Note: If you're trying to scam the government with a false claim of an injury, illness, or condition, read no further. This article is to help people who are legitimately unable to work a full time job because of a physical, emotional, or mental condition.

You’ve probably heard all the horror stories about how hard it is to get approved for Social Security Disability, also known as SSDI. Many people who claim to have extremely debilitating illnesses and conditions might take years to get approved, and some never get approved. Some have to resort to hiring a lawyer to finally get their SSDI, and of course, they have to share their award with their attorney.

The problem is that to the Social Security Administration, you’re just a number. I’m not trying to sound callous, but it’s a fact. These workers deal with thousands of cases every week. Some applicants have legitimate cases, and some don’t. You have to convince Social Security that you honestly cannot work any longer.

How do you do this? First of all, make sure everything is documented – all the medications you’ve been taking, all your doctor visits, all your trips to the emergency room, all your visits to the chiropractor, all your visits to the massage therapist, all your visits to any sort of counseling, and all your visits to rehab or physical therapy. When any of these health care professionals assess your condition, ask for it in writing. Get copies of everything and keep them all together, in a safe place.

It’s also important to find a doctor who believes in you. If you have a condition like fibromyalgia, for example, you can’t prove it with a blood test, an x-ray, or an MRI. SS does award payment for such conditions, but they’re harder to prove. It’s easier to prove if you’ve been seeing a doctor who specializes in your condition.

When you go to a doctor’s appointment, ask the doctor to document any findings he makes. He might say your condition is debilitating, but if it’s not written down, it’s like it was never uttered. Many doctors will also write a letter or a narrative for Social Security explaining why you can no longer work a regular job. You will probably have to pay extra for this, but it’s definitely worth the price.

SSDI has “listing level impairments” that they go by. Supposedly, if you have one of these and can prove it, you’re automatically approved. But you don’t have to have one of these conditions or illnesses to get approved. You might have a combination of lesser impairments that will get you approved. That’s why it’s so important to list, document, and keep up with all your physical, mental, and emotional conditions.

I had terrible pain, tingling, and numbness in my neck that ran down my left arm. I had the same thing in my lower back than ran down my right leg. After I had an MRI of my neck, it showed bulging discs, but the radiologist reading the report said they were very mild. I knew this would not help me get SSDI. I requested the discs from the MRI and took them to a doctor who specializes in back problems, and he went over the MRI with me, frame by frame. He pointed out all the nerve damage shown. When I asked him why the radiologist had said the problem was not severe, he explained that many radiologists are not experts in nerve damage or in back problems. That’s why you have to be proactive!

If you really are disabled and one doctor says differently, get a second opinion. I actually got several, and all the rest agreed with me and disagreed with that first radiologist. Don’t give up! As it turned out, I probably wouldn’t have needed those other opinions, anyway. When I had the MRI of my lower back, there was no disputing the damage there. And I also discovered I had severe carpal tunnel in both hands and no cartilage in my right knee.

I think one reason my SSDI was approved so quickly was that I was honest on my questionnaire. I told them I didn’t have terrible pain every day, but I had it often enough to prevent me from working a full time job. There are probably days now that I could work, but there’s no way I could work eight hours a day, five days a week. And Social Security is all or nothing – if you can work, but the amount of hours you’re able to work is less than forty a week, they consider you disabled.

I also wrote them a letter explaining how much I loved my job. I’d had the same job as a teacher for almost 20 years. I explained that if I could continue to work, I would. I didn’t just wake up one day and decide that I didn’t want to work any longer. I also had a letter from my former principal. He explained how much I enjoyed teaching and how many awards I had earned. I think that served as evidence that I was a dedicated employee who really did like her job.

My age also helped me. If you’re 50 or over, SSDI is easier to get. If you’re over 60, it’s even easier to get. Generally speaking, the younger you are, the harder it is to get approved for SSDI.

If you truly are not able to work any longer, do everything you can to make your case stronger. Even things that you don’t consider important can help your case. These might include letters from friends, employers, co-workers, and family members. I also kept a daily journal that described my symptoms on that specific day.

With SSDI, there are several levels of appeals. Almost everyone gets turned down on the initial application, and many are refused the second time. If you continue to get turned down, after several appeals, that’s when you need to hire a lawyer. Just make sure you hire an attorney who specializes in Social Security Disability claims. These attorneys are experts, and they know ho wto deal with the agency. If you've done all you can do, seek expert legal help. The lawyer will get a chunk of your award, but that's sure better than ending up with nothing.