I just got my GAF score and it is a 63 and I'm really upset they keep telling me I have
mild depression and on the paper work she answered everything was moderately impaired and then gave me a score of 63. Right now I feel like giving up. I have a lot of sucidal thoughts on -going I have cervical spondylosis,Fibro and I guess mild depression. Can anyone help me with the score? I'm really depressed now because of the pain in my neck and this paper work from the clinic
A GAF score of 63 is in the mild range; however, SS will evaluate your record as a whole. Your therapist may not be appreciating the extent of your depression, but you have a rh who is fully behind you and willing to come to your hearing, so your chances are excellent. Most Drs claim they don't have the time for that, so that is really in your favor. If she says your symptoms are "mild" and you are feeling a lot worse, then your feelings are valid. You have strong support in your main dx, and that is what is most important. IIRC, the GAF is not the be-all end all, it is not like if you are a certain number you will be denied. You have a lot of things going for you in your case, especially a Dr who is willing to go to bat for you. That counts for a lot. Meanwhile, keep coming to this board for support...this whole process is so stressful. Hang in there.
The following user gives a hug of support to sunni123: angelwings54 (05-26-2011)
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to sunni123 For This Useful Post: angelwings54 (05-26-2011), jgrangran (05-26-2011)
What is a GAF score, I am thinking it is like a pain scale for pain.but its for depression I don't get it how can someone really tell how depressed you are because its like one day you might feel okay then something might set you off life in general can be a roller coaster so how can they label it like that. I guess it hard for me to understand while I have took antidepressants only during this ssdi process My DR. really wasn"t happy I took myself off but I really didn"t realized they label you with a score. Because maybe the day of your test you were haviing a good day how can they do that and then use it as leverage But maybe they don't really use it that much like how could they use it and you have the other things wrong with you . Keep the hope up I know it hard but I really think if you don't give up you will win they want you to give up you have to keep fighting . Most people that keep fighting will win in the end.
Last edited by Administrator; 06-02-2011 at 11:02 AM.
The Following User Says Thank You to jgrangran For This Useful Post: angelwings54 (05-26-2011)
GAF stands for Global Assessment of functioning. It does vary every day, sometimes every minute! It is hard to pigeonhole something like that i agree. For example, my pdoc gives me a different GAF each visit. It is a scale that assesses social, occupational and psychological functioning, things like how well you seem connected w/ reality based on speech. Is it circumstantial, tangential or logical. Social functioning- a lot of friends or a loner, get into arguments, etc. If you have trouble keeping a job. I'm not sure how SS analyses it, probably an average over time. IIRC it was more of a clear benchmark in the determination process, but then someone argued that the low GAF score could all be in the social area, thus not preventing one from working completely so SS no longer uses it 'officially' even though they probably don't completely discard it. (An artificially high GAF score could be in the social area but low in the two other areas, making one unable to work even though their GAF was high)
The following user gives a hug of support to sunni123: angelwings54 (05-27-2011)
The Following User Says Thank You to sunni123 For This Useful Post: jgrangran (05-27-2011)
Hi there!! I just wanted to say PLEASE keep fighting!!!! They DO want you to give up AND they think to themselves well if they feel really bad they will just give up DON'T give up cause it will work out for you.It might take a little while but don't give up cause it will be SO worth it!!!
The Following User Says Thank You to tinkerbell45 For This Useful Post: jgrangran (05-27-2011)
Thank you, for those encouraging words - Don't Give Up! After getting responses about the GAF scores I am going to see the thearpist and tell her that it is much more than just mild. I am not going to give up. Angelwings54
There is a range from 1 to 100 in 10 scale increments.
91 - 100 Superior functioning
81 - 90 Absent or minimal symptoms
71 - 80 Sx's ransient and expectable reactions to psychosocial stressors
61 - 70 Some mild symptoms
51 - 60 Moderate symptoms
41 - 50 Serious symptoms
31 - 40 Some impairment in reality testing or communication
21 - 30 Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations
11 - 20 Some danger of hurting self or others
1 - 10 Persistent danger of severely hurting self or others
* The lower your GAF score it seems, the worse you are. If I had to personally rate myself, I would say I am in 41-50 range. Some days are in the 61-70 range.
angelwings54>>>who administered the test to you?
Last edited by BlueSkies14; 05-27-2011 at 05:52 AM.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to BlueSkies14 For This Useful Post: angelwings54 (05-27-2011), jgrangran (05-27-2011)
BlueSkies54,
I had the test done at a mental health facility here in CO. I'm seeing the NP who signed off on the paperwork this afternoon and I'm going to tell her I don't agree with the 63. Just like you said I'd rate myself on some days a 45 - 51 so, I'll see what she does. This morning I feel very confused. Last night I got so upset with the paperwork reading it I had to call the crisis ctr. They said I could just tell her that I didn't agree about the depression being mild. Thanks so very for all of the information that you've sent me. Angelwings54
Tinkerbell45
