SSI Appointment.

Post Reply New Topic

Ok so I have mentioned before I am going through the applying process for SSI, and the SSI department or whatever sceduled a dr. appointment for me to further determine if my problems are severe enough for the SSI. But I am kind of worried about it because I have heard some negative things like they basically get you in and out within 5 minutes and that would hardly be enough time for me to 'prove' anything.

I really feel I could benifit from the SSI, I do not plan to remain on it forever.....but for the time being I really do need the financial help so I am worried that in such a short amount of time they might decide I look too normal or act to normal or whatever and deny me. Has anyone had one of these appointments? and if so do they actualy ask you questions and give you a reasonable amount of time to answer them and such? also I was wondering if anyone has any tips. I have a couple weeks before the appointment, so I figured I would try and find out how it might go so I am prepared.

The baseline with social security, unfortunately, is that they reject all kinds of people. Yes, go through the application process, but please do not put all your eggs in the social security basket.

I have had some success with doctor appointments where I write three things on one half a piece of paper. Not even three sentences, just three phrases. The three most important things.

Oddly enough, being nervous probably won't hurt you. You won't be able to use the most complex of your social skills, and that will likely make your autism more obvious. I know a lot of us try to "put on a good face" most of the time, and it can be difficult to be honest about your difficulties; but do be honest--they can't evaluate you properly if they don't know what you have trouble with.

Whatever you do, you'll want an attorney eventually.

Also, you are able to update your application over time so if you have incomplete information right at the start you can add more later.

Yes, 5 minutes seems very skimpy to me, too. Now, if the doctor was seeing you on several separate occasions for short visits that might be better than one long visit, but I don't think they do that either.

And Verdandi might be right. You might eventually need a lawyer. Kind of like an Ace you're holding, don't yet need to play, might eventually need to play.

My advice, please don't play it up. Kind of like in politics, people have a bullsh*t detector from miles away, even if you're showing how you sometimes act, I think it still plays poorly.

What if you just say: 'Look, this is a structured environment. I do better in structured environments.'

And then kind of tell the heart of the matter, how Asperger's / Autism Spectrum has impinged on you social. Or something in written form.

And if it was me, I would talk about difficulties on the job where people have either passively or actively persecuted. Just today, I gave two weeks notice at the awful dept store. http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt155745.html
I've had a supervisor bail on me, not take seriously that an experienced person was blatantly stealing sales. Not set an employee straight, no, I'm not going to ring up this same experienced employee where I void a sale (to her!) and she stands over my shoulder telling me how it's done, and then I re-ring the same sale to her a different way. I mean, that is just terrible cash control. The employee took it that I was accusing her of something dishonest. And the supervisor should have absolutely set her straight. No, he has every right to refuse a sale he doesn't understand. But she didn't. In retrospect, I should have had a more blanket policy---I don't ring up people I know. Well, live and learn, next time I know. (and all this for a job that pays seven dollars+ an hour! Like I say, the lousy jobs are the hardest jobs. The "entry level" jobs for a variety of reasons are often the hardest.)

^^^and it would be a real challenge to summarize the above for a doctor pressed for time^^^

I think the attorney takes the case on contingency.

And also for the other reasons you mention such as severe depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Back when I was in the anti-war movement during the first Gulf War 1991, I a little bit met this attorney who did social security cases, talked with him a couple of times, actually a pretty interesting guy who told me some about the anti-Vietnam war movement, and how your friends and fellow students even if they were against the war, if they weren't politically active like you it was easy to fall away, and he wished it wasn't this way. Any way, this guy advertised on TV and had a big yellow page ad.

But across the board, I think the baseline, social security really doesn't want to give people disability. So, a person can go through the steps and (if need be) at a time of your choosing, contact an attorney. And then, no guarantee the first person will take the case, might need to ask several.

Good luck with all of this. You might get a doctor who's kind of good and hip to Asperger's, even if rushed. And please keep us updated as feels right.

I mean, you might not get denied. In your case, the system might work like it's supposed to. Yes, you might get lucky.

I struggle with friendship, too. And in conventional terms, people might label me a loser. Nonconventional terms, I think I get a lot done.

Please do look for reasons to keep living. For starters, we need you here, right.