Lots of people have social anxiety. You need to be seeing a therapist and learning to control it, rather than use it as a way of life.

Hire an attorney that specializes in social security cases.

You have to go to a doctor now and hopefully a psychiatrist as well.

I'm in the exact situation except that I can occasionally leave my home - about once a month.

Even with updated medical records most people are denied for SSI and SSDI the first time they apply. As soon as you get the notice that you were denied you need to file an appeal. With the appeal you can include any changes in your situation since the last time you filed, including new medical reports. When you file the appeal they will ask that you attend a meeting. You can file a form stating that you are unable to attend due to agoraphobia.

Along with this notice that you are unable to attend you should include any information about any income you receive at all. It should go back to the last 2 years or so (they asked for mine from August 2009 until the present).

The judge will then review your case. The judge who looks at appeals is usually much more giving than the original team that denies most claims. According to my case manager, just about anything short of missing a leg or being blind will be automatically denied because they don't want to let people through for faking medical illnesses (much easier than faking you lost your arm, right?). Most people who are faking give up after that first rejection notice. More than likely, if you have updated medical information the judge under the appeal will be able to approve you based on having agoraphobia. Be aware though, this appeal process can take up to 2 years (I've been waiting about 4 months now). So you're still going to need to have a way to get by until then.

If you haven't applied for food stamps or medicaid then you need to do so. These can help defray costs while you wait for SSI and you can easily qualify for them in one afternoon. I know going down to the office is hard, but see your doctor first, get medication to help control the immediate effects of anxiety and it should be tolerable, at least.

To Aunt Coffee, people who have agoraphobia usually ARE trying to get better. That doesn't happen overnight. Do you think they should starve to death and lose their homes in the time they are trying to get better? Not to mention, how do you think they can pay for medical assistance and therapy when they have trouble leaving their home? Stop attacking people with mental problems! I see you do this all the time and it's disgusting of you!

I tried controlling my anxiety but it gets in the way of alot. I cant even go to a dr without having a nervous breakdown.

And wtf are u talking about im not attacking people with mental problems. Im needing help because im not able to leave my house, my mom helps to help me !

Has***

And i didnt know this was such a crime to ask for answers on how to get help

Hottie, I didn't say you were attacking people with mental problems. That's why the last part says 'to Aunt Coffee', as in the person who is named Aunt Coffee, not you.

I told you the best way to go about getting your SSI approved. As I said, I'm going through the same situation right now.

It's NOT a crime to ask questions. It's more of a crime to sit and do nothing about a problem or act like they don't really exist.

Social security is almost always denied the first time unless it's point blank cut and dried unquestionable. Situations like yours can be very questionable in the eyes of the government. See another doctor and get their backing in this. Then reapply. After that, if you are denied, it's time to get a lawyer experienced in this. Good luck and best wishes.

You are quite right that I'm cynical, Prettyevil, because I've seen so-called "mental problems" used as an excuse for unacceptable behavior so often.

I can think of a neighbor of mine - won't say a "friend" - whose aggressive behavior got him canned from his high-paid job, divorced, and arrested twice. He managed to keep himself out of jail by going to a psychiatrist who certified him as "bipolar". Now he collect SSI AND works off the books as a taxi driver!

I get really tired of that sort of thing.

@prettyevil Sorry i read it wrong, so i should get a new dr first then send the appeal? Is it possible that the psychiatrist im going to see can help me with case since he knows what im truely going thru? Also i have a list of lawyers but im anxious to even call them.
Im now 18 I been having anxiety since age 10 so its been just part of my life

Hottie, you can submit your psychiatrist's name and address along with your appeal and the Social Security Administration will pull the files from that doctor just like any other doctor. You should not wait to send in your appeal. Do it immediately. In fact, fill it out right now and have your mom drop it into the mail tomorrow. You can call or write them to submit any new information at any point in time after submitting the appeal. But it's most important that you get the appeal in right now since it takes so long for those to go through.

Good luck. I know this is really hard.

As a note, you may want to ask your doctor about a mild sedative. I use one so that I can travel. I'm groggy when doing things, but it's enough to get me through situations that might have otherwise been impossible.

