[neutralmilkdissociation]

The severity of my dp leaves me pretty much completely incapacitated. Its a 24/7 state of misery that renders me pretty much unable to do things. Thus, I was wondering if you guys think I could file for disability. I hate to be living partially off the government, and I never thought I would stoop to this, but I'm doing it out of necessity.

There are several things that I think I can show that may allow me. I've been to two programs, one outpatient for about 2 months, and one inpatient for several weeks. Neither these places, nor my doctor, have given me a diagnosis, but rather claim an unidentified disorder. For practical, non DSM purposes, they theorize that I may be in a state of prodromal psychosis (I'm not though lol-I've had this for two years and counting).

Additionally, I have been on about 15 medications, including atypical anti-psychotics, stimulants, benzos, mood stabilizers, anti-convulsants, gabapentin, SSRI's, dopamine agonists, and SARI's. None have even remotely worked. I have also done months of therapy to no avail with three different therapists (both CBT and regular). Finally, I have done some more experimental treatments such as Neurofeedback, photobiomodulation, TMS, and a couple other things. Once again, none of them have worked at all.

My psychiatrist has worked with me for a long time and he can definitely testify to my severity. What's everyone's thoughts on this? Once again, I hate resorting to this, but it is my sad reality.

 

[forestx5]

I wonder how my life would have been different, If I had been declared disabled at age 17, following a Temporal Lobe Seizure that left me

with recurrent major depression, and many other symptoms. I didn't get diagnosed until age 57, when I was declared to be disabled based

on my EEG results. I was sent to the social security office and began receiving checks without any argument whatsoever.

By then, I had retired early from a good job. I had acquired a nice home, three vehicles, prepaid my daughter's college education and I

have no debt, and a little more than a half million in assets. I did 3 years in the military, and traveled to most of the countries in Europe. It would

have been a lot more fun, to not have been mentally ill, but somehow I did it. I would never have had the opportunity if I had been declared

defective at age 17. But, you do what you gotta do. Good luck.

 

[Aridity]

How did your DP start? Where are you from? Did you do an EEG?

 

[neutralmilkdissociation]

How did your DP start? Where are you from? Did you do an EEG?

Started after a weird night-long "event" after drinking a ton and smoking a ton. I couldn't really breathe properly for hours while trying to sleep and I remember being really confused and miserable but I was to out of it to do anything. Woke up the next morning in a fog, and a week later everything went to shit and I became permanently dissociated and miserable.

From the U.S.

And yea I've done 2 EEG. Both normal.

 

[Chip1021]

Your story sounds similar to mine. Psychiatry, regular doctors, done every reasonable treatment option that was presented to you or that you researched. I'm from the U.S. and I went on disability several years ago after trying various jobs, treatments, "ways of living", etc., and just came to the conclusion that this is just not feasible for me to be reasonably expected to maintain any work given my symptoms. I hated arriving at this conclusion (especially as an American, where we are constantly fed the "no work=lazy worthless bum line). However when I think of why disability exists, and the issues people have who are on it (e.g., back problems, joint pains, etc.), I would think that "completely spaced out of my mind 24/7, unable to hold a thought for longer than a couple seconds" would certainly qualify as totally disabling. Though I admit, I do go back and forth on feeling guilty about it.

That said, if you decide to go ahead and file for disability, one of the mistakes people tend to make is to rely too heavily on the diagnosis. Problem is that there are very few diagnoses that are recognized by SS as being totally disabling per se. it's much more important and relevant to them to discuss what daily life is like for you, to discuss the things that you can and cannot do, or that you cannot do reliably. Even if you do so without any diagnosis from the doctor (though if you've received one or more, you might as well mention them). It would also be beneficial to remark on all the treatments you have tried and which have failed, just like you did in this post.

Hope that helps some. Good luck.