Use blue or black ink for all forms. Handwrite legibly---do not type. MAKE COPIES OF ALL YOUR COMPLETE FORMS--AT LEAST 2 COPIES. SOMETIMES THE SSA "LOSES" forms.

To apply for SSDI/SSI--these are two separate programs--SSDI eligibility is based on your disability and your having earned enough work credits, where as SSI is based on your lack of income and assets as well as your disability. It is possible to get both (although if you get SSDI, your SSI amount will be reduced).-----

Yes, you COULD apply by PHONE OR ONLINE, but you will likely not win your case. I would not trust SSA to take write down all you have to tell them on the phone. The Internet is a pain in the butt to use---and there is not enough space to list information.  Note from Jerod - I applied online.  Yes, I was denied my first time.  But with severe agoraphobia and, at the time, a bad stutter, it was the only way I was going to get an application in  While I agree that going in person is probably the best way to get your claim approved the first time, individual circumstance may not make it possible.  I totally agree with the phone thing, I wouldn't trust someone to get it right over the phone at all.  The one good thing about the SSA website, it makes my web design aesthetics look fabulous in comparison.  So do check out their online application even if you plan to apply in person for my own ego gratification.

To increase chances of winning your claim, you must apply IN PERSON. Go with a friend, family member, or roommate---someone who knows you well. Don't have a cell phone with you. Dress in normal clothes. Remember the person at the Social Security Office is not a doctor. Be as polite as possible. Don't try to fake hysteria or anything. But the "claims representative" (= person who conducts the interview) is supposed to take note of your mannerisms (e.g. poor eye contact, trembling, also if you state "I'm a bit nervous right now" sometime during the interview). Have the person coming with you have the forms to hand in. These should be completed in full---the claims representative will look over the forms for any incomplete information.

To begin the application process, call toll-free 1-800-772-1213 and mention that you would like to apply for SSDI and SSI and would like to schedule an appointment to apply IN PERSON. Be sure to KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT. Rescheduling causes more delay, and if you miss your rescheduled appointment you have to wait another 60 days before you can schedule another appointment. Hey, no one said that the process is friendly toward folks with mental illness!

The SSA should tell you what you need to bring to the appointment. Among the list includes copies of your medical records. Don’t bring these along---unless you have COMPLETE medical records of ALL your medical sources. The SSA only will accept signed copies of medical records that have "certified as a valid copy of the original." It is strongly recommended that you let the SSA contact your medical sources directly to avoid any confusion. Also, if you currently have health insurance coverage---be sure to have the name and address of the insurer with you

On the phone. Be prepared to give your name, social security number, date of birth, an mother's maiden name. Also ask for directions to/location of your local Social Security Office. You can also look this up at the front of your telephone directory.

They will schedule a date and send you a form called Disability Adult Report Form (Form SSA-3368-BK) and a "Work History Report Form." (Form SSA-3369-BK). YOU WILL NEED TO FULLY COMPLETE THESE FORMS before your interview. BEFORE filling this out, make at least TWO BLANK COPIES of ALL of the pages. Fill this out completely (get someone to help you), including the names and UPDATED addresses of all your medical sources, with the phone numbers, too. That's right---you even want the correct zip codes. If possible, include the fax number. Look them up or call the facility if necessary. Tell them your exact diagnoses---consistent with what is in your medical records (ask your doctor/psychologist if you do not know).

One question is "What are the illness/injuries/conditions that limit your ability to work?" Write down your diagnosed conditions that are consistent with your medical records. List ONLY the conditions that limit your ability to work. Do not include physical conditions unless they limit your ability to work and you have the same type of medical evidence. It is generally NOT a good idea to include migraines/fibromyalgia.

