Reply #6: There is more than one kind of disability

[fugue]

The company can put you on short-term disability; they're the ones who pay for it. Usually they require a doctor's signature (any doctor who has seen you will do) for it, and they require a doctor's signature to get you off of it. Short-term disability is, I believe, a maximum of six months. I've been on short-term disability twice.

SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is long-term (up for review every three years for at least some disabilities), and the government pays for it. You have to see a government-chosen doctor, and that doctor makes the determination of whether you are disabled or not.

So at your workplace, sure, that can happen easily. But she's only got six months, tops.

One more thought: "everyone" is very often very wrong. I was told by "everyone" for thirty-eight years that the problem was that I refused to adapt and be flexible. I was then diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, an autistic spectrum disorder. This means that my brain is wired differently from the usual (called "neurotypical") pattern. It can't be treated with drugs or therapy; it's a permanent "hardware" issue. I cannot adapt to fast-paced, highly dynamic environments with lots of distractions. I cannot interact socially in real time. I have difficulty reading nonverbal signals (voice tone, facial expression, body language). I knew all these things about myself, but "everyone" said I was just being a baby. "Everyone" (parents, teachers, classmates, supervisors, co-workers) made my life a living hell for thirty-eight years (no, I do not exaggerate) because they supposedly knew me better than I did.

In my opinion, "everyone" should stop "knowing" things they don't really know.