Being on disability is new to me - 2 months now, and I'm already feeling that way. Feeling restless, useless, etc. I was never one to sit still for long. Now, physically I don't have a choice but mentally my mind still needs to get out of the house and do things. I know I need to adapt to a new lifestyle, but it's not easy. I have to learn to be someone else, in a way.

So, you're not alone in feeling this way. I'm just taking it slowly and not beating myself up too much. I spent the last 2 years second guessing myself, wondering if there was one more thing I could try. But, I'm here on disability for a reason. I've tried everything in 20 years.

Thanks for your comment.I also tried many different job options before i finally realized i would never work full time jobs again and gave up and applied for ssd...it is true we have to retrain ourselves on how to live a different life.most days my pain is so intense i am lucky to get out of bed and showered but i am thankful for many things in my life and i need to learn to be more positive...Good luck to you and your new chapter in life ,may you not struggle as i have...i am here if you ever need to talk or vent.

thank you for your comment.i also tried several different jobs before accepting i just couldnt work anymore.i just have to learn to accept my situation and be more positive.good luck in this new chapter in your life,may you not struggle as i have.i am here if you want to talk or just vent.take care.enjoy your future.

Thanks, I appreciate it. Good luck to you too!

I just had my disability hearing with the judge-no decision yet-but I think that is what really made me face what my life has come to. I also worked, and loved my job. Oddly enough, my job was working with mentally retarded and physically disabled adults. Now, I'm one of them. I am finding this really hard to accept. I'm 62, but in my mind, I'm no age-I feel like I can do anything and I want to be able to do anything. But I can't. I fell and injured my brain, and also have lupus, fibro, DDD, lymphedema. Somehow, although I was always in pain, I always found a way to make myself go to work, because I loved it. Working with my clients (I ran a performing arts center for them) took my mind off everything. But I was let go from there because of concentration problems that had developed from the lupus and fibro. NY is a fire at will state, so to get around the ADA, they just claimed that I didn't keep up with my work. Then a year later, I fell and got the TBI, and am not able to work at all.

So since then, I felt super lazy and useless. I know that I cannot do any real work, because I tried a couple of easy jobs and couldn't even do them. Both of my kids are grown and live far away. So it's just me and the dog. I don't have any other family around nearby either. I try to keep busy-mostly on the computer. I found this site-one that actually is not a scam-where you can choose to write short articles for different clients. I've never written in my life, but I like this. You get paid every week, and each article gets you about $6. For most people, this can give them some pretty good money. Those doing this as their main work are making up to $2500 a month. With my TBI, my typing speed, and cognative process have really slowed down, so it takes me a while to type an article. But it makes me feel like I am still capable of providing for myself, even if it is only gas money. If anyone is interested let me know, and I'll post the address.
Anyway, I think that if you find anything that lets you use any skills, whether old ones or even ones you don't know you have, can help a lot with accepting what life we now have. We are what we are now, although we don't like it, and we have to do our best at whatever we can do, even if it is something tiny. God Bless.