Are You On Social Security Disability?

[KwanYingirl]

Our occupational identity is challenged or lost completely. For trauma survivors, losing this is especially difficult. I know I was focused on gaining new skills so I don't have to say I'm disabled

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Sadly, society bases our worth on what we do rather than who we are. A scum-sucking CEO who makes millions off the backs of children slaving away in foreign factories is valued more than the person who is poor as dirt yet has a heart of gold and spreads love everywhere they go. Its a f*cked up thing. Sorry, society, you got your values backwards.

 

[Changing4Best]

Thank you all for your answers so far. The public transportation available here runs only from about 9AM to 1PM, as the bus depot is some dozen or so miles from here and funding for it is very low. That complicates things, as I would only be able to work until lunch or so in order to be able to get to work and back home again. Furthermore, I would not be able to afford the transport to go to work or vocational rehab, even if by some miracle I could be hired at such an advanced age with virtually no experience. (We lost the motel and our life's savings after the World Trade Center tragedy, because no one was travelling by plane then and our guests at the motel had been mostly out of towners). The only people who would rent then were pimps, prostitutes and drug deals and their clients. Then I was thrown up against a cement wall and my life was threatened. Also someone tried to choke me. These things occurred when I was trying to clean the place up and get rid of some of the nonpaying ones. I gave the place back to the bank, which was a better proposition than ending up dead in a ditch somewhere! These things contributed to my PTSD, of course, but were not my only traumas. I have early childhood traumas and an adult rape too.

As I look back on all this, I want to cry and now I feel anxiety. I feel so awful. But then, Anthony warns us that being here and contributing or even reading will sometimes bring on symptoms and this is true.

 

[Recovery4Me]

I have been living off my savings for almost 7 months rather than try to file since my Menieres Ear Disease became rather sassy. I have people ask me occasionally what I do. That doesn't mean I have to respond. I just smile and change the subject. Because I am just a few months away from retirement, the disability would not have come through in time anyway, as it take a year in this state for the first denial.:clown: So I think it was wonderful that all of you received it and probably had to fight to do so!

This board and members helped me to get my self esteem back, so I am pretty determined not to give it away again. And @SheilaKathy :hug: so glad that you received the needed assistance to have your operation. What a blessing! So, just focus on getting healthy dear. Poverty is not a crime nor a stamp for being not enough. Jesus said there would always be poor in the world. So here we are.:)

 

[EmmaOwl]

This is why I stopped socializing. Everyone wants to know what you do for a living. I'm not strong...

There are lots of answers to this question. Like, "I'm between things; what about you?"
If pressed you can say, "You know, my health hasn't been great lately. What is your job like?"
Or, "Eh, this and that."
"I used to do such-and-such, but the economy/the industry/whatever..." you let your voice fade out. "It's complicated."
None of these things are lies.
In my experience, I have not been pressured when making statements like this, especially when turning the convo directly back at the person asking the questions.

 

[Changing4Best]

Well, I found out that I can get training to be a volunteer Companion for Senior Citizens. I have my first interview next week. There is a small stipend involved, both for when I am being trained and when I work. I told them that I would need transportation, as I don't drive and have no licence. They said that was OK. I am looking forward to this. I even have experience! I took care of my husband for 5 years, after he had a massive stroke. I was trained by the hospitals he was in about how to transfer him from wheelchair to car or chair or toilet, as well as other things too. (Like cutting up pieces of food for him). So I can do this! I just hope that my one arrest does not disqualify me. I was begging for money in the streets when I was very poor (I was homeless, but I am not going to say that, as it has bad connotations with it). I was accepted by my church last year to work in their Vacation Bible School, after a Security Check, so I assume everything should be OK with this too. However, time will tell.

 

[Deleted member 41588]

No, wish I was though. I can't cause my family I live with doesn't like the idea of taking from the government. I haven't actually talked to them about it cause I know that they would be weirded out I even brought it up. It's here to help us though and I don't share their views about it. I still go to school not work but it could really help out in getting me help. We have really bad free insurance and can't afford to pay out of pocket for therapy which makes getting help super hard. I could also benefit from a service dog but can't even come anywhere close to affording one.