While many people assume that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is only available for individuals with physical disabilities, but in reality, individuals with psychological affective disorders like Anxiety can make an individual qualify for SSDI under specific circumstances. If you live in Atlantic County or the surrounding area, consulting an Atlantic County SSDI lawyer is the only way to be sure if you will qualify before applying, but here are some guidelines to help point you towards qualification answers where anxiety is concerned.
Can You Qualify for SSDI with Anxiety?
The short answer is yes. If you want to read everything you need to know about how affective disorders are treated by SSDI requirements, there’s a full break down on the Social Security Administration’s website. Here’s a quick redux of what you will find there.
In general, to determine the level of severity of affective disorders, the Social Security Administration requires that an affected individual’s affliction conforms to one of several condition. To qualify with anxiety, look under subheading 12.04.C, which states the following:
C. [A qualified individual must suffer from a] Medically documented history of a chronic affective disorder of at least 2 years’ duration that has caused more than a minimal limitation of ability to do basic work activities, with symptoms or signs currently attenuated by medication or psychosocial support.
That means to qualify for SSDI with anxiety, your condition must have lasted at least 2 years, must have a sizable impact on work, and must be aided at least in part by either regular consultations with a qualified therapist or be minimized by a prescribed medication. In addition to that requirement, Anxiety must meet one of the following requirements to qualify for SSDI:
1. It must cause repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration.
If you are able to hold a steady job and make a steady wage, and your anxiety does not cause any loss of livelihood or “decompensation,” then you are not likely to qualify for SSDI with anxiety unless one of the other two conditions are met.
2. A “disease process” where a small change in environment or a small increase in mental demands leads to decompensation.
If it is impossible for you to adapt to new situations with your anxiety without losing an income, or if a small increase in the demands placed upon your mental state cause you to lose income, you could qualify for SSDI.
3. Current history of being unable to operate outside of a highly supportive living arrangement and an indication for a continued need for such an arrangement.
If you can prove that living in a supportive environment eases the severity of your condition, and will continue to do so, you may be able to qualify for SSDI with anxiety.
Still Confused if you Qualify?
The conditions above are far from straightforward, and it can be hard for most people to determine if the qualify for SSDI just by reading the information from the SSA’s website. That’s why if you live in Atlantic County, visiting a qualified Atlantic County SSDI lawyer is the best and most sure fire way to learn if you qualify for benefits while suffering from anxiety. And if you do qualify, and can prove that you do with one of the above metrics, a qualified lawyer will be able to help you make sure that you get approved.
