SS disability questions

I've read several posts here and researched SSD on the net so I know the basics. Back in '92 or so a therapist and psychiatrist helped me file for disability. I was denied even with a therapist, pdoc, and my personal doctor. The pdoc explained to me that almost everyone is denied initially and I should appeal. I just couldn't follow up on it. I was a wreck mentally and felt like I didn't deserve disability and didn't want to battle any bureaucracy. I was afraid of my own government. Silly I know but that was my mindset.
I'm being encouraged by family to file for SSD due to depression. I don't like the idea much but I won't be a financial burden to family and I think the chances of ever being meaningfully employed and independent again are slim.
I think my chances of being approved for disability are also slim. I haven't seen anything relevant to my situation posted here so I'll give some details and see what advice I get.
I'll be 56 years old in September. I worked 4 out of the last 10 years. Three of the last ten years were spent as caregiver to my mother. I've paid enough FICA taxes to qualify. Last time I was in therapy was from about 1988 until about 1993. I received medication consultations and meds at MHMRA for 2 to 3 years in the mid to late 90's. Not sure about the dates there. I was discharged from MHMRA services for either "lack of progress" or budget cuts. I was given one reason by a doctor and the other from my case worker. Since then I've seen an MD for medication. So I've been on various meds since 1988. Geez, that's embarrassing.
I know that documentation of depression and how it prevents one from working is the key to approval. I don't feel I have a good case since I haven't had psychiatric care for a long time and I worked full time from approximately a year after my mother died until about three years ago.

Yes, it sounds like you probably don't have a good case since you aren't in therapy or trying to find work or haven't a lot of the time. Whether you "could" find work is not something considered; the problems of the economy are not considered when dealing with your, personal illness problems. But I would check with a lawyer; they would know for sure if you had a "case" and be able to help you most (as they'd have a financial stake in your getting it).

Didn't your family give you some income when you were taking care of your mother (so they didn't have to take care of her!) or consideration afterwards (if she died, leave you the house or most of any estate, that sort of thing)? If you have siblings, I think I'd swallow any pride and come up with a plan whereby if they didn't want to be "burdened" with you that they contribute some for your past services and help you find a job you could do or something.

Let me see if I can respond to that w/o appearing to be making excuses or something like.
I'm not in therapy because I have no money for therapy. After being dropped by MHMRA I still needed meds. I talked to my mother's doctor about the situation. He prescribed the meds I had been getting from MHMRA. One of the scrips is IMO expensive. When I ran out of money my siblings paid for the meds. That and food and shelter was the extent of my "pay." I really didn't expect or want to be paid for taking care of my mother. It was something that needed to be done and I did it. I was a musician in between gigs and I was disillusioned with that job anyway. It wasn't as if I was giving up much. I sold all my equipment and did what I felt was my duty.
There was no house or estate after my mother died. Just bills.
After I began working again paying for my meds was not a problem. Seeing a therapist was something I considered but didn't pursue. I felt "good enough" most of the time I was working. My experiences being caregiver to my mother left me a bit empty and w/o much vision of a future. I was pretty much just going on w/ existence to see what happened because...well that's all I saw left to do. I had been depressed and ending my life was a frequent thought before my mother's illness. My commitment to taking care of my mother isn't quite over yet either. She had two cats. One died recently. The other is still my responsibility. I still see that as part of my commitment.
Accepting help from my family isn't a matter of swallowing pride. I just don't want or expect my family to do any more than they have already.
Other than the sister I live with I rarely hear from my family. I don't talk with my sister very much. She has problems of her own.
I have about $700 left in savings. I actually like working. It's good for the self esteem. It's probably necessary for self esteem in my case. I have a really hard time just getting myself psyched up to go to the grocery store though, so I think getting a job is pretty unlikely. Guess I'm going to have to look into that "or something" suggestion.
Thanks for trying to help.

Hi Mike - So, I'm trying to understand your situation...

You are under the care of your mother's MD for psych meds, correct? And you said you haven't been working for the last three years.. is that right? How have you been spending your time over the last three years? Have you had multiple med switches in the last year or so, or otherwise been struggling to regain a sense of stability? How difficult is it for you to get to the grocery store? Or to take care of things at home? Once you do get out to a store or somewhere, is it difficult for you to complete the task due to fatigue, anxiety, lack of concentration, etc?

If you do believe that you are, at times, not well enough to work, then I would consult a disability lawyer. Remember, too, that you don't have to be stuck in bed all day, every day, to be considered disabled. It's as much a consistency thing as it is an ability thing. You may very well feel like you can work some days, and then other days you can't get out of bed. They take all of that into consideration. A SS disability lawyer will be able to tell you if you have a case, and it will not cost you a dime out of pocket. They work entirely on contingency. They only get paid if you win, and it comes out of any back pay that might be owed to you, up to a certain amount. You honestly have nothing to lose by talking to a lawyer. If they say yes, then they will help you and your doctor go from there. If they say no, then you and your doctor can figure out what to do next. I would strongly recommend making a phone call.

I think found my answer on the ssa.gov website. If you are over the age of 31 you must have worked 5 of the last 10 years.