Crowe & Shanahan | The Social Security Law Group

Can’t work because of a disability? Call us Toll-Free at 📞 1-877-213-7793 or Locally at 📞 314-231-6660

No initial fees and no fees until your claim is approved.

Does SSDI cover nervous breakdowns?

On Behalf of | May 5, 2022 | Social Security Disability

Yes, Social Security Disability Benefits do cover most kinds of anxiety disorders, including nervous breakdowns.

You need to understand, however, that, as the Mayo Clinic explains, a nervous breakdown is the layman’s term for your inability to function normally due to overwhelming stress or other pressures.

Nervous breakdown symptoms

Nervous breakdown symptoms vary widely from person to person, but some of the most common ones include the following:

  • You experience sleep disturbances or do virtually nothing but sleep.
  • You either eat too much or too little.
  • You chronically miss work.
  • You cut yourself off from friends and family.
  • You miss the appointments you do make.
  • You tend to neglect hygiene matters, such as showering, changing clothes, etc.

Nervous breakdown causes

Like nervous breakdown symptoms, their causes likewise vary from person to person. Example causes include the following:

  • You experience a tragedy, such as the death of your spouse, child or another close family member.
  • You divorce or go through another major life change.
  • You have continuing financial problems.
  • You experience continual stress at work.
  • You experience continuing domestic violence.

Applying for SSDI benefits

If you believe your nervous breakdown symptoms rise to the level of a disability, your wisest course of action is to hire a Social Security attorney to help you file for SSDI benefits. This can become a very complicated process very quickly.

At the very least, you likely will need substantial medical documentation regarding your symptoms, treatment and prognosis. In addition, you will need to fall within one of SSDI’s defined categories. In other words, whether you can receive benefits depends on a variety of factors, all of which must fit together seamlessly.