OK, so story time:

[theslithytove]

I’m on SSI, have been for years, and I have a friend who’s looking to me as an expert/knowledgeable in Disability qualifications. Only problem is I’m only one brain, and she and I are worried that I’m biased because I know her. So I’m looking to you guys for an opinion

Comments

[yesido]

Maybe. Maybe not. If your friend doesn't have a fairly extensive work history, SSD is right out. SSI, well--it depends on a few things. Most importantly, who is deciding her case, which is something she has no control over. Other things: can she really clearly tie her joblessness and poor academic performance to depression? What kind of treatment is she getting, how compliant is she, what does her psychiatrist say? (I'm gonna hazard a guess and say that if she's not getting treatment, she probably shouldn't bother applying at this point). What her treatment team says is probably gonna be the single biggest deciding factor--and again, if she doesn't have one, well... And how much has been done to try to help her outside of her treatment team? Is she getting help from the disabilities office, or whatever they call it at her school? If she has a diagnosed medical condition (bipolar) that makes her have a hard time getting her schoolwork done, I have a difficult time imagining how her professors can drop her grade by a full

[jira_rd]

I wanted OP to post this for me because I was nervous but have decided to join the comm so I can offer more information

[yesido]

Well, you've got a number of strikes against you, starting with age. You can't help that you're young; there's nothing you can do about that except keep living. That you aren't receiving--and, it sounds like, never have--ongoing treatment is also not a strike in your favor--I understand the reasons why you haven't, but how do you, and I, and a *judge* know that if you were to receive ongoing treatment, you would *still* be *permanently and completely disabled*--cuz bear in mind, that's the bar here, permanent and complete (which actually means 2 years, but hey). Yes, you've had a couple of psych hospitalizations, but not ongoing/comprehensive treatment. Additionally, you haven't attempted to use support services available to you (schools office of disabilities should be able to help you, and can maybe mediate on your behalf with professors if you don't feel comfortable disclosing your exact diagnosis). Again, I get why you haven't, and think it's understandable, but not only do I feel that those are more reasonable first steps