[Amandas256]

I have a question. Can you get disability for BP? I have a hard time leaving my house. I stress out when I have to. My only problem with the Disability thing is that I'm not sure how it works. I have been a housewife for 11 years and I didn't work much before that. My mom always took care of me. Can you draw disabilty if you never had steady employment?

[thinker22]

I don't know if you can get SS disability if you don't have enough of a work history. Mine wasn't great, but I did have enough over the past 11 years to get it. I just got accepted last month for bipolar and PTSD. It's kind of hard to get unless you have great letters from your doctors and a long paper trail of seeing docs for your illness(es).

You can start the application online, but you will need lots of info readily available to type into the form, like doctors names, numbers, addresses, dates you saw them, hospitals visited, every job you worked over the past ten years, how much they paid you to start and finish, why you stopped working there, what your duties were, their phone number and addresses, etc. Your daily activities and how they're restricted by your illness. It's time consuming. I started the process in August '09 and they gave me a decision in March (denial), I appealed and they gave me a new decision in May.

Good luck on the process. I'm not sure how the credits go with jobs and paying into the system, but I'll bet it's online somewhere. Finding that out would be most important for you as it might be a difficult process for nothing if they deem you not to be eligible. Social Security supplemental income (SSI) may not have the same rules as SS disability insurance (SSDI). So check that too. I'm on SSDI and it's the one related to working for a certain amount to pay into the system. SSI I think may be independent of that.

All the best. It sounds like you are disabled and I hope you can get some help soon.

[perpetuallysad]

thinker gave great information. I do know that you have to have had a work history within the last 15 years or so. Do you ever get that statement from social security that tells how many credits you have? There are a certain number of credits you must have in order to qualify for it. But like thinker said, you can qualify for ssi if you have little or no income and don't meet the work history requirements. Be prepared. Its very hard. I've been going through this since Nov 09 and in the appeals process now where I have to wait for 2 years to go before a judge. The state I live in is notorious for denying disability claims though, so I have heard its easier in other states.

[Denise26]

Well I have applied as well a few weeks ago in Fl and am awaiting a decision. You guys give me hope however as I am only 26 I dont have 15yrs work experience. I do however have hospitalizations and a great Dr who would attest very well to my condition being disabling. Wish you guys luck!

[Fresia]

The credits for work history is important and you can get a statement from the local social security office.

I've been working on and off since I was 16 so this wasn't an issue in my case but it is not an easy process. I was fortunate through work's disability insurance who hired an attorney who specializes in social security claims to help with the process. I don't know I could have done it with out them. It still was tough and the appeals process was lengthy besides the documentation and questioning process of your history. They said 99% of the time it does not go through initially and has to be appealed so be prepared for this, all a part of the process now. It was worth it.

I wish you much luck and remember to have patience.

[Amandas256]

Thanks everyone for the input. I live in Alabama and I really don't know how the process is here but, I'm definately gonna check it out. I won't have a problem getting my Dr. to write letters about my BP. I have hospitalizations plus 2 different therapists that I see. I really would like to be able to work but, it's so hard to leave the house. My family really needs the income.