[Altered Moment]

Anyone here on disability or applying for it? I am 50 years old and have had depression my whole life. If has interfered with my work career but I was luckey to have bosses who understood. I usually missed three months a year do to depression. Most bosses would not put up with this. My depression has gotten proggesively worse over the last five years with the addition of anxiety and social phobia. My last severe depression lasted six months and was suicidal all the time. Since then I have cycled in and out. My family and I decided given my whole history and current situation it would be best to apply for disability. Right now I am doing good but if I got out and get a job I will just lose it when the depression hits again. It takes forever to find out if you will win your case on appeal and I feel like I am in limbo. It could take over a year to find out. When depressed it is easier because I just sleep. When I am not in a depression I feel guilty that I am not doing anything. I need to find some purpose without working. This is much more difficult than I thought going from a person who has worked to my whole life to a person that is unable to work. I can't really go get a good job as a plumber for three months go into a depression and then go find another job after three months its just not going to work. I hope I win my case.

[Altered Moment]

I am currently doing good other than anxiety and social phobia. The Konopin works on the anxiety but not on the social phobia. If I go get a job I ruin my chances at winning the case and I will just lose the job at the next depression. I sleep alot during the day just to kill boredom. It is hard to sleep. watching the olympics. I need to find something with purpose but it is hard when you are afraid to leave the house.

[Fuzzybear]

[nocrzytrain62]

being of service to others on a volunteer basis is a great way to find purpose. I am sure that your city has a plumbing program that requires classes for the students (my son is in one) can't you volunteer as a tutor? Lots of schools need volunteers as listeners, you just sit there and listen to the kids practice reading out loud. Or start a chess club. So many nursing homes and assisted living centers need someone to just talk to residents brighten there day--these are all things that are useful and if the depression comes can be stopped until you can fight your way back again.
hope this helps