Since I don't get much money I was able to easily apply for and get Medicaid and Food Stamps. I also applied for Monetary Assistance from the state... but I backed out of that for personal reasons, plus I was applying for SSI and if I was approved I would have to pay back all the monetary assistance, which I wasn't exactly keen on doing. It's all about getting your medical records and having them in order. Go to doctors, but more specifically, psychiatrists, psychologists, whatever, get diagnosed and make sure to get your records. Keep copies for yourself, and get your paperwork submitted, fax is in my experience the best method. In my state, you have a case worker. Once you fill out all the paperwork, eventually they'll ask you to fill out some more paperwork. It may take quite a while to get disability or SSI. For some people it can take quite a long time.
My intent is not to discourage, it's just to paint a realistic picture of the time frame that I've heard from other people and seen for myself. Just be patient with the system.