SSI chances are not good, are they?

SSI is my only hope left. If I don't get it, I WILL be dead within a year or two. I currently live with my father and he is absolutely clueless when it comes to my mental health. He keeps telling me to "just man up." I can't write what else I wanted to due to legal reasons. The social security people treated me like I was pulling a prank when I finally gathered the courage to apply for SSI. Why does this country not accept that depression is a disibility? They WANT me to just go and die, and I would, but doing so is illegal. I simply can't win.

I got on disability two years ago and it was a relief but it still doesn't pay enough to live independently which leaves me with the stress of never having enough money to get by.

I wish you luck on getting disability.

I'm on disability and money is s constant struggle just to pay bills. I have $7 to my name until the third and need gas and groceries.

U got some bad advise. Depression is a disability you have meet a certain
number of criteria if u go to the web socialsecurity.gov it will show u. If u don't have a doctor supporting u it will be hard 33% are approved the first time 66% win a appeal.

My disability was for major depression reoccurant & major anxiety & I got it on the first try way back in 1996. My pdoc was the one who encouraged me & actually helped me fill out all the forms.

For me, I had been working as an engineer for 15 years & disability was basically like getting my social security early based on my current income at the time it was necessary for me to leave work because of a breakdown I had which ended up turning into the major depression with the major anxiety. I was so bad off that it didn't take SSI any time to determine that I was seriously disabled.

I have only come to realize just how much my seriously BAD marriage added to the major depression to the point where I could no longer function in my computer engineering career. It was quite obvious to them that I could NO LONGER preform the tasks necessary for a computer engineer.

You need a convincing diagnosis of a disabling condition from a doctor to have any hope of qualifying for SSDI; once you have that in hand, there are specialist attorneys who will assist you in your disability application in exchange for a finite portion of your future benefits. These attorneys will be familiar with the intricacies and requirements of the application process and should be able to improve your chances of qualification. By the time I finally applied for disability, I had already racked up diagnoses from several reputable doctors and ten years' history of conspicuous dysfunction, so I didn't need an attorney. Regarding disability, the money may not amount to much, but Medicare is a critical benefit. Good luck and God speed.

Because there are people diagnosed with depression who do succeed at holding jobs. So they won't assume you are disabled just because you are depressed. (That would be prejudice and would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.) You have to show how your symptoms have interferred with you at work. You have to illustrate that very specifically.

If you are rather young, they may figure you just need more experience in the work force.

I applied for SSDI/SSI based on chronically recurring depression, and I got approved in 3 months. It helps to have a well documented history of going for treatment, combined with an extensive history of job failures. I had both.

Keep working with your lawyer.

I agree with Rose76. I just had my SSI hearing. I had a lawyer and have a long history of failures in working. You need to have good documentation and I would recommend getting a lawyer. With a lawyer, your chances are better. They do take your age into consideration. I am 55 and the older you are, the better chance you have of getting approved.

It also helps if you have more than 1 diagnosis. I have bipolar, chronic migraines and GAD.
Depression for me had always been fluctuating.I had periods in the past 20 years where I could hold a job, but now I can't. It's true that many people with chronic depression do work. More out of necessity than anything else. Frankly, I would love to be able to work.

You can get approved for depression.
You just have to go to therapy and get on medication.
The whole process can take up to 2 years....its a hard process..most people get denied at the application stage (so don't get discouraged)...keep going and don't give up..you will eventually be approved.

If you get diagnosed with Bipolar or Major Depression...it will be easier I think.