If you have epilepsy--you shouldn’t include your epilepsy, though (it just gives them one more excuse to deny your case), UNLESS: you regularly visit a NEUROLOGIST to manage your seizures; you still continue to have the seizures at least twice a month, despite compliance with anti-epileptic medication; and you have recent EEG tests to prove it. You see, getting SSDI/SSI based on epilepsy is very difficult, and if you list epilepsy but don't have records to prove it, you will almost certainly be denied.  Oh, and if you consume alcohol while having epilepsy, you will be denied because you're not following your doctor's advice. Oh, and besides, they'll send you in for medication blood levels to ensure compliance with treatment, and they'll ask for pharmacy records to monitor compliance (the assumption is that if you're getting your medications filled regularly, you are taking them). The main point: CONSIDER whether you put seizures as a disabling impairment! Note from Jerod - my lawyer concurs with these statements on the SSA's anti-epileptic bias.  Basically if you aren't flopping around most of the time each day you're just fine, quit complaining and get back to work.  No, it doesn't matter that the anticonvulsants make you too tired to do anything but sleep all day you lazy bum.

List how your condition impairs your ability to work (inability to concentrate and meet productivity standards, social interaction, reliability problems, problems thinking clearly, inability to communicate effectively, etc.) List ALL the clinics, psychiatrists, psychologists/psychological testing places, hospitals, emergency room visits (if applicable). Need more space? Attach a clearly written, legible sheet(s) of paper, each titled with your name and social security number and "Answer to Question ___, Part ___, Form SSA-3368-BK---Disability Report Form--Adult."

"How do your condition(s) limit your ability to work?" To this, you can write "See Attached Page." Then, you attach a typed page, with your name, SSN and titled "Continuation of Form SSA-3368--BK, Disability Report Form--Adult, Question ____, Part ____" and then you can type, up to a page, on your limitations. Include all your symptoms and how they impair work-related activities. Do you have crying spells? How often? How often do you shift moods? What is it like? Does it impair your ability to concentrate? Complete home activities within a schedule? Ability to respond appropriately to others? Social functioning? Do the side effects of your medication affect your ability to live and work? How so? Which medications cause what side effects? Maybe you should have someone type up the report for you, referring to you in the third person, then you sign and date the page. Of course, you will make at least 2 copies for yourself before the interview. You will also STAPLE this and any other sheets to the form.

List name of physicians or clinic, correct phone number, even include a fax number, if possible, updated address and zip code, phone number (include fax number, if possible) and dates of service (if you don't know the exact dates, write something like "April 2003" Or "2003-current," or "2002" or "Summer 2004" or "around July 2003" (examples). Again use additional sheets of paper if needed.

Also the section on Medications: List all medications you currently taking (list them by brand name) and even though the form doesn't ask for it---list the dosage and frequency taken. If you need more space, again, attach a separate sheet of paper and write legibly. Be sure to explain the side effects, if any---again, use a separate page(s).

Here is a note regarding the part of the form that asks for sources of hospitals/clinics/doctors that you have seen, as well as the "Medications section." Do not list any non-psychiatric medications that you are taking. Also, do not list clinics/doctors/hospitals for any non-psychiatric issues. You see, the SSA is not interested in whether you have the flu or what hormone pills you take, for instance (unless those pills are for a condition that prevents you from working).

They will send you a "Work History Report Form"---include all jobs--even 2-day or 2-week "unsuccessful work attempts." Explain the duration of the job and why you quit working (again, use a separate piece of paper). If fired, why were you fired? Couldn't meet productivity standards because of your poor concentration? Had a manic episode that interfered with your inability to respond appropriately with your supervisor or co-workers? Yes, even if you have no physical limitations--still include what they ask for. For example, if you were a grocery bagger---you may have walked less than 1/16th of a mile to help a customer unload groceries. How many hours per day did you sit, stand, walk, stoop, etc.? Yes, even though you're filing for a mental disability, take this seriously. Also, if shift hours varied, you can write a range (e.g. you would spend 4-6 hours walking while on the job). Or for example, you might have carried a 20-lb bag of dog food for 15 seconds before placing it on a cart---whatever you did in that particular job. If you need more space, PHOTOCOPY as many "blank" pages as necessary and fill out the information for ALL jobs--Just write Job #8 and Job #9, etc. on each of the pages. Also, mention how many hours per week you worked at each job (if the hours varied---explain how much they varied---try to give an estimate.

Oh and one more thing---the SSA needs to have a telephone number at which you can be reached or left a message---be sure to provide a phone number where you can easily be reached or respond to, and preferably not a cell phone number.

