Am I legally disabled if I have bipolar disorder?

No short answer and i'm no real expert Richards, but it does depend on which country you come from and how the health system is set up, and also depends on the severity of your illness. I live in Australia and, yes, you can be on a disability pension here with bipolar, I have a friend who is. My friend can hardly function at all as he is on a great deal of medication and has psychotic episodes when he's manic that are very extreme.

However, I am not - I can work and function most of the time with the correct meds at the right dosages (not too high).

So, it depends in Australia, and I would take a wild guess that it depends everywhere else as well.

Narelle

I live in the usa southern part, and have tried to get on disability in years gone by to no avail. I went to the dept. of vocational rehabilitation and asked what i should do.  they put me in touch with the local mental health clinic where i could be treated. in the meantime of diagnosis  and treatment, i struggled to keep a job. I got fired from two jobs within two years times.  It was a real challenge to go to work, but I did. During this time, I asked my clinician for the route to go about trying for disability.  I re-applied, and was denied. As a divorcee' with little savings and me paying child support, no one would help me. So I struggled.  And I guess I took the only answer I could find...a gentle kind man who had overcome struggles of his own came into my life through church. I did not give up working, still struggling to make child support payments and eat and health care with my disabled tendonitis wrist. I had to go to voc. rehab and explain my health situation (hands) and had to have surgery. This friend paid my light bill and transported me to activities on weekends that were mutually satisfying, like church functions and movies and out to eat.  It helps when you have someone to confide in ( therapist) and a friend who understands. 

I got stronger and worked part time in an office setting until I decided what I could do for better income.  My "friend" proposed marriage to me, and I really searched out what the motive for marrying on both our parts would be...so it was a mutual agreement to support each other in whatever way we could.  And I became a homemaker, and am so grateful I made this decision. I am taking  college classes and learning how to adapt to two stepchildren who are emotionally diabled as well as slow learners, but both have part time jobs now as young adults.

I no longer have child support payments, and have sought out friends throughout my church to do things with and relate to...

otherwise, i would still be trying to survive.  I now am living.

start with vocational rehab....they can help you with a suitable job situation perhaps.  continue with help from medical professsionals.  it will work out..

peace.

Yes, if your Dr. has diagnosed you with this, and you qualified for SSI or SSDI, then you are considered, in the legal sense, disabled.  But of course, disabled don't mean we can't do anything.  We can do lots of things.  Sometimes we are taught different, and do things a little different and think different.  But lots of Bipolar people have great success and do great things.  There is a list out there of many great people who have done super great things, I mean like stars and all of the like.  You name what it is, and they have done it.  You would be surprised by some of the names on the list of greats.  Time, patience and counceling and meds, and right dieting and sleeping schedules and expercising, and for me, church too, we can do all.  Take care.

Carl

I WAS DIGINOSIED WIT BIPOLAR 2006,I HAVE STRUGGLED WIT ACCEPTING IT AND STAYING ON MY MEDICINE, BUT IN 2006 WHEN I WENT TO THE DOCTOR, I TOLD THEM THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG,BECAUSE I COULDNT STAY ON A JOB IN THE LAST FEW YEARS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR,WILL I BE O.K, I AM GONNA STAY ON MY MEDICINE, THIS TIME BUT THIS IS CRAZY THE WAY I FEEL

I would like to know the answer to this question. My guess would be how the disorder affects your daily living. I do have a job, but I have to say I do miss work because of episodes. i am on Effexor, lamictal, Seroquell for sleeping.

i got my disability because of mental issue reasons. i have bipolar(type a and b), OCD(obsessive compulsive disorder), and panic anxiety disorder. from what i understand, if you have a mental illness that affects your day to day living, including being able to keep a job, then that would qualify you for disability. but, that has been my personal experience, and i am not a lawyer. i would suggest starting the process for disability, the paper work with social security, and get a good attorney. i got turned down before i got an attorney, but i think it would save you some time if you went ahead and got a lawyer now. good luck to you!

It is my understanding that really ANY mental illness can render a person disabled to a certain degree.  The question is, is that mental illness making life unbearable to negotiate. 

I personally am disabled legally.  But I must say, disability is very over-rated.  This is not a life quest for most people.  I have gotten the help I needed and am slowly trying to pull myself out of this hole. 

But I must admit that had I been trying to support myself during this time of healing, I would be a lot further in this hole than I am now.

So my advice is to take stock of what you got going on.  Disability is a demeaning and humiliating way to live at best, but if you need it, it can really help.  But don't look at it as an end all.  Once you get the help you need there is so much more out there for you.

Good luck.

Not sure, but I am Bipolar II, and and I am on SSD.  My original diagnosis was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome -- I was incapacitated after collapsing during my step-daughter's wedding.  I couldn't work, barely walk and breathing was about all I could manage for months.  I went through a battery of neurological testing -- all negative. 

I lost my retirement and savings and spent most of my time in bed.  I applied for SSD after my private insurance dropped my disability and have received it since.  I am nearing the age where it will switch over to regular Social Security and the amount will be reduced, but tha is another tale.

I have made slow but steady progress since the onset, survived two suicide attempts and now rely on Seroquel and Cymbalta to keep me on an even keel.  I reported my illness to be Bipolar II when reviewed by the SSA, but I am not sure whether that meant anything.  My guess, and/or answer to the question would be yes, providing you meet their criteria as to how severe the disblity is...

DO  PEOPLE  WITH  BI-POLAR  NEED  TO  BE  ON  DISABILITY?

