Some mental illnesses can cause symptoms so severe that a person cannot hold down a job. As a result, that person may apply for disability benefits to obtain the financial assistance they need for daily expenses. However, do people with mental illnesses have a harder time qualifying for Social Security disability?
How Does the SSA Evaluate Mental Health Disability Claims?
The Social Security Administration maintains the “Blue Book,” a listing of impairments that may qualify for disability benefits and the criteria for evaluating whether such conditions qualify as a disability. The Blue Book has a category for mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorder, PTSD, autism spectrum disorder, and eating disorders.
Even though a person may have a mental disorder not listed in the Blue Book, they can still qualify for Social Security disability benefits if the severity of their condition equals or exceeds that of a listed condition. The Social Security Administration evaluates whether a mental condition significantly limits a person’s ability to perform basic work tasks or whether the person can do past jobs they’ve held or other work, given their age, education, training, and experience. Thus, the evaluation of disability claims focuses on how a condition renders an applicant unable to work rather than solely focusing on the diagnosis.
What Makes Mental Illness Disability Claims More Difficult?
Some of the factors that make pursuing disability benefits claims for mental illness more challenging include:
- Subjective Nature of Symptoms – Mental health conditions often cause symptoms that require self-reporting, rather than symptoms identified through objective medical testing. The subjective nature of mental illness symptoms can make it more challenging to demonstrate the debilitating nature of mental illness or potentially lead to perceptions of exaggerating symptoms or malingering.
- Gaps in Medical Treatment – Many people have inconsistent treatment of mental illness due to various factors, such as cost, difficulty accessing care, or the social stigma of having a mental illness or seeking treatment. However, the Social Security Administration may view gaps in medical treatment as indicative of a non-severe condition or a condition that does not cause long-term impairment.
- Effect on Working Capacity – Even though a person has a diagnosed mental illness, the Social Security Administration may deny benefits if the condition does not affect the person’s ability to work. Symptoms of mental illnesses can also fluctuate in severity, which may cause the SSA to question whether an applicant’s condition will cause long-term work limitations. Finally, the SSA may conclude that a mental illness will not impair a person’s working ability with appropriate treatment or medication.
How Can You Strengthen Your Mental Illness Disability Claim?
Some of the supporting materials SSD benefits applicants can gather to strengthen claims based on mental illness include:
- Consistent medical records and treatment history, including regular visits to medical and mental health professionals, and consistent documentation of symptoms throughout the medical record
- Detailed narrative letters from treating providers that explain how an applicant’s mental health condition affects their work-related functioning, such as concentration, memory, decision-making, and interactions with others
- Statements from co-workers, friends, and family members that detail the degenerative changes caused by an applicant’s mental illness
- Documentation of failed attempts to hold down jobs, including records showing terminations caused by symptoms of mental illness, such as tardiness, missed work assignments, or poor working relationships
Contact Our Firm Today for Guidance
If you’re experiencing debilitating symptoms from a diagnosed mental illness, you may qualify for Social Security disability. Working with an experienced attorney can help you fight back against attempts to minimize the nature of your disability and pursue the benefits you deserve. Contact Crowe & Shanahan today for a free, no-obligation consultation with an SSD attorney to discuss your options for pursuing disability benefits for a severe mental illness that prevents you from working.