SC proposes to cut funding for the disabled

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by Bluesky

Thanks for the welcome

So a mentally ill 18 yr old, who takes illegal drugs doesn't get a psych eval and end up labeled disabled due to say bipolar or schizophrenia in Colorado?

Or do you mean just a welfare, not disabled, type hand out from the gov?

No, no, no. A person cannot end up labeled disabled without extensive testing and two or three doctor's evaluations. Its really not that simple. Now a person may get labeled schizophrenic and ultimately go off his meds. This is almost always a tragedy as the person often becomes completely non functional - sleeps in the park, gets his money stolen, etc. Some schizophrenics do self medicate with illegal drugs, but illicit drug use is not their primary diagnosis. The plight of many schizophrenics is indeed tragic. I can see that you have a heart as big as an olive pit.

[Bluesky]

Originally Posted by SamIam

No, no, no. A person cannot end up labeled disabled without extensive testing and two or three doctor's evaluations. Its really not that simple. Now a person may get labeled schizophrenic and ultimately go off his meds. This is almost always a tragedy as the person often becomes completely non functional - sleeps in the park, gets his money stolen, etc. Some schizophrenics do self medicate with illegal drugs, but illicit drug use is not their primary diagnosis. The plight of many schizophrenics is indeed tragic. I can see that you have a heart as big as an olive pit.

Looks like you and i didn't communicate.

In SoCal, I've met many self medicating mentally ill who have gone through being hospitalized and are legally disabled, on disability and they DO still use drugs.

It sounded to me like Colorado would refuse to consider their mental illness when looking at them due to the drug use.

?????

[SamIam]

If a person is a known drug user, his chance of getting approved in the first place is slim. If he develops a problem after being diagnosed, he can be sent to rehab in an effort to help him with his secondary and after the fact diagnoses.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by SamIam

No, no, no. A person cannot end up labeled disabled without extensive testing and two or three doctor's evaluations. Its really not that simple. Now a person may get labeled schizophrenic and ultimately go off his meds. This is almost always a tragedy as the person often becomes completely non functional - sleeps in the park, gets his money stolen, etc. Some schizophrenics do self medicate with illegal drugs, but illicit drug use is not their primary diagnosis. The plight of many schizophrenics is indeed tragic. I can see that you have a heart as big as an olive pit.

Originally Posted by Bluesky

Looks like you and i didn't communicate.

In SoCal, I've met many self medicating mentally ill who have gone through being hospitalized and are legally disabled, on disability and they DO still use drugs.

It sounded to me like Colorado would refuse to consider their mental illness when looking at them due to the drug use.

?????

ASIDE
I'd like to point out Bluesky's Reaction to being misunderstood is commendable.
Instead of getting all pissy and personal, Bluesky further clarified his/her question/point.
Well played.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Pie

I hear water can be bad for you, in large doses.

Like when you try to breath it in?

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

ASIDE
Instead of getting all pissy and personal, Bluesky further clarified his/her question/point.
Well played.

Sheesh - now you are sounding like a moderator - Git back to work already, slacker!

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by Bluesky

Looks like you and i didn't communicate.

In SoCal, I've met many self medicating mentally ill who have gone through being hospitalized and are legally disabled, on disability and they DO still use drugs.

It sounded to me like Colorado would refuse to consider their mental illness when looking at them due to the drug use.

?????

Sorry, sometimes I have mild brain blips. I didn't understand what you were asking. My understanding is that Colorado wil look at the big picture as long as your addiction occurred after you became disabled. They will treat people for dual diagnosis.

[Bluesky]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

ASIDE
I'd like to point out Bluesky's Reaction to being misunderstood is commendable.
Instead of getting all pissy and personal, Bluesky further clarified his/her question/point.
Well played.

Thanks xoxoxoBruce, but I just don't know anyone here well enough to get pissy yet.

Originally Posted by SamIam

Sorry, sometimes I have mild brain blips. I didn't understand what you were asking. My understanding is that Colorado wil look at the big picture as long as your addiction occurred after you became disabled. They will treat people for dual diagnosis.

So SamIam, a teen does various drugs, turns 19 or 20 and that being a ripe age for schizophrenia, is seen as a drug addict with a secondary of schiz rather than a schiz with a secondary of drugs?

I like the system that looks at the bigger picture and sees that schizophrenia IS a physical brain disease not related to the drug use. And considers that young person disabled even though there was drug use from earlier in life. Would Colorado actually refuse to call someone like that disabled because of drug use before being diagnosed with schizophrenia?

I'm not even sure a meth addict shouldn't be considered mentally ill after enough brain tissue is destroyed. It's not growing back and even if that meth user gets clean, their brain may still be like swiss cheese causing disability.

I can support not giving out monies to someone while they are still using since that does not help solve their illness and often makes it much worse. Although what I've seen in Cali is that the mentally ill get disability, it's given out for 'board and care' and the person gets maybe $20-50 a month spending money and all the rest is given to a care home. (If the person is not hospitalized).

Not that it stops the drug use. Stealing and prostitution add to the money used for drug use.

[SamIam]

Well, lets face it, addicts will figure out how to get money for their addiction one way or the other. I don't know the finer points of the law re schizophrenia. Isn't a major component of it genetic. A genetically vulnerable person drops acid, develops full blown schizophrenia and the entire house of cards falls down. I am thinking of other disabilities when I say that prior addiction will often prevent a disabled person from geting assistance. I know quite a few schizophrenics and they are all getting help of one kind or another, so maybe the addiction card does not weigh as heavily for them.

I think meth addicts just eat themselves from within. I don't think they get disability. They get dead.