Too eloquent to be disabled

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So after multiple denials I have a Disability hearing for social security next week. My providers all agree that I am disabled and can not work at this time. However, I am not very confident in my lawyer. At our last meeting it was obvious that she hasn't read through the psych assessment that was completed last month. This document has EVERYTHING she needs to know. She kept asking me questions that are answered within the document and I kept telling her such.
Back on topic. The major issue I have is that she says I am too smart and too well spoken to have a judge grant me disability. IQ doesn't always determine the severity of mental illness! Now I am even more stressed about the hearing because I am worried I will sound to smart (which is ridiculous). Does anyone have any suggestions or coping skills that will help me get through this?

Be sure to mention executive dysfunction. That's why you're disabled. Use the exact term a few times like it's a big deal.

Would you allow a lawyer, who did not remember key facts contained in you personal documents and did not believe in your innocence, represent you in a (criminal) court of law ? IF she thinks, you are too smart and well spoken to have a judge grant you disability then limiting your words and nodding your head at appropriate times might be sound advice. Also, your lawyer needs to analyze your personal documents and come up with a strategy to prove that you are disabled regardless of the appearance of a high IQ. And, chances are, you know more about ASD's and your own limitations THAN your lawyer so you are going to have to step forward and advocate on your own behalf. You are going to have to sit down and work diligently with your present lawyer or find another one.

TheSunAlsoRises

Alternatively, you could retake an IQ test and purposely botch it, and then start acting ret*d, but I highly suggest that you ignore my "advice".

could be worse. When I tried getting back onto it (Was on it from ages 11-19, tried getting back onto it last year) I got denied because "You are too young to be disabled."

That is the other problem. I am 27.

That is the problem. She was assigned by the state and I tried to sit down and talk to her but she never returned my calls. She rescheduled my hearing and it is next week. Since I have no documented reason why I can't make it, I just have to go through with it how it is and hope for the best.

That sounds frustrating as hell, and I've ran into that issue before...apparently I'm too intelligent to have any psychological problems, I think maybe people assume mental retardation is the only mental disorder or something.

You can be intelligent and have severe mental problems. It reminds me of this joke.

A motorist is driving past a mental hospital when he gets a flat tire.
He goes out to change the tire, and sees that one of the patients is watching him through the fence.
Nervous, trying to work quickly, he jacks up the car, takes off the wheel, puts the lugnuts into the hubcap -
And steps on the hubcap, sending the lugnuts clattering into a storm drain.
The mental patient is still watching him through the fence.
The motorist desperately looks into the storm drain, but the lugnuts are gone.
The patient is still watching.
The motorist paces back and forth, trying to think of what to do -
And the patient says,
"Take one lugnut off each of the other tires, and you'll have three lugnuts on each."
"That's brilliant!" says the motorist. "What's someone like you doing in an asylum?"
"I'm here because I'm crazy," says the patient, "not because I'm stupid."

I'm smart but because I'm quiet sometimes people just assume I'm stupid.

Well, let's take this notion and run with it. Since you have the gift of eloquence, take the time between now and your hearing to use it. Review the existing information regarding autism/AS (you didn't say which) and write out a summary of the information that indicates that eloquence and good diction can be perfectly normal, or even a result of the disorder. Take it with you and present that information to the judge, either spelled out on paper, or read aloud.

Isn't the diagnosis rate of mental disorders significantly higher among those with high intelligience than the general population?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztVMib1T4T4&feature=related[/youtube]


TheSunAlsoRises

I'm not sure, I can see why it could be true.....but I've never looked into it so I don't know.

Good Luck. I hope things work out well for you.

I mean, this is a lot of pressure to deal with. A Lawyer who does not really understand the dynamics of Autism, inadequate time to prepare for a court case, and the breaking of your fixed routines. I bet you are losing sleep, lost a bit of weight, and have gone into one of your co morbid diagnosis: depression. Right now, you probably are not looking the best you have in a long time. I do declare, a person could have a major courtroom meltdown, right there in front of the judge, with all that undue stress.

TheSunAlsoRises

there was a study on it a while back that basically stated it to be the truth, they even specified it as those having high "intellectual intelligence" (as I call it) and low emotional intelligence paired up to be at a much higher risk.

That seems to be the plan. I figure there isn't really anything that I can do to make the situation better. If it just keeps getting worse it will be quite easy to see the disability.