I'm on SSI and receive services through a state program through OPWDD. I cannot leave the state - otherwise I lose my services through OPWDD right now and that scares me vecause I feel completely limited in what I can do. I also cannot really work. If I have more than $2000... https://twitter.com/GinzuFoot/status/1292279726627684353

in my bank account I lose my medicaid, my SSI, and the state services I receive. I have student debt to pay back as well. It's part of the reason I decided to do my masters immediately after college because I really had limited choices. But, I still feel like the state services..

Don't know how to help me because I'm too "high-functioning" and too bright. The fact that I'm studying neuroscience alone sometimes is enough for people to feel like I don't need help or services or an accessible environment...

Yet, my masters hasn't been going well either and in the year since I started, I feel like I haven't gotten or benefited at all from the education since I have had limited opportunities and have basically been taking classes only. And I haven't started research...

So I feel completely isolated and alone. I feel like there's no support for people like me. And it never seems like any professor or person built into my state supports understands what I am going through...

I also have been on SSI since I was 18, so the last time I worked for a wage was at 16, when I was a camp counselor for a month...

It's a hard existence and I feel like I have no way to improve. All I wanted from my masters was to learn more about myself and what I want to do...

But, that's been a challenge and there are unrelenting barriers at every level of the way.

I'm also nervous sharing this on social media because I never felt like my situation mattered and it was my problem. Like who would care?

Thank you to anyone who is reading this.

#DisabledinSTEM

Oh also, I live close to where I grew up and go to the university closest to me because that's where both my medical/psychiatric and social support system is. I'm really bad at making friends and I have trouble with change, so I stuck around so that the environment is supportive.

But of course that means my exposure to the world has been limited - both in what is out there and the possibilities for myself.

My masters was supposed to be the time when I decide when I can make that jump, but honestly the last year has only made me more uncertain.