OK, so story time: (original) (raw)

I’m on SSI, have been for years, and I have a friend who’s looking to me as an expert/knowledgeable in Disability qualifications. Only problem is I’m only one brain, and she and I are worried that I’m biased because I know her. So I’m looking to you guys for an opinion.

Friend is currently on her third try at college, and is finally a last semester Senior. However, she’s in serious danger (according to her) of not passing all/any of her 4 classes because of her extreme depression. She’s unable to get out of bed some days, and thus has missed classes, which lowers her grade by a letter for every day she’s missed (4 in two classes, 3 in one, and 2 in the last). She’s been unable to pull her thoughts together to complete several/some assignments in all of her classes, and is generally doing very poorly, even though she’s very intelligent.

When she hasn’t been in school, Friend has been trying to hold down various retail jobs, and usually ends up getting fired or quitting because she’s too depressed to care to work.
Friend has been diagnosed w/ Bi-Polar, and has been in the psych ward 2x during the past 5 years.

Friend also has a very UNsupportive family, and really is sure how they (or her boyfriend) will react if she even tries for Disability/SSI. So advice there would be a help as well.

With what I’ve told you, do you think that Friend has a case for getting on SSI/SSDI?