Is being fat a disability??

kendall916

I just read the thread title and I have to say it is not a disability. It is a dis-a-bility if the person thinks it's a disability and should be kicked in the *kitten* for thinking that way!

Maitria

I just read the thread title and I have to say it is not a disability. It is a dis-a-bility if the person thinks it's a disability and should be kicked in the *kitten* for thinking that way!

Have you ever spent significant amounts of time with someone who weighs at least 500 lbs? Not everything can be cured with a positive attitude. Acceptance that you are currently disabled is not negative thinking or *kitten* kick worthy. If someone who is 500 lbs accepts that they won't be in a state where they can work for a year, and they file for disability to get health care and money to cover the basics, and they work on their weight, do they still need an *kitten* kicking?

It's actually pretty tough to be eligible for SSDI/SSI. They're not going to hand it to someone just because their BMI is 30+.

Meerataila

I just read the thread title and I have to say it is not a disability. It is a dis-a-bility if the person thinks it's a disability and should be kicked in the *kitten* for thinking that way!

Have you ever spent significant amounts of time with someone who weighs at least 500 lbs? Not everything can be cured with a positive attitude. Acceptance that you are currently disabled is not negative thinking or *kitten* kick worthy. If someone who is 500 lbs accepts that they won't be in a state where they can work for a year, and they file for disability to get health care and money to cover the basics, and they work on their weight, do they still need an *kitten* kicking?

It's actually pretty tough to be eligible for SSDI/SSI. They're not going to hand it to someone just because their BMI is 30+.

I think this quote from the social security disability website is key to how hard it is to get disability:


"If the SSA finds that there is some type of job you can do, the agency will deny your claim."


Notice it doesn't say if someone will hire you for that job. How hard it must be to get hired for anything if you weigh 500 pounds even in good times, and especially right now!

Maitria

but if my daughter wanted to, she could be getting a check now.....

No. She could have applied for one. Based on the other information you provided, it's extremely unlikely that she would have been approved.

From the gov:

The definition of disability under Social Security is different than other programs. Social Security pays only for total disability. No benefits are payable for partial disability or for short-term disability.

"Disability" under Social Security is based on your inability to work. We consider you disabled under Social Security rules if:

You cannot do work that you did before;
We decide that you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition(s); and
Your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.
This is a strict definition of disability. Social Security program rules assume that working families have access to other resources to provide support during periods of short-term disabilities, including workers' compensation, insurance, savings and investments.

sentaruu

Thinking that being fat is a disability is a disability

sentaruu

Thinking that being fat is a disability is a disability

FatFreeFrolicking

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

Maitria

Thinking that being fat is a disability is a disability

Only if you can prove pretty significant functional impairment. Like with mostly any condition that *could* be eligible. I believe it's somewhere between 30-35% of people who get approved on a first time application.

Maitria

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

So, if someone can't get out of bed, a positive attitude will make them non-disabled? Can diabetics will their organs into functioning correctly?

Until SSDI/SSI considers how a person became a disability in every single instance, and issues moral judgments about a person's worth, why should we care so much more for severely obese people? Do you believe that people who can't get out of bed due to their weight (not caused by an easily pinpointed condition) don't have some form of an eating disorder?

kbmnurse

Really?

FatFreeFrolicking

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

So, if someone can't get out of bed, a positive attitude will make them non-disabled? Can diabetics will their organs into functioning correctly?

Until SSDI/SSI considers how a person became a disability in every single instance, and issues moral judgments about a person's worth, why should we care so much more for severely obese people? Do you believe that people who can't get out of bed due to their weight (not caused by an easily pinpointed condition) don't have some form of an eating disorder?

There are plenty of individuals who weigh 400, 500, 600+ lbs and can still get out of bed. Hell, there's 400, 500, 600+ lb people who get out there and exercise. Watch Extreme Weight Loss. Some of the candidates are well over 400 lbs, get on a treadmill and run. Too many people use obesity as an excuse. Is it uncomfortable? YES. Does it make exercise more difficult? YES. Do you feel like your heart is pounding out of your skin? YES. But laying in bed or sitting on the couch isn't going to change a damn thing. In fact it'll only make things worse.

I know there are individuals who are bed-ridden because they ate themselves to 900 pounds. Do I believe they have an eating disorder? Absolutely. But to me, an eating disorder is no where near comparable to an actual disability like Down Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis nor should a person receive government assistance for having an eating disorder.

Meerataila

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

So, if someone can't get out of bed, a positive attitude will make them non-disabled? Can diabetics will their organs into functioning correctly?

Until SSDI/SSI considers how a person became a disability in every single instance, and issues moral judgments about a person's worth, why should we care so much more for severely obese people? Do you believe that people who can't get out of bed due to their weight (not caused by an easily pinpointed condition) don't have some form of an eating disorder?

There are plenty of individuals who weigh 400, 500, 600+ lbs and can still get out of bed. Hell, there's 400, 500, 600+ lb people who get out there and exercise. Watch Extreme Weight Loss. Some of the candidates are well over 400 lbs, get on a treadmill and run. Too many people use obesity as an excuse. Is it uncomfortable? YES. Does it make exercise more difficult? YES. Do you feel like your heart is pounding out of your skin? YES. But laying in bed or sitting on the couch isn't going to change a damn thing. In fact it'll only make things worse.

I know there are individuals who are bed-ridden because they ate themselves to 900 pounds. Do I believe they have an eating disorder? Absolutely. But to me, an eating disorder is no where near comparable to an actual disability like Down Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis nor should a person receive government assistance for having an eating disorder.

