The SSA's evaluation of whether your mental impairment qualifies as a disability is based on their effects on four areas of your life: your daily living, your social interaction, your ability to focus and complete tasks, and your reaction to stress and pressure.
Give yourself a break: Giving yourself a break from life's stressors is one of the best ways to deal with mental illness. Go on long walks, go on a vacation, meditate, pray, practice deep breathing exercises, and take a step back from things that are causing your problems.
Major depression has been included in the Social Security listings as an affective disorder, which means that if your illness has been diagnosed by a qualified medical practitioner and is severe enough to keep you from working, you have an excellent chance of receiving benefits.
Mental illnesses, among which depression and anxiety are most common, are the leading cause for permanent disability.
Signs Your Mental Health May Be DecliningFeeling Irritable. ... Problems Sleeping. ... Constant Feelings of Depression. ... Feeling Disconnected From Reality. ... Isolating From Friends and Family. ... Problems Concentrating. ... Changes in Weight or Appetite. ... Persistent Feelings of Guilt.More items...•
Things to Consider. Poor emotional health can weaken your body's immune system. This makes you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should.
Major depressive disorder is a serious mental illness that affects how people feel, think, and go about their everyday tasks. The condition can also impact a person's sleep habits, appetite, and ability to enjoy life.
Mental illnesses, among which depression and anxiety are most common, are the leading cause for permanent disability.
Like other conditions with symptoms that are based on emotional distress, a disability based on depression can be difficult to prove to the Social Security Administration because the symptoms are often difficult to measure. Additionally, just being diagnosed with depression is not enough to qualify for benefits.
1. Arthritis. Arthritis and other musculoskeletal disabilities are the most commonly approved conditions for disability benefits. If you are unable to walk due to arthritis, or unable to perform dexterous movements like typing or writing, you will qualify.
Severe mental illness is often defined by its length of duration and the disability it produces. These illnesses include disorders that produce psychotic symptoms, such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, and severe forms of other disorders, such as major depression and bipolar disorder.
It can be difficult to bring a claim for disability benefits on the basis of anxiety or depression because the evidence used to support the diagnosis is based on subjective criteria. Objective measures, like an X-ray or a blood test, cannot tell your doctor what you are thinking or feeling in your day-to-day life.