Why does bi-polar get some people disability checks?

Question

I don't think this is a good enough reason to get a free ride. I know several people who get these crazy checks so I am just curious why on earth are they allowed to live for free when there are much more deserving families who need the help and are working.

Answer 1

You are sooooooo correct.

One problem is that disability and SSI are usually awarded solely from examining paperwork provided by a physician.  The patient goes into the doctor's office, overly exaggerates his symptoms, then secures paperwork indicating he is too disabled to work.  Even worse, these same "patients" are given prescriptions for very expensive medications, like Abilify and Seroquel.  They really don't need these medications, so they sell them back to a crooked pharmacy, or simply sell the prescription itself to a crooked pharmacy.  The pharmacy bills the insurance carrier, but never dispenses the medication.

How do I know?  This is what a doctor told me.  In many cases, he would refuse to sign off on any disability paperwork.  Occasionally, a patient would still put this physician's name and address on disability paperwork, and the physician would end up receiving about a ream of forms from SSA asking for clarification of the patient's mental disability.  The doctor finally altogether quit doing this, figuring it wasn't worth the $50 he received for a routine office visit.

Now, I am NOT saying that everyone with bipolar is a malingerer.  But, my observation is that there are way too many people receiving SSI and disability for mental illnesses.  There is simply no way such a large portion of the population could truly be disabled and unable to work.

Answer 2

Because they know how to BEG and WORK THE SYSTEM.

Answer 3

There are many different degrees of disability, some are able to work around and some not.  We're all on this planet together, most of us try to do the right thing given the circumstances.

Answer 4

Since you HAVE bipolar, you certainly would be first to know that there is a HUGE range between the extremities of what it "is".  

Or... maybe you don't really have bipolar.  You are accurate that bipolar has become a "trendy" diagnosis, sometimes overused.  Doing teenager things, or mood swings don't always mean a person is actually bipolar.

Severe bipolar does include things such as psychosis, ie completely disconnected from reality.  Severely risky behavior (often seen in bipolar) is such that it can be destructive, even life threatening.

Everyone's disorder is not the same, as in an on/off switch. There are dangers in wrong diagnosis.  For SOME, bipolar can be diagnosed, when someone is very mild, or the mood swings are not from illness, but normal life events.   There is the other end.. where someone's symptoms are evident to family, but not to professionals, and they FAIL to be diagnosed and thus, don't get meds that they desperately need.. until they completely flip out, and harm someone.

Bottom line... you cannot JUDGE others, and how their mental illness affects them, by your own experiences.  

Answer 5

It really depends on the Doctors who do the investigation for SSI Disability. Here in Arkansas, they probably would not get approved. In Ohio, I know a person who gets it for bi-polar, and the reason is "they don't feel like taking their medication". My Son-in-law gets it because he has a temper, and cannot hold a job. My neighbor waited 3 years after 5 back surgeries and 3 heart attacks. Took a call to his Senator to finally get it.

Answer 6

Bi Polar is a major mental Ilness..some cannot work and deserve services..be kind to those who are mentally ill...

Answer 7

This disease can be severely disabling in some cases, especially forms that do not respond well to current medications. There are three types of the disorder: Bipolar I - the person has periods (days/weeks) of furious energy, impulsive, grandiose thinking, may forget to eat/bathe for extended times, can't stay focused on anything for any extended time and have mood swings; Bipolar II - the person may have a small period of feeling energetic but then falls into a very deep depression that may become incapacitating, to the point where they can barely move, not eating/bathing, and can become suicidal; The third type is Bipolar with mixed features, which has Bipolar I & II features - High periods followed by deep depressions.

Bipolars can work and live like any of us, providing they have a treatment that they repond to well and positively. There are some that have strong side effects from medication that prevents their Bipolar from acting up, but causes them to not be able to participate in a "normal" life that others may expect from them.

The link below can help you understand this disorder...

Answer 8

there are s***w ups in the system but the checks are supposed to be for those that cannot function properly which would put them at a lower earning capacity

there are now just as many people abusing that system as there are welfare cheats

Edit: there is definitely some truth to "if you get old"

some people are not that lucky some people die young.

Answer 9

Because they are crazy and can't hold a job because they drive their coworkers to distraction when they have their outrageous mood swings.

Answer 10

I know several people who have sponged off of the system this way and it is horrible!  I have different opinions about Bi polar disorders than most because of what I have seen and experienced.  This disorder is a generalization of several conditions and is a cop-out!  Any teenager these days who struggles with the "right" way to live and make responsible decisions in their actions can go to a doctor and be declared bi polar.. any one who don't know how to deal with day to day life can go to any clinic and say they can't handle it and have emotional ups and downs, mostly due to the poor decisions they made in life, and get a dx of bi-polar disorder.  It has become an excuse for bad choices and the consequences are not so bad for the mentally impaired...  I know I have bouts with mood swings and have a hard time paying  bills and get sad when something horrible interrupts my day, so can I quit work and qualify for a government check that certifies that I am crazy and need medication to help me be responsible?..lol  The really sad part of it is, they have to follow up with doctors, actually be prescribed medications and what do ya know, they end up skitzed out because they are taking medicine they don't need!  Thats what those doctors are in the business for, to get in your head and tell you its okay, you're not responsible for your actions, because your heads not right.  If that weren't so, there would be no market for it and all these shrinks would be out of work.  It all starts with parenting and teaching your kids to take responsibility for their actions!  Sorry, once again, my opinion.

Answer 11

You are a total moron.  First of all taking medication for being Bipolar is the right thing to do, you do not function NORMALLY IF YOU ARE BIPOLAR AND DON'T TAKE MEDICATION.  It is a known fact that people with Bipolar Disorder do not like to take their medication and some of them drink and drug to substitute the meds, is that you????????Is that how you handle your Bipolar Disorder??????Second of all there are different degrees of being Bipolar, yours apparently isn't that bad.  I hate when people refer to disability as a CRAZY CHECK, JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE BIPOLAR DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE CRAZY IT MEANS YOU ARE BIPOLAR.  I am Bipolar I worked for 27 years and never knew I was Bipolar.  I recieve disability but not for being Bipolar I have other health problems, as in a non-curable disease that progressively gets worse over time.  People that receive disability money have to have worked for 40 quarters that equates to 10 years that don't make them lazy.  They worked for 10 years how are they lazy?????????The money that goes into Social Security is money that THEY PAID IN IN CASE THEY GET SICK, IN CASE THEY GET OLD, IN CASE THEY HAVE TO RETIRE, IT IS THEIR MONEY.  THEY AREN'T LIVING OFF ANYONE THEY EARNED THEIR MONEY.

Answer 12

Because they might be institutionalized if they weren't on the dole, which is more costly than welfare. Inpatient mental health services is very expensive, even the rich think so. Bipolar disorder can be a serious affliction. If they're on disability for it, the local government basically can prove that they are unemployable.

If you are concerned with mismanagement of the welfare system, talk about women who deliberately have 8 kids they can't afford.  

Answer 13

They get the cheque because either their illness is so severe that it prevents them from working or they have convinced a doctor that illness is so severe that it prevents them from working.