I am on SSDI.

I know I can not handle doing full time work.

Not only would the stress be too much, but I know I would lose my medical beni's .

If I could find part time work I would try that .

I am on ssdi. I tried to work again and ended up in, the hospital repeatedly this year. So no more work right now, maybe later.

I was on disability for a short while, it was was so dehumanizing and made me sicker, that i finally decided to get off the pot and do something, whether I failed at it or not. At least I could say that I tried!!

When I was depressed, I registered with disability services at my school and did a reduced work load, which I did not do forever. I followed my medical and therapeutic regimen and put in as much effort as I could, and was able to work out of this depression.

What you are feeling at the moment is not what you will feel forever.

xox

i am not working either as of now. on Monday i will start the process with disability. i think this month marks two years of no work for me.

i have to add that i was just diagnosed in April of '11 when i self committed to the mental hospital in manic phase with psychosis, so i really had no clue what was going on internally until a year ago. it took a full year for me to take the diagnoses seriously after i shunned it and the doctors weren't even certain. tried going off meds several times and hit a catatonic depression and then another mania very recently. i was never re-committed, just stayed home and almost never left the house. i felt hypo mania coming on and then mania ( just weeks ago ) and i had experienced it before so i knew not to let it take me off the rails. . . so i guided myself through it until i got meds. and that is where i'm at now. getting assistance and living the humility of the disorder out, i don't want to pressure myself too much so i just try and take one day and one thing at a time now.

i don't want to pressure myself by saying i may do this or that some day, but i can't lie about the fact that the hope is there.

I'm on temporary disability right now, since May 2. I have co-morbid physical problems. I have had to take prednisone to control them and have had minor manias *as in NOT psychotic yet* but very concerning.

I am planning to go back to a reduced hours on July 16th. I am nervous, especially since I'm not doing well at this moment.

Not working has its difficulties---lack of money, self esteem plummeting from not working,

Disability would be a huge relief for me right now but really is not a long term option, unless I want to lose my home, my car and other nice things. My husband is looking for work, but not employed.

Well....seems like a difficult spot, either way to me.

Are you on disability now?

You might take the class if you have the time and moey now. Being a mechanic wouldnt put you with a lot of people if you did do that job. If you needed to go on SSDI you could always fall back on the mechanic classes after you felt better and had learned more skills in handling your BP?

Major depression is aproblem I agreebut a good shrink can help too. But I would certainly take the class. So maybe you could do some form of itparttime along with SSDI. (You can make a certain in additon to your ssdi payment)

Hugggerroos

I have been on disability since Oct 2006...it was a miracle- i got full approval 3 months to the day that i sent in my packet. I'm SO thankful!

Part time, non-stressful work is something i'd like to try at some point. i did some volunteer work a couple of yrs ago at a soup kitchen and i really enjoyed it.

Think it's best to work in concert with your pdoc. The fear of failure you can confront. Your pdoc will know when you are up to it.

When you're properly stabilised on medication & if you refrain from going off it & look after yourself- then the best case scenario (not uncommon, believe it or not) is that you should be able to avoid the super highs AND the super lows like the one you are currently in. Been there, so I can say this. Also, seen this in family & people I've known with BP1 and schizoaffective disorder. So long as they med compliant and avoid illicit drugs & get sleep etc

& exercise!

I have been on SSDI for about 10 yrs. I started working part time in October last yr. No more than 20 hrs per week. It was very stressful and I had tons of anxiety, but I stuck it out and took my klonopin and now am doing pretty good.

I recently started school with plans to be a medical assistant in 2 yrs. it took me all this time to get over the feeling of failure I had after losing several jobs when sick.

I'm blessed with a great pdoc and tdoc. I'm stable on my meds, for the most part.