Sooo if someone eats himself into a state where he can't work, we should let him die in the street?

Maitria

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

So, if someone can't get out of bed, a positive attitude will make them non-disabled? Can diabetics will their organs into functioning correctly?

Until SSDI/SSI considers how a person became a disability in every single instance, and issues moral judgments about a person's worth, why should we care so much more for severely obese people? Do you believe that people who can't get out of bed due to their weight (not caused by an easily pinpointed condition) don't have some form of an eating disorder?

There are plenty of individuals who weigh 400, 500, 600+ lbs and can still get out of bed. Hell, there's 400, 500, 600+ lb people who get out there and exercise. Watch Extreme Weight Loss. Some of the candidates are well over 400 lbs, get on a treadmill and run. Too many people use obesity as an excuse. Is it uncomfortable? YES. Does it make exercise more difficult? YES. Do you feel like your heart is pounding out of your skin? YES. But laying in bed or sitting on the couch isn't going to change a damn thing. In fact it'll only make things worse.

I know there are individuals who are bed-ridden because they ate themselves to 900 pounds. Do I believe they have an eating disorder? Absolutely. But to me, an eating disorder is no where near comparable to an actual disability like Down Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis nor should a person receive government assistance for having an eating disorder.

Well, luckily, the government has stopped support discrimination against mental illness. You can get SSI for depression, if it's severe enough. You could be denied SSI for well-managed Schizophrenia. Mental illness can be as devastating and tragic as getting MS. (What if the person who got MS engaged in behaviors that increased their risk? Are they still legit?)

If someone has an eating disorder that is killing them, that's not legitimate enough for you? People with serious eating disorders suffer terribly.

One 500 lb person can work out. Another cannot. And it doesn't matter. A walk around the block or a run on the treadmill does not qualify someone to be able to maintain sustainable work. People don't get automatically approved for pretty much anything.

TheVirgoddess

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

You do know that many morbidly obese people aren't able to wipe their own butts, right? Or wash themselves properly? Or sometimes walk? Dress? I guess all these things are just because they aren't mentally strong enough.

And you're basing your opinion on a reality television show. Read that again and let it sink for a second..............

FatFreeFrolicking

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

You do know that many morbidly obese people aren't able to wipe their own butts, right? Or wash themselves properly? Or sometimes walk? Dress? I guess all these things are just because they aren't mentally strong enough.

And you're basing your opinion on a reality television show. Read that again and let it sink for a second..............

My opinion isn't only based on a reality TV show. But thanks for assuming!

TheVirgoddess

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

You do know that many morbidly obese people aren't able to wipe their own butts, right? Or wash themselves properly? Or sometimes walk? Dress? I guess all these things are just because they aren't mentally strong enough.

And you're basing your opinion on a reality television show. Read that again and let it sink for a second..............

My opinion isn't only based on a reality TV show. But thanks for assuming!

So when you recommend people watch "Extreme Weight Loss" to see your point of view, I'm not supposed to assume that it's a rather large part of how you've formed your opinion?

Ok.

FatFreeFrolicking

Obesity is only a disability if you allow it to be.

So, if someone can't get out of bed, a positive attitude will make them non-disabled? Can diabetics will their organs into functioning correctly?

Until SSDI/SSI considers how a person became a disability in every single instance, and issues moral judgments about a person's worth, why should we care so much more for severely obese people? Do you believe that people who can't get out of bed due to their weight (not caused by an easily pinpointed condition) don't have some form of an eating disorder?

There are plenty of individuals who weigh 400, 500, 600+ lbs and can still get out of bed. Hell, there's 400, 500, 600+ lb people who get out there and exercise. Watch Extreme Weight Loss. Some of the candidates are well over 400 lbs, get on a treadmill and run. Too many people use obesity as an excuse. Is it uncomfortable? YES. Does it make exercise more difficult? YES. Do you feel like your heart is pounding out of your skin? YES. But laying in bed or sitting on the couch isn't going to change a damn thing. In fact it'll only make things worse.

I know there are individuals who are bed-ridden because they ate themselves to 900 pounds. Do I believe they have an eating disorder? Absolutely. But to me, an eating disorder is no where near comparable to an actual disability like Down Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis nor should a person receive government assistance for having an eating disorder.

Well, luckily, the government has stopped support discrimination against mental illness. You can get SSI for depression, if it's severe enough. You could be denied SSI for well-managed Schizophrenia. Mental illness can be as devastating and tragic as getting MS. (What if the person who got MS engaged in behaviors that increased their risk? Are they still legit?)

If someone has an eating disorder that is killing them, that's not legitimate enough for you? People with serious eating disorders suffer terribly.

One 500 lb person can work out. Another cannot. And it doesn't matter. A walk around the block or a run on the treadmill does not qualify someone to be able to maintain sustainable work. People don't get automatically approved for pretty much anything.

People with serious eating disorders should be in an inpatient program getting the help they need. Not collecting money from the government. Money isn't going to solve the problem.

Meerataila

People with serious eating disorders should be in an inpatient program getting the help they need. Not collecting money from the government. Money isn't going to solve the problem.

One problem: Those programs aren't widely available to people without money and/or excellent insurance. Hell, we can't even get enough inpatient beds for heroin addicts in this country, and you think cookie addicts are going to have a chance?

Oh, not to mention the other side of the eating disorder coin: anorexics, bulimics, and those categorized as having EDNOS. Insurance companies don't want to cover them sufficiently to keep them from dying, and our government won't make them.