Many of the people who need benefits through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) have physical injuries or ailments. They might have a brain injury that affects their memory or a muscular condition that limits their mobility.
While it is certainly true that physical disabilities are easier to prove, they aren’t the only conditions that can qualify a worker for SSDI benefits. Provided that you have made enough payroll contributions to Social Security as a worker, you may be able to claim SSDI benefits for emotional or mental health conditions that prevent you from working or affect your ability to live independently.
When might mental health and emotional conditions qualify for SSDI?
Qualifying conditions must be severe and long-lasting
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a list of different groups of mental disorders that could qualify people for benefits. Schizophrenia-related disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, forms of depression and even personality disorders could qualify someone for SSDI benefits.
Even rare or unlisted conditions might qualify if their impact is severe enough. Generally speaking, the requirements for qualification are the same regardless of what kind of condition a person has. The condition must be severe enough to limit someone’s independence or ability to work. Additionally, it will need to last for at least a year or longer.
When trying to prove the severity of emotional or mental disabilities, medical records, employment records and even hospitalization records can help you build a claim that will hold up under scrutiny and help you get the benefits you need when you can’t work. An experienced attorney can provide valuable guidance.