Does My Mental Illness Qualify for Social Security Disability?
Social Security has improved its approach to mental illness, recognizing far more conditions than it used to.
Several specific impairments are now included in its “blue book” of eligible mental health conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Depression
- Delusional disorders
- Eating disorders
- Neurocognitive disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Personality and impulse-control disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Schizophrenia
- Somatic disorders
Even if your symptoms don’t fit perfectly into a recognized diagnosis, you can still be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. It comes down to proving your struggle with mental health—whatever shape it takes—keeps you from working.
Across all kinds of health problems and across the country, Social Security denies about 80 percent of first-time applicants for disability benefits.
Take some of the uncertainty out of the process. Our Oregon disability attorney team at Wells, Manning, Eitenmiller & Taylor can evaluate your case and give you advice you need to move forward.
And it’s FREE. There is no fee until you win.
How Do I Prove My Mental Health Problem Qualifies for Disability Benefits in Oregon?
On paper, the application process for Social Security Disability benefits for a mental health condition is the same as other impairments.
But it takes an extra level of care as evaluators can be more skeptical when reviewing a mental health claim.
The key is to prove that your condition is severe and persistent, keeping you from working for at least 12 months.
You will need to collect medical evidence of your diagnosis and your treatment plan, including medications and therapy regimen. You will also need proof that you have consistently followed your treatment instructions. Social Security will want to know that you have exhausted all efforts to feel better but still cannot work.
Your doctor, psychiatrist, or other qualified health care provider can provide records of your diagnosis and care.
If your condition doesn’t match one of Social Security’s recognized mental disorders for disability benefits, administrators may call for an evaluation of your “residual functional capacity” through your doctor or an independent medical expert.
This measures such things as your alertness, cognition, ability to stay on task, and physical limitations that impact your ability to work.
The goal is to show your symptoms are severe enough to prevent you from “substantial gainful activity”—a formal way to say “earning enough to make a living”—then disability benefits may be available for you.
Social Security may also require you to collect statements from people who know you and can attest to how your mental health condition has impacted your life.
The process is difficult, but you don’t have to manage this avalanche of paperwork without help. Wells, Manning, Eitenmiller & Taylor disability lawyers in Oregon handle all types of disability claims and treat our clients who struggle with mental illnesses with respect.
We take a personalized approach to your case, ensuring you have every level of support you need to get through the challenge of securing disability benefits.
Whether you’re applying for the first time or appealing a denial at any level, we can help you on a path to a better life.
We’re with You Every Step of the Way
Whether you’re trying to determine if you’re qualified for disability benefits, you need help filing your application, or you received a denial notice and want another chance, our law firm helps from the beginning and stays by your side.
Have a Question about Disability Benefits?
Your health is bad. You can’t work. Your financial stability is threatened. So your head is swimming with questions. How will you get by? How does Social Security Disability work? We’ve gathered answers. See them here:
Disability FAQs »
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