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You would think that the goal of any government welfare program would be to get people off of it. With the economy the way it is, and the deficit the way it is, you would think that the United States government would want to promote healthy living and a self-sufficient population. But no. No, the disability generation creeps by on monthly checks, forever making it from one paycheck to the other without getting ahead. Why do people stay on social security disability, especially psychiatric disability, even when they feel better? Because it is a cycle- one that they cannot escape.
Okay, so first you get on social security disability. Let’s say you had a bad auto accident. You were already a semi-unstable person, but this throws you over the edge. You make your living in some active field- construction, etc, and now you’re hurt. Not only are you hurt physically, but the accident has tipped you over your emotional edge and you are hurt psychologically too. What do you do? You have no money, no job, and no way to get one. So you apply for disability and get on. Great, you think, that’ll help me until I get back on my feet.
Well, it takes you longer then you think. Your bones don’t heal exactly right, everything hurts, and you just can’t stop crying randomly. You sign up for medical help through social security disability and start seeing a psychiatrist. It takes a while, but with the combination of anti-anxiety meds and counseling, you begin to think about looking for some part-time work. Just to see if you can make it. You know your aching bones and still-brittle psyche won’t let you jump into a 40 hour workweek, besides, what high-paying job are you going to get after being out of the workforce for a few years?
But wait! If you get a job, not only will they take whatever amount you make out of your disability check, but they will also question if you are really disabled. If they take you off, you won’t have any access to your doctor or medication. Should you risk it? How will you survive? You barely make it from paycheck to paycheck now, and you’ll make even less working part time- and no healthcare. And what happens if you can’t make it? What if you break down one too many times at work and they fire you? What if you just can’t perform? You know that social security disability won’t take you back. You’ll have to fight to get back on, and that means lawyers, which means even less money. Why risk it? It would take a miracle job to get you out of the hole, and that’s not looking hopeful.
This is the cycle that many ‘disabled’ people go through. How do you transition between disabled to a part of the workforce? How do you break the grip of a system that’s all or nothing? Some say education is the answer; just go back to school and learn a new trade.
Thankfully, community colleges offer opportunities now that were never dreamed of in the past. Financial aid is available for almost anyone, and online classes offer a convenient and apt method for disabled learners to further their education. Through online learning, the disabled can look forward to a future brighter than living paycheck to paycheck. They can pursue a career, get a certificate, or specialize in one of the hundreds of fields that community colleges offer. Their life opens up when education is within their grasp, and they don’t have to stop there. Scholarships and grants will allow them to pursue a graduate or post-graduate degree, ensuring them better paying, less physically strenuous jobs. They can break the cycle and live a successful, productive life.
Author Bio
This Guest post is by Christine Kane from internet service providers, she is a graduate of Communication and Journalism. She enjoys writing about a wide-variety of subjects for different blogs. She can be reached via email at: Christi.Kane00@gmail.com. 
