applying for ssdi for the first time..

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hi,

im 25 yrs old, I was diagnosed with Aspergers/ high functioning autism when I was 6 yrs old as my mother tells me

I remember growing up visiting the university of Miami for multiple years undergoing a series of exams, both with hardware application such as skull cap type device placed on my head with the intent of studying my brain I suppose..

in middle and high school I remember being involved with the school counselors closely, as I grew older and I became aware, I was involved in section 504 program all the way through graduation..

up until a few months ago I was going through a very rough time and I noticed a lot of my anxieties and frustrations coming from the fact that I have a 'disorder', my ability to engage in social interactions when possible is exhausting and at times I panic with the notion that I have to leave the house to run an errand or leave my home period..

basically all my life I've done my best to look, feel, act in a 'normal' fashion, engage and like the same activities as people my age, cope with the stressors of life the same way as neurotypical people basically but now I feel like the jig is up..

I've bottled up and repressed the feelings, thoughts and emotions associated with being 'special, ret*d, autistic, mentally disabled' up until recently.. I was bullied a lot because somehow information had got out that I was autistic, which now that im older and am coming to understand myself the best I can and just love me for being me, I am..

im an aspy, I've set my ego and delusions aside, manned up about it and am working towards taking the appropriate steps to be a healthy adult (psych eval as adult, seek therapy solutions for my panic/anxiety/moderate to severe social withdrawal)

I worked in many jobs aver the years that reported through w2, my father is retired receiving S/S benefits, im his care giver and make approx. $550 every 2 weeks as I am payed by the state of Texas to be his caregiver. its not a lot but it does help with the bills, plus its my old man and I love him, I love to stay home and take care of him..

after explaining to my mom some of the hardships I've been going (panic/anxiety/isolation/ through she told me that I was diagnosed with Aspergers and that my brain is different than everyone else brain, which I have now come to accept after yrs of resistance..

after researching resources available to help me I came across SSDI and SSI for people with autism spectrum disorder and am interested in what assistance I might be able to receive..

can you please give me feed back on your experience with SSDI or social security lawyers?

how much does one typically receive in benefits?

how much was your lump sum?

how long did it take from filing date to receiving approval/lump sum/monthly benefits?


TL;DR: just give me a brief summary of how the process of seeking approval for SSDI or SSI as an adult with Aspergers, I was diagnosed as a child

bump..

sorry for the longnessssssss of the post

You can apply for SSDI online. After you fill out the application and include documentation of your disability, social security will have you evaluated by a doctor of their choice. In general, they will deny the first application. It generally takes stubbornness and persistence to get these benefits. You do not need an attorney. Just keep filling out forms and submitting documentation.

There is an income limit and rules about working which are too complicated to explain here. If you are getting $550/two weeks for caring for your father, that could be over the limit. However, some kinds of income are excluded and that could be the case of your instance.

For SSI, you must apply in person and it is a different application and different criteria.

The amount of money you get from SSI or SSDI is dependent on your income. The maximum amount for SSI is around $750/month. SSDI is higher, maybe up to $2000/month depending on how much money you made working. If your dad is disabled or retired and you are certified by social security to be disabled, you can also collect off of his work history. Lump sum disbursements vary depending on when you applied and how long social security took to make your determination. Lump sum disbursements can ONLY be used for certain expenses and are not yours to use however you want.

As you can see, the programs are very complicated, with lots of rules, exceptions to the rules, intricacies, etc. Some people find it is not worth the effort. Plan to work hard to get benefits. Good luck!

This is great advice, based upon knowledge and experience.