And keep your address updated. Preferably one address you can use all along, even if it is a PO Box that you check frequently. This way you can return forms and respond to requests from the SSA in a timely fashion.

It's sort of a Catch-22----if you are able to fill out the forms, go into the office for an interview on time, meet deadline, file an appeal if your claim is denied---then you should be able to work some job in the nation's economy. We know that this is not necessarily true.

You will also be sent in the mail at least two other forms---

1) The "Function Report- Adult-Third Party" and

2) The Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire (ADL).

Do not treat these forms lightly; they are as vital as medical evidence!

In Advance, you can download these forms and fill them out--Visit this website: http://www.baha.org/ssi/initform.shtml . There you can download two of the forms that you will be asked to complete:

1) The Daily Activities Questionnaire (start working on this NOW---then you can meet their 10-day deadline when SSA sends you this form).

2) The Third Party Report. The answers that a third party completes (someone who lives with you or knows you well----friends, relatives are find) should not contradict what the Daily Activities Questionnaire says. When you visit the aforementioned website, be sure to download all four pages.

(The other forms at the website you should not worry about unless the SSA sends them to you).

For the "Third Party Report Form." Get someone who knows you well (yes, this could be a family member) to give SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. Do not take this lightly. Try to use the form and not attach additional sheets of paper. AGAIN , at least 2 photocopies of the COMPLETED form.

Then you will get the "Activities of Daily Living Form." Again , this form is VITAL. Plan on setting aside two days to complete this. Plan to spend HOURS completing this form (not the 30 minutes that the instructions give!) Be honest, give specific examples, and have someone help you with the form. (There's even a question that asks you this.) There is a question that says "Describe how you spend a typical day." Write see attached page." And explain using 1 page max. a broken down day. If you have no typical day, how many good days, fair days, and poor days do you have? And how do they differ? Meal preparation? Be honest. If you make your own meals, say simple meals, like a sandwich or bowl of soup, tell them that. Do you frequently bathe and brush your teeth on your own? Sometimes? Or do you forget/need reminders?
When it asks about various activities----if you do them, explain to what extent you do them, to what extent you require assistance and why (e.g. stamina, mood swings, depression). For example, it asks if you take care of any pets. Do you feed them a can of dog food twice a week? Does another person do the grooming, etc.? Be specific and write small yet legibly to include all relevant information! If you cannot do this, have someone else write for you. And don't attach TOO MANY extra forms to this sheet. Just up to one to two pages should suffice. Send in these forms within the 10-day time limit that they give you (again, have someone help you with all of this). AGAIN, at least TWO photocopies of this completed form (and any attached page).

Then go to http://www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-827.pdf and print out one copy of the form for EACH of the sources---doctors, hospitals, clinics---with your signature, date, your address and home phone number and have a witness sign and legibly print their name and address. SEND IN THESE SIGNED FORMS along with your Daily Activities Questionnaire and Third Party Report Form.  Better yet, put these form in an addressed envelope, with your return address, and take this to a post office and tell them that you would like to send this "certified mail, return receipt requested."  It is well worth the extra expense.

Note from Jerod - helpful hint, have someone else fill out the forms for you, because you're too messed up to fill out the forms yourself.  If you read between the lines on the ADL form you'll see it was pretty much designed to describe someone in a nursing home.  The ADL is really a longer and somewhat more complete version of what I filled out for people I was looking after when I worked in such a facility.

Also, we originally had these forms as coming after the consultative examination (CE - the next step).  I thought that may have been the case if you applied in person.  Nope.  Everyone gets these before the CE.

When you apply IN PERSON, take these completed forms and GO WITH SOMEONE (e.g. good, understanding friend or family member). Of course, if you are in the hospital, you could have someone go in for you and mention that because of your condition, you are in the hospital. (Note from Jerod - a lot of the questions on the SSDI forms are geared for people in long-term care facilities, so don't let hospitalization prevent you from applying.)  Bring a birth certificate and state-issued ID card or drivers license. Also, bring the name and address of any health insurance coverage that you have.

STAPLE any additional sheets of paper to the forms so they do not get lost. Of course, you should have photocopied at least two copies of the COMPLETED form (including additional sheets of paper.