ADLs has improved, but not fully.
I have no idea when I will hear from SS again. I have heard others say they had some kind of interviews or maybe their doctors were contacted again. As I wrote, that hasn't happened to me. I still have major episodes, especially mania, from time to time, though haven't been hospitalized since getting SSDI. Honestly, that's why I haven't been hospitalized, I believe. I fear that hospitalizations will occur again if I go back to work prematurely. Even a slightly stressful vacation can trigger a full blown episode, or at least a few steps back.
My only diagnosis is bipolar type 1. I do have a history of psychosis during several episodes. I, too, sometimes have major issues with anxiety, and I have a tendency to have mixed features as part of manias. When I was approved for SSDI, I had experienced 10 psych hospitalizations, one including ECT and many PHP/IOPs. I had tried to return to work part-time on several occasions between IOPs/hospitalizations (one reaching full-time briefly), but always became hospitalized again, even despite accommodations. My employer terminated me after holding my job for almost four years. I've tried and failed volunteering many times. I've had mixed success with taking adult school and online college classes (one at a time). Right now I feel accomplishment just going to the grocery store regularly or the occasional activity (classical concert, movie). There were points when I couldn't even go to the grocery store.
I am able to participate on these online forums, but have a hard time going to evening in-person groups. There was a period when I wrote in my blog almost daily, but haven't been able to do that much for a while now.
If your doctors agree that your mental health state and updated diagnoses are still fully disabling, I would hope that you have nothing to worry about.
Last edited by Anonymous46341; Nov 27, 2018 at 11:16 AM.
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