I too have been struggling with finding and keeping jobs. I have actualy begun to think maybe I'm just crazy. I don't know if we would be classified as disabled but I do know many others with the same disease and problems we are suffering. I am not ready to give in but I have got to do something soon because I am also a singlemom and have no means of supporting my children except a small child suport check every two weeks. I am at my wits end but also terrified of getting a job and not being able to keep it. Help me to understand this also!! I don't even have insurance to see the doctor so I am self medicating, (not illegal drugs!!!!), although my family doctor has been good enough to give me samples when he can. I worry that I am sending my children the wrong message by not working and worry when they won't listen or respect me due to my many moods. They are whats important to me.

i think it is so hard to even live a normal life with bipolar and i have three kids that is so much more than just yourself it is truely hard and my meds dont really seem to work as well as they should and all i can do try to focus on my life one day at a time.

I don't know the answer but I think that you should be. I have had more than 20+ jobs since I was 16, I am now 46. It is very had for me to keep a job.

bipolar disorder

I dont know if it will help but I am bipolar as well and I take 1200mg of lithium and 400mg of Seroquel everyday. I am legally disabled and I recieve disability from ss. I guess you would have to apply for it to find out. you need your doctors to be behind you, they ask for your medical records from years back and you have to see one of their doctors to determine if you are disabled. I live in VA so I dont know if the procedures are different but thats what I had to do and they ask for alot of information. I hope that helps you. I had problems keeping a job and functioning in the workplace with being bipolar and having anxiety.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 2002. I applied for disability in January of 2003 and recieved my check in June of 2003. I suppose it all depends on the severity of your disorder as there are many levels to being Bipolar. I will tell you this, if you apply for disability then you need to make sure that you have the doctor that diagnosed you as well as your therapist, reports with you. If you havent kept a journal regarding your ups and downs, I would recommend that you start one and turn that in with your application for disability. I hope this helps you.

Am i legally disabled if I am bi-polar

I have heard that you could file for Disability if you suffer from Bipolar Disorder.  However, personally I chose not to do so because I found that the amount of money that would be paid to me by the government isn't enough to survive on.  Let alone the fact that I will be able to make a good bit more than I do know when I get my Bachelor's degree.

In other words, yes, you could be declared legally disabled if you're diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.  But being a University Student you shoud be motivated to do much more than just surviving and barely getting by on a disability check.

With that said, the only other thing to take into consideration is how severe your symptoms are.  If you are severely incapacitated by your symptoms to the point that you have to take some heavy medications that leave you listless than you may be in a situation where you should seriously consider going about getting on Disability.

So, I guess it depends on you.  If you feel that you can't cope with daily stress (even with your meds) than maybe you should be on disability.  However, if you are able to lead a somewhat normal life while on your meds than you should continue with your University classes, and shoot for a degree, and a career, and forget about disability.

I hope this helps.

Irishduds2

I was diagonsed with bipolar and anxiety disorder over 4 years ago and have had difficulty with employment issues, friendships, focus, distraction, memory, irritability, and reverting back to depression.  I take xanax XR, prestiq, lamictal, and seroquel.  It has helped a lot but still some things that are probably simple inconveniences to most people can become major obstacles to me and the general population doesn't get it or understand it.  I wish that people who don't have it would try to educate theirselve about it, especially if they know of anyone who has it, rather than alienating those who have it from themselves.  It's not our fault.  We didn't ask to have this affliction anymore than anyone asks for cancer.  I have been told by my therapist that it is recognized as a disability.  There are programs that offer help but I would need to look them up again.  DEAP is a disability program (I forget what the E & the A stand for).  I applied for supplemental disability but apparently Social Security doesn't think it is significant enough to qualify for assistance.

If your doctor would be able to write you a letter stating do to your illness you can not work or perform activities of daily living without assistance then you can be declared legally disabled and recieve benefits. However if you can function on your own then you need to find some kind of program that will re-teach you how to cope and perform ADL's without assistance. You can find these programs through the mental health division of your local Health Department or hospital.

If you cannot find and keep a job, then, yes you are considered diabled.

Your nest step is to apply for Social Security Disability and don't get discouraged if you are not approved for disablity the first time you apply.  Most people are denied and have to apply again, sometimes they have to hire an Attorney who specializes in disability cases.

You cxan go online at www.ssa.gov to apply for disability and should also discuss this with your doctor or Case Manager and good luck.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A JOB FOR 3 YEARS WITH MY BIPOLOR MY DRS ARE IN A DIF CITY MY MOM WNT O PRISON(SHE WAS A DELUSANEL CRACKHEAD FREEK ) BEFORE SHE COULD HELP ME GET ON MEDS AND I GO HUNGRY ALOT OF THE TIME CAS I HAVE NO INCOME  MYDAD KILLED HIM SELF WHEN I WAS 3 I HVE NO WAY O CONTACT ANYONE IM RELATED TO CAS MY MOM HAD THE NUMBERS ahhhhhhhh IM REALLY MANIC RIGHT NOM(omg i was jus spell chcking this and i swear to go i hit W on noW not M AND THIS BOUNCEING KEY BOARD DONT HELP (DONT ASK)        AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHG FUCK!........................

                             i feel much beter now . . .kinda.

TO THE LAST ANSWER , YOU HAVE HAD A SPOILED BABIES LIFE COMPARED TO MINE.BIPOLAR ONLY GETS WORSE AS YOU AGE.