If you are in the States, you go down to your local social security office and they will fix you up with the appropriate paperwork, of which there is a bunch. Or, you can do it on line at www.socialsecurity.gov

I went thru a company called ALLSUP. They got me SS in three months.

thank you !

I did mine all online, for the most part. There was a phone interview I had to do after I filed.

I got approved on my first try in less than a month, I figure I must be really insane to get approved so fast.

contact a social security disability lawyer-DO NOT try to figure it out on your own no matter how good of a case you think you have!

I went down to the Social Security Office...I was such a mess, the guy there filled out the paper work for me .

Important to have LOTS of documentation
Hospital stays
Days lost at work..work history
Meds and how side effects can hamper your ability to perform at work

A STRONGLY worded letter from your Pdoc, outlining your limitations.

I did not use a Lawyer..was turned down the first time ...this is common...reapplied and was accepted

Some people are more comfortable using an Atty...but I did ok w/o one

I wish I had gone to my attorney first. I would have won faster. I will go to court in November.

You apply for SSI and that application will also be used for SSDI.

I will chime in again for getting an atty. these attorneys are paid on a contingency basis which means they don't get paid unless your claim is successful. There's no catch, that is all that the law allows for fees for attorneys that practice ssdi law.

I think they can only charge 15% and or a max of $6000. The sooner they get you disability the more you will get the full monthly check.

Disability is a tedious process, why would you want it if you are stable? Get a lawyer that can prove you are disabled.

I am a mess lots of probe besides bipolar. I did it myself. Apporvoed on first try. If u do it nonlinear its pretty easy. Don't pay attorney if you don't need to.

cuz im not stable anymore i am going on 8 days of being manic now

I can't recommend ALLSUP highly enough!!!

ALLSUP.com explains how the whole process works.
They have a 98% success rate, which is pretty damn good!!!

But you can try to go it alone!!! Plenty of people have done it that way and have prevailed!!!

But still go to ALLSUP, just to read the explanation of how the process works.

A little less simple to understand -- but not too hard! -- is to go to the government's site, itself!!! I think you can even start the application process online.
And the sooner you do that, the better. Your benefits will start from the time you apply -- but you won't get them until you are approved. Once you're improved they give you all the backpay you've got coming.

http://www.ssa.gov/disability/

Good luck!!! With everything!!!

(((((Hugs)))))