Avoid self-medicating after an SSDI denial

Living with a disability that essentially makes it impossible for a person to work can be difficult for any Minnesota resident. Though Social Security Disability Insurance benefits could help individuals in this type of situation, not everyone receives approval of their application. As a result, some people may think that they have no hope of receiving benefits after an SSDI denial and could think about self-medicating as a way to deal with their problems, which could have negative effects.

Self-medicating may seem appealing to individuals who cannot afford regular medical care for their disability because they lack the funds. They could also consider this route if they struggle with their disability in such a way that it leads to feelings of depression. After an SSDI denial, individuals may try to take over-the-counter medications to help deal with their pain or could even turn to questionable ways of getting prescription medication.

Self-medicating can be detrimental for many reasons, including the following:

• Medication mistakes are easy to make without advice from a doctor, even if a person is using OTC medications.
• Many medications cannot be mixed with alcohol, and if a person does not have that information, he or she could become seriously ill or suffer even worse effects from mixing drugs and alcohol.
• It is easy to take too high of a dose or even too low of a dose without proper medical information.
• It is also possible for certain foods to interact negatively with some medications, which could have a detrimental effect on someone who does not know that information.

The reasons for not self-medicating and the risks involved with it could go on and on. Instead of feeling as if this is their only option, Minnesota residents who received an SSDI denial may want to continue looking into possibly getting benefits. It may be possible to appeal an initial denial and work toward getting benefits that could help individuals pay for medical care and other needs rather than trying to handle their condition on their own.