Posts by Kyle Reed30

Do you think I actually stand a chance at getting disability benefits—or even finding employment for people with disabilities? My situation isn't like the typical case where a 40-year-old worker damages their spine at a factory, gets denied benefits because they can technically still perform their duties, and ends up trapped in a cycle of working all day just to collapse in pain the moment they get home. That’s not me. My condition is entirely different. Because of my specific symptoms, I am fundamentally incapable of holding down any kind of job. My work history is practically non-existent; I try various roles, but I'm usually let go within two weeks or, at most, a month. People are always baffled, wondering why I can't grasp things or function properly. This is a developmental disorder, though it encompasses much more than that. We aren't talking about someone needing to grind through five more years until retirement; we are talking about my entire life. How does this distinction change things in the eyes of an evaluator?

mistyjackal842 said:
My mom worked right up until she turned 65, even when her mobility started failing. Personally, I thought she’d be better off resting at home. She wasn't. She couldn't adjust to staying put because she spent her entire life working. My situation was different; finding a job was a struggle unless someone pulled strings for me, and even then, it was usually just temporary contract work. Since I lived with my parents, it didn't matter much at the time. But it was frustrating—watching my mother, older and weaker, head out to work every morning while I faced constant rejections. I wasn't alone in that, though. Now, things are harder since my parents passed. They provided a sense of security. It's genuinely bleak. I looked into caregiver benefits since my father was bedridden for six years, but I ended up passing on that too. You don't qualify for those specific statuses for parents anyway, and I figured if his condition worsened, I'd have to put him in a nursing home for a while. I'm not a nurse, and the home health aides I dealt with didn't seem particularly skilled—they mostly just acted superior during their visits.

Hey.

I get your point, but your mother's situation and mine are worlds apart. Your mom was fortunately healthy and capable of working until age, whereas I've dealt with a condition since birth. This isn't something that develops with old age; it's a developmental disorder. Believe me, I would work if I could. Because of parental neglect, my condition wasn't officially documented until I was in my mid-twenties. For the last five years, I've been cycling through jobs every six months or so—often lasting only two weeks before they let me go due to "lack of fit." You suggested moving to another country, but that's not an option. I won't go into the details now, but it boils down to the fact that my condition would make navigating life abroad even more impossible.

Grace Ramos said:
Just go to the Department of Social Services and file the paperwork. Before the pandemic, you could expect the evaluation to take about a month. It’s mostly just them reviewing files, followed by an interview with a social worker. Then you wait for their call, only for them to tell you you're perfectly fine—even if they estimated you at 50% disability—simply because you share an address with someone collecting $333. Then you're just sent home.

Well, you’ve certainly managed to worry me. 🙂 Heaven forbid I have to rely on the people I live with. They’d be tracking my every move and acting shocked once they realized what I've actually dealt with regarding this condition. Honestly, it’s because of people with that kind of mindset that my illness wasn't even caught until my 20s, despite me having it since birth.

My condition is rare. Not "rare" in a scientific sense, really, but more like unrecognized and misunderstood. Even my special education teacher told me that nobody truly grasps how much this condition actually limits a person's daily life.

Can someone else weigh in if they have the answers? I really need this sorted out.
Thanks.

Daniel Green98 said:
There’s already a thread about this somewhere. Try searching for it; you'll find the answers you're looking for.

I’m from Denver. Here’s how it works: your primary care doctor fills out the disability commission paperwork along with all the supporting documentation.
Then you get summoned to the board. They review the files, ask a few questions, and that’s it. It moves fast.

For instance, in the US, it's vital to show up in a sweatshirt—no makeup, nothing. And act like you barely slept last night. I know it sounds ridiculous, but they judge by appearance. If you look put-together, they assume you aren't actually struggling.
The questions are basic: how are you feeling, what are your expectations? They might even drop a pen on the floor just to see if you pick it up.

Your responses should be:
I feel exhausted due to my medical condition.
I hope that my health improves eventually, and that recognizing my disability will help me find work I can actually manage.
And as for the pen? You pick it up by staring at the floor, bracing yourself against the table, and moving incredibly slowly...
That’s the playbook here.

Thanks for the input. I searched the forum but couldn't find a topic like this, and even if I did, it probably wouldn't address my specific concerns.

My condition is highly specific, so I can't exactly fake looking "unwell" since it doesn't manifest visually.

Hello.
I’m reaching out because I need some clarity on a few things. Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help. I’ve dealt with a lifelong condition that was only just diagnosed now that I'm in my 20s. It qualifies as a disability. Now, I'm being directed toward the medical assessment process to determine eligibility for disability benefits or specialized employment programs. If you have gone through a medical evaluation for disability, please answer the following:

1. What does the actual procedure look like once you hand your records over to your primary care physician and explain that specialists (private doctors who examined me) have recommended a formal assessment?

2. What happens during the evaluation itself? What kind of questions should I expect?

3. How long does the whole process typically take?

4. Does this entire evaluation process have any connection to the Department of Social Services? Specifically, does a social worker ever conduct a home visit for someone with a disability? I saw something about that online, but I might have misinterpreted it.

My special education teacher suggested the best move is to head down to the Department of Social Services with my documentation to figure out what my rights are. In your experience, if I visit them first, will a social worker eventually show up at my house?

If there is anything else critical I should be aware of, please let me know.