Leaving on disability vs just quitting

[New]

@desiderata310

Don’t give up. The process is lengthy and I know you would rather just work and not have to go through it but you and your health are too important.

Sending hugs if you accept. I wish I could be of more help. Just want you to know we are here for you. hope you receive good news soon.

Have you asked your T for help? Mine offered great resources as well.

 

[desiderata310]

Have you asked your T for help?

Pretty consistently.
He's doing what he can.

 

[New]

Pretty consistently.
He's doing what he can.

I’m sure he is and I know you are as well.

 

[desiderata310]

My appointment with my psych and my brief text conversation with my therapist have left me more confused than when I first started.

I swear I can hear Do I Stay or Do I Go Now playing in the background of my life.
The psych made it crystal clear that she thinks I should be out on disability- be that short, long, or SSI and it SOUNDED like she was saying full- not partial.
She pushed till I gave in and she's calling my neuro to get something together and seems sure that this means I can get the SSI in pretty short order.
yeeeeahhh.. sure. whatever you say.
My THERAPIST on the other hand was still, at last conversation (text 20 min ago) talking about me having a conversation with my supervisor to see if they would fight me going out on unemployment and leaving before the 20th of July.

What the actual f*ck?

Add to this the anniversaries, the screaming headache, and fact that I LITERALLY just found out that my therapist failed to mention that he was going on vacation overseas starting tomorrow and I've thrown in the towel on the day. Someone wanting to interview me for a full time position just dropped me an email wanting to Skype with me today. Today would be the only day I am available and I'm dodging this guy. I don't have the mental oomph to do a decent interview for anything- even flipping hamburgers.

Don't get me wrong, my psych listened to all my concerns about going out on disability and pretty well shot them all down, and said she felt that it was pretty damned important that I leave this town, get back to CA and not work but rather heal. I would rather not lose everything I've every worked for- including my career.

I'm not closer to an answer than I was yesterday. In a way I feel further from one.

 

[joeylittle]

The psych made it crystal clear that she thinks I should be out on disability...she's calling my neuro to get something together and seems sure that this means I can get the SSI in pretty short order. yeeeeahhh.. sure. whatever you say.

My THERAPIST on the other hand was still, at last conversation (text 20 min ago) talking about me having a conversation with my supervisor to see if they would fight me going out on unemployment and leaving before the 20th of July.

In this instance, I’d go with the MD (psych) recommendation, over the therapist. I also think taking a “let’s see if she can really move this mountain” approach makes sense. I’d be thinking, believe it when I see it. But she sounds motivated. You may have found a good doc, among all the not-good docs.

Plus - MDs can talk to MDs, in a way that a therapist never ever can. And they carry all the weight, when it comes to disability approval.

Someone wanting to interview me for a full time position just dropped me an email wanting to Skype with me today. Today would be the only day I am available and I'm dodging this guy. I don't have the mental oomph to do a decent interview for anything- even flipping hamburgers.

Yeah, zero notice is always nice, isn’t it? :banghead: Tell em you would if you could but you have a load-in, or a tech, or anything really. Ask for a reschedule, see what happens.

If you think you could manage it better by phone not Skype, you could also put that out there.

 

[desiderata310]

If you think you could manage it better by phone not Skype, you could also put that out there.

I just emailed the guy and asked if we could do the interview either tonight or Thursday or Friday.
I don't know if I should even bother. I might disqualify myself by doing an interview

 

[joeylittle]

I might disqualify myself by doing an interview

Or you might not. Nothing to lose from trying - you can always chalk up being foggy to having an overloaded schedule, which is (a) true, and (b), something that 99% of people in arts organizations understand. And the 1% who don’t understand it are either board members, or exec. directors who come from corporate backgrounds.

 

[New]

So sorry today is not going well.

I would go with your psychiatrist recommendation and at least start the process. I’m sure that isn’t what you want to hear because I didn’t want to either but the faster you start the process the quicker you will receive the decision. The process can be lengthy.

 

[desiderata310]

I got a message from my therapist who clarified that even HE thinks I should not be working but rather thought I might have more luck getting unemployment out of my current job.
great.

SO.. I'm doing the interview in about... 30 minutes. It's not with an arts org it's with a Jewish Center for college students. Should be an interesting interview at least. It's another huge cut in pay but it's also not working 90 hour weeks loading in shows. It's dealing with college students and somewhat foreign (to me) religious life.

I'm still going to do the interview because I trust nothing and no one to give a shit about me enough to let me 'heal'.
I am going to ask HR for the paperwork and take it to my doctors next week and keep working for as long as I possibly can stand it- or at least until next week. Unless I run out the door screaming from the utter stupidity of the incoming show tomorrow.

 

[desiderata310]

Or you might not.

I actually meant disqualify me from getting disability.

 

[joeylittle]

Ah, gotcha. I’m glad that’s what you meant! Sorry to have assumed you were beating yourself up. :bag::tup:

 

[IceQueencop]

Please talk with a lawyer. Many offer free consultations. Your doc and therapist are on your team, but they can only help you get so far. Disability insurance, FMLA, SSDI and state laws are all very complex. You may also be eligible for disability accommodations at your current place of employment.

Working with a lawyer can help get you the peace of mind that you need. Even just taking advantage of a lawyers free consultation can help you to understand your position legally.

I wish you the best.