For those of you who receive disability because YOU suffer from anxiety, depression, and you can't work, due to those conditions, and you get checks every month, do you still go out? Like go out to events like a concert or the movies or whatever, living your life normal, while trying to have fun, or no because if you go out to have fun, your checks will stop coming in?

I want to apply to get those disability checks due to my anxiety and depression, but know if I get those checks and then go out and have fun by going to a concert, instead of working, thats not right, right?

Like I can SOMETIMES handle going out in public and going to concerts is my favorite thing to do, but even going to those I get anxious and or depressed. So it is still hard for me to do.

Does this make any sense?

No you won't get in trouble for that. You can go to the cinema etc. Those stuff don't prove you don't have a mental illness. I am on a disability allowance and I go to the cinema to cheer myself up. And even at the cinema, I am still anxious, wondering if the workers are judging me and I worry about sitting beside others. I have never been to a concert before, I plan to go to one some day but I'd be anxious there and wouldn't feel comfortable there to dance or cheer. No one can try tell me whether I am suffering or not just because I try have fun. After all I AM depressed. Sometimes you might feel kinda guilty though, like do I really deserve this? I find it hard to know what to say to people, feel very little joy or pleasure and think about killing myself often, yet still wonder if I deserve it. What it is doing though is helping my quality of life. I am gonna stay on it 'till I have my own place and gain more confidence by applying for temporary work experience. You can do that on D/A. Then eventually get off it. Right now I don't feel very dependable or stable, I'm quite reckless and still feel like everything is pointless. Good luck with getting it.

Oh man that sucks, I am sorry to hear that. But its good your at least trying. I MIGHT try and get on this disability thingy or might not. I feel like you do sometimes too. I just worry over everything and stress far too much too at times it sucks all over the place haha.

Going once in a while to a movie or other event is okay just don't overdo it. Another thought is that getting outside on a daily basis for a walk in the sunshine and fresh air helps for both mental and physical health. When I was on sick leave due to an accident at work, I found that getting out even for a short walk helped a lot in keeping my sanity and healing from the injury.

Just because you're on disability, it doesn't mean you should lock yourself up in the house and have a joyless existence.

Oh I see.

If you're in the U.S., it has become nearly impossible to get disability for depression, especially if you're under 60. They'll use you walking to the mailbox one day out of the year as an excuse to say you're not disabled.

Oh I see.

I have also heard that it is very difficult to navigate the system for disability in the USA. There is a strong tendency for the government workers to say that your invisible problem (to them) isn't enough to keep you from working. I don't know any tricks for how to get through it, I have only heard that you would do well to work with someone who knows how to get people into the system with your condition and disabilities. If you are on disability if your money is plentiful enough there is no reason you can't go find pleasure in life. Just because you suffer more then many people doesn't mean you should not be allowed to find joy too.

When I was on disability for schizophrenia, I was going to restaurants, bars, parties all over the city. I think I even went to Miami and I definitely went to Manhattan.

Hahaha nice. Well I doubt I will ever get on disability let alone get a job but oh well.