are you sick 'enough'?

Ever find yourself in the situation you fear being judged as not sick enough? I have have felt this way any time I meet my disability assistance case worker or someone else in a position to cause my assistance to be cancelled. I also feel this way when I have a new doctor or psychiatrist and feel for sure I am being tested and judged in some way that this too will result in my assistance being cancelled.

Well I have a new situation and I'm in a bit of a panic. I have received word my application for military disability benefits has been approved. I meet with a worker this afternoon to discuss the particulars.

I am panicking right now that I may do or say something which will cause her to have this all cancelled.

Anyone else have such an anxiety?

I don't, at least not until now, but I perfectly understand why you would feel that way Let's just hope for the best. Has it ever happened before?

If your disability benefits have been approved, it's very unlikely they will be cancelled any time soon.

Well... I can't say as I have anything really similar to your situation. I'm an older person in the U.S. & so I now collect Social Security. They can't take that away... (at least Trump hasn't figured out a way of doing so yet.) But being judged as "not sick enough" is something I've always struggled with. Somehow everyone in my life (both professionals & non) always seem to presume I'm basically okay... despite the fact I've made two major attempts to end my life. It doesn't seem to matter.

I suppose it's partly my own fault. Whenever I would meet with my pdoc or a therapist in the past, when they would ask me how I'm doing, I would always just reflexively smile & say I'm okay. Somehow I just couldn't bring myself to say how I really felt. And the couple of times I did, all it seemed to produce was disbelief or derision. Perhaps there's a fine line there between holding back & being honest that I was just never able to walk. Anyway... best wishes with your appointment. I wish you great success.

It seemed to go okay but the whole time I felt she was sizing me up and judging me.

I remember going on disability when I was in my mid 20’s & having to go in to do paperwork in their office building.
My mom always taught me to make an effort in my appearance anytime I went out. And this time I remember exactly what I wore. Jeans & a nice sweater.
I remember the shame I felt going in there at my age & telling this person I have trouble with MH problems. She was much older than me, petite & proper.
I distinctly remember at the end her leaning into me while grabbing papers saying “you look fine to me honey.”
I was devastated & ashamed. I think I only stayed on it for a yr. Then all hell broke loose in my MH after that & that’s when I should’ve gone back. But I never did. My SO told me not to.
Horrible feeling sitting there being judged. Luckily I’ve at least matured since then.
I hope it works out for you!!

I have been thinking about all her questions over and over. But there is nothing you are right she can do. The paperwork is all signed and the banking information completed for deposit.

Disability approvals are really hard to get, so if your's was approved, you're definitely sick enough, and deserve the help you can get from the gov't. They won't revoke it any time soon.

I just got approved for disability payments (ODSP) in Ontario. My one Dr. had been encouraging me to apply for years, but I resistant, because I "wasn't that sick" and eaked out a living doing freelance accounting and software testing while my MH and addiction got worse. When it became apparent to me that I could no longer support myself, and approached my psychiatrist, his enthusiasm for the idea took me aback. He filled out the forms right away, and I was afraid I might not be approved for just depression and addiction. I got approval in 15 days, with no review date set which means it's indefinite.

Guess I just didn't want to accept it.

splitimage

My answer is my meds make me normal. Because I am sick enough, and without them it's awful.

I often think that I am not sick enough. I know that people look at me at times and think there's nothing wrong with me. I have said to my p'doc many times that there is nothing wrong with me. He replies back to me “that old chestnut”.

Truth is I am not well. I have become the master of a mask. Take the mask off and it’s not a pretty sight.

It happens me every 5 or 2 years.here.(I sometimes want to be obscure about my country for anominity..)Mental Disability check needs to be re-examined every 2 years,or 5 years,depends on how severe.Also,standard of getting disability check changes sometimes.If you fell off Grade 1 and Grade 2 disability,It means no Check.
Troubling thing is,it doesn't mean that person's mental illness is cured or Getting better.
Disability Class Table system is changing because there's so many mentally ill people.

Justafriend,you'll be ok you're already approved.don't worry.

Even for us,troubling part is paperwork."write me like Grade 2"happens sometimes.

I recently applied for Assured Income for the Severely Disable and I'm scared to death that I'll be turned down. I expressed my fears to my pdoc and he's convinced I'll get them. I keep thinking about how I would appeal if I'm turned down. I applied for sickness benefits EI, but I'm not even sure I've worked enough since I last received it. Also it's only good for 15 weeks. I should know whether or not I've been approved sometime in the next few weeks for the EI and next couple of months for the AISH.

I understand the feeling.

I live in the US and get my benefits from the VA and even now, 23 years later it is a worry. I have been through about 5 reviews in that time, every time resulted in an increase or at least kept things the same. The last time they maxed me out(a huge deal in regards to extended benefits and a huge increase in $$$ - from almost above poverty level to above average working income, at least for my area) and labeled me as permanent. They aren't even going to look at me again, unless for some odd reason, I initiate it.

You would think that would stop that worry, but nope. I go online every month and check that I am still rated 100%. Like most things, it seems like distracting oneself from the process is about all one can do. Since I check once a month, I guess it is hard to distract constantly.

At least you got over the 'does this person really have a disability' hurdle, that seems to be the biggest one for any disability system I have heard of. I think the best defense to getting lowered or kicked off it is continuing treatment records. I had 15 years between my last review and the one before it and those records said more than I could ever say.

MDD with Psychotic Features, Dysthymia, GAD, Cluster C personality traits - Not taking any meds