Disability for Dummies?

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Didn't there used to be a thread or a link to a site that had step-by-step details for getting disability/SSI/etc? I tried searching for it, but haven't found it. Most threads about disability seem to be in the "general autism" forum, but I thought The Haven sounded slightly more appropriate for my situation.


So here I am, quite a few years into a physically demanding job where working 40 hours or less a week is a long distant memory...I don't really mind the job, it's well-suited for someone with autism, but I'm pretty sure I have Sjogren's Syndrome (auto-immune disease), and with all of the constant overtime, I feel like I always have much less energy than the day before. The pain is the worst when I wake up, and lessens throughout the day, so I find myself in a constant cycle of staying up late, waking up late, getting to work late, and just generally never seeing anyone during my one or two days off (which I usually sleep through), and never having any time for chores. I hate the idea of admitting that I can't do it, but I'm starting to realize that I'm always cancelling plans with people who actually depend on me, because I'm in too much pain, or I just can't function on 5-6 hours of sleep every day.

Sorry about the vent.

I really am terribly clueless about all of this, I have no idea where to start. I know it's supposed to take 2-3 years, so I wanted to get an early start on it. When I was younger, my mom always took care of things like health insurance...but for the past few years, I've been trying to pretend that I am an independent adult who is not disabled, and I am failing miserably at it. I'm just too proud to admit that I can't do it.

So I don't have any insurance, because the one that work provides is expensive and I keep telling myself "I'll look into it tomorrow." And I don't have a diagnosis because I never saw the point in wasting money on one for autism, and the SJS is a recent discovery. Hoo boy, yes, I know I am a mess, and I know I am irresponsible, and I know that being on the spectrum is no excuse.

But deep down, I'm pretty sure I'm just going to keep working until my body shuts down, because I'm too afraid to have to ask for help, or to call people up (as if I have the time), and have them laugh in my face and tell me that I'm not disabled, and I should "quit being a baby", or "just find a different job" (laugh out loud). And every time I try to research it for myself, I get overwhelmed and tell myself "maybe some other time".

*sigh*

I can't give you any information on SSDI but for SSI, you need ample documentation of your disability and I believe you must not have been working six months prior to your application, though I could be mistaken. If your disability is on the SSA master list of qualifying disabilities, and you have sufficient documentation, you are general approved within a few months. If it's not, then you will be denied, and then must file an appeal. Most people use an attorney for this who takes the case pro bono. During the appeals process, to win the appeal, you must prove that your disability impacts you to an extent similar as those on the SSA list of qualifying disorders would. I hate to say it but their determination methods fall extremely short. I know a man who spends much of his time bed ridden with a rare condition and who is in the hospital at least a few times per week, but was denied SSI because his condition was not on their master list.

I found one page that says that SJS (and autism) are on the SSA, but I'm having trouble finding more sources because most results for "SSA" are referring to the antibodies that they test for to see which type of SJS you have.

I'll have to do some more searching later.

Also, I did a tiny bit of research last night, and it looks like every other health plan out there is just as expensive as the one my work offers >_< I thought there would be cheaper, but I guess that's only if you're lower income.

Reading about deductibles, does that mean most people get nothing back from health insurance, or are a few doctor visits per year much more expensive than I think they are?