When you suffer from a mental disability, it can be debilitating and prevent you from working at your full capacity, which makes financial instability a possibility. To apply for social security disability or insurance benefits (SSD/SSI), you have to undergo a medical evaluation. This ensures that you fulfill the legal requirements for the disability and provides evidence of your disability. The Disability Evaluation Under Social Security includes mental disorders for eleven categories. If you fall under one of these categories, you may be eligible for SSD/SSI.
Mental Disabilities That Qualify You for SSD or SSI Benefits
When mentally disabled, you have to get evaluated by a medical professional. They can write a letter for you to testify about the seriousness of your mental disability to make sure they meet the Bluebook requirements.
Neurocognitive Disorders
Neurocognitive disorders typically deal with impairments in complex attention, learning and memory, executive function, perpetual motor skills, and language. There are deficits in social cognition, as well as the ability to concentrate, adapt or manage oneself, and interact with others.
Depressive, Bipolar, and Related Disorders
These disorders typically include diminished interest in activities, depressive mood, sleep disturbance, lessened appetite, and more. You may experience psychomotor agitation, a feeling of worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts. There may also be decreased energy. Bipolar disorder includes inflated-self esteem, a lessened need for sleep, and easy distractibility.
Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
Anxiety typically involves fatigue, irritability, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating. Obsessive-compulsive disorders are involuntary irrational and repetitive thoughts. The individual may obsessively perform repetitive behaviors.
Intellectual Disorder
Anyone with subaverage intellectual functioning and a cognitive disadvantage compared to the average may qualify for this. They would be dependent on others for help eating, dressing, bathing, using the toilet, and other basic functions. This can include someone with an IQ score of 70 or lower on a standardized test. A verbal or performance IQ score can accompany it and must be between a score of 71 to 75.
Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders
This disorder is evident when there is disorganized thinking or speaking, catatonia, delusions, and hallucinations. There will also be the inability to adapt and properly process information. It has to be a serious and persistent medical disorder.
Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
A somatic symptom is when there are altered voluntary motor or sensory activities that cannot be medically explained by any other mental disorder. There can be a frequent preoccupation with a serious illness, even without any symptoms.
Personality and Impulse Control Disorders
This disorder is characterized by having detachment from social relationships, suspiciousness of others, unstable personal relationships, and disrespect for the rights of others. There can also be attention-seeking behavior and feelings of inadequacy.
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism occurs when there is a deficit in verbal and nonverbal communication. This also impacts the ability to interact socially on a normal level. There are also repetitive patterns of behavior and restricted interest in activities. Also, there is an inability to remember and understand information, interact with others, and other symptoms.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
When there is medical documentation of the difficulty to sustain attention, organize tasks, or focus, this can be a neurodevelopmental disorder. Impulsive and hyperactive behaviors are also symptoms.
Eating Disorders
Eating-related behaviors that cause someone to eat too much or too little can be psychological in nature.
Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
Threats of death, violence, and life-threatening injuries can create a stressor-related disorder. The afflicted person might have flashbacks that make them re-experience the event. Also, they may take extreme measures to avoid reminders of the event.
How Do I Know if I Qualify?
You can discover whether or not you qualify for benefits with the help of a knowledgeable attorney. They can provide professional advice and inform you of the evidence you need. You can click here at Ghitterman.com to learn more about the process and how it works.