AuntCoffee, I didn't say cynical, I said disgusting. There is a huge difference between people who fake mental illnesses and people who are truly mentally ill. Just to assume that no one is, because you know a few nasty people that want to ride the system is not a reason to attack everyone. Thank goodness YOU are mentally PERFECT; sometimes the rest of us aren't so lucky.

So its okay to send it even though i havent see the dr yet? I dont wanna leave anything blank..

There's no call for this. At all. Just answer the question like it's serious and go on. You never know how serious something is or isn't on here. Even if this user is using the system, there many be someone with serious issues who will get on here and read the question and gain some terrific help. Scaring people off by telling them they are using the system or having a pity party doesn't help.

It's a very serious answer.

The questioner states that she is 18 and wants to go on SSI, presumably for the rest of her life, because she has feelings of social anxiety.

That's ridiculous.

What she clearly needs is either some serious pyschotherapy, possibly provided in a hospital setting - since she can't go outside anyway, no reason she shouldn't be institutionalized, right? - or a good swift kick in the panties.

Her parents, who are presumably supporting her at this point, given her statement that she has never worked, would seem in need a bit of psychiatric help themselves, and one might also ask questions about her school and local CPS authorities.

That is the kind of help needed here, not an unthinking acceptance of her self-pity.

@ aunt coffee U do not know me to be judging me, so stop saying stuff u dont know alright! Stop answering on my question!

Go live ur life and stop judging someone elses life. U dont know my life so grow up because ur acting like a child, thats who judges. In my opinion only God can judge!

So stay off my answer!

U have no idea what my life is about! And u have no right to judge

Don't ask questions if you don't want an honest answer.

And judging by your spelling, your school certainly does have something to answer for.

It's the text generation. Let's all back up and be realistic here.

Go see another doctor. See if there IS some help out there for you that works. There are many medications on the market that are more available to you as an adult than there were as a teenager. There are also many types of therapies. If the doctor feels that there is nothing he can really do to help, then at that point discuss the aspect of declaring yourself disabled. I personally, would not advise you to submit his name until you know what his response or treatment will be. Even waiting two weeks isn't going to hurt anything because they will still retro-act SSI to when you first applied.

Its called abbreviating. And its not honesty. Because u dont know me its just that simple!
So if u dont know what get off my question means then u must have some problems!
And its very immature starting stuff over a question i dont have time for this, im not even gonna reply so dont waste ur time saying anything else. Because ur answer is very wrong, u cant judge someone by a question! So once again grow up!

@ Melaniem41 Okay thanks

Hottie, I'm old enough to be your mom, and your hysterical reaction only justifies my response.

Melanie is quite correct. You do need to see a doctor.

Abbreviations in the professional and real world are not seen as proper or educated. For some reason, English teachers are not getting that across. Here, most of us who respond are professionals and interested in making money on this site which means no short hand and no text jargon. Our income takes a hit if we do it that way.

See your doctor and then file after trying everything. Don't automatically run for SSI. Seriously, there's a lot of life out there that you are missing. There's a lot of medications and treatments available that can make your life potentially a lot better. Don't give up on yourself.

Well im not eorking on this site so it doesnt matter i spell different on here because its quicker.

Anyway my dad died and it affected me alot i didnt get to say goodbye when he died at the hospital!

I been through alot as a child and thats why im having these problems now! But hopefully i will overcome them and be back to my old self.

My mom told me God is the healer, and when i was praying my problems were gone. But whwn i stopped the anxiety came back and it came back worse.

I wanted helpful answers not to be judged wrongfully :/

I miss my dad alot even though he wasnt so kind at times but i was always his little girl.

Its so hard to get him out my mind and it makes me so depressed!

I meant working sorry for the typo, im on my iPhone.

God is a healer in my opinion. But He also helps those who help themselves. Sometimes you have to work hard at things for them to get better and the reason He puts you through those things is for you to learn something. It might be that you get better to go on to help others in Psychiatry. It might be for another purpose.

I lost my uncle almost three years ago. He was more my dad than my father ever was. It flattened me. But I had to keep on going. Life continues. We don't die because someone important to us dies. It's just part of life and although it hurts when it's too early, you have to go on. Get some help and move on. Every day the pain should lessen just a little. A week from now it's going to be a little more. A month from now and so on. But he wouldn't want you to hide behind a door and not live life. He wanted a future for his little girl. So go find it! Good luck!

Thanks alot that helps alot