[lenjan]

I feel like putting that "BLA BLA BLA" smiley up here! All I did was "bla bla bla."

Took about 45 min. His degree is in educational psych -- you know -- for the people not smart enough to get into clinical programs. Nice enough guy, I guess, but couldn't get a read on him. (You can tell my T is just a baby T, because when his emotions are strong, they're all over his face. He hasn't mastered the art of impassivity regardless of what horror stories he's hearing yet.)

There was some history-taking, and a lot of crap like "recite these numbers backward" and "what year is this" and "do you know why we're talking today" and I mean GEEZE, I already told the guy I wasn't delusional or psychotic or anything, just depressed and traumatized!

I really don't know what he was thinking -- he asked if I lived alone (yes), and can I take care of the apartment by myself. I said yes, except that I have a friend to come over and clean, because of my physical illness I'm not capable of bending and stretching yet. I have to give myself shots in the stomach every day and they cause HUGE, like 2 inch wide bruises, and it hurts to bend over or reach up. So he wrote that down as "not able to take care of self." I guess that will help my case, maybe, but geeze, it's not like I can't take out the trash or something, I just can't bend and reach!

I dunno. I have no idea what the report will end up saying. Can those of you who have been through this share your experiences with me? I'd like to hear them.

Candy

Been through comprehensive psychological evaluations so many times I can see one shrink that I had 2 with, with my eyes closed.

You cant get a "read" on the testing shrink because they have to remain neutral so as not to infuence the testing one way or the other.

Just go with it, if this is for SSDI let him find all that he can because the more he finds the better the chance at getting approved for SSDI the first time through.

You may tell them you are not this and that but they need to find that info for themselves based on your answers on the questions and your body language and tone of voice and facial expressions when being asked the questions. The more you tell them you are not something they will write you up as being in denial of possibly having that.

Remain calm and aswer the questions calmly as if it was the first time you heard that question. You will find there are going to be many questions asked more than once (for example one computerized test asks the same question 13 different times but worded slightly different but they are looking for consistancy in answers.) to see if you change your answer or add more information. Tip for testing: In the psych world there is no such thing as "never" and "always". Nothing is black and white because there is always room for exploring.