S To Apply For Ssa Benefits
You can apply for depression disability benefits online, in person at your local office, or on the phone: .
Step one: Gather your information
To apply, you may need the following information:
- birth dates, Social Security numbers, marriage status of you and people in your household
- financial institution information
- healthcare team information to verify diagnosis
- detailed information about the disability you live with and treatments youve undergone
- name, address, and employment information for up to five previous jobs
- information on benefits youve received
- legal documents such as birth certificate, military ID, W-2 forms, benefit certificates
Step two: The application
Complete and submit your application.
Step three: The review
After you submit your application, it will go to the SSA for review to ensure you meet the basic disability requirements.
Part of the review process will be looking at your work history to verify you qualify for SSDI benefits or have current work activities.
Step four: Application processed
If your application is approved, it will be forwarded to the Disability Determination Services office in your state. This is the office that will make the final decision regarding your benefits.
Step five: Notification
Approval or denial of disability benefits for depression will come by mail.
You can check the status of your application through your online account or by calling 800-772-1213 .
Criteria For Social Assistance
SSA disability programs set forth criteria that must be met to qualify for assistance for an anxiety disorder in Section 12.06 of the “Disability Evaluation Under Social Security” document.
Here is a list adapted from the SSA government website that shows the criteria someone with social anxiety disorder would potentially have to meet to qualify for assistance.
A social anxiety disorder would need to meet the required level of severity for the condition, which typically involves both:
For someone with SAD, examples of activities of daily living that might be impaired include using public transportation, paying bills, making phone calls, and attending appointments.
People with SAD may fear people, avoid relationships, and experience social isolation.
In addition to the above requirements, a person with SAD’s ability to work, as well as whether problems related to the condition have lasted for at least two years, will be considered.
Social Securitys Alternative Listing For Depression
Social Security provides another way to meet the listing for depression for those who cant show they currently have the functional limitations above because theyve been living in a highly structured or protected situation or undergoing intense therapy.
If you are in this situation, you may be able to meet a second set of functional criteria. You can do this if your disorder has been medically documented as serious and persistent over a period of at least two years and you have either been living in a highly structured setting or youve been receiving ongoing medical treatment, mental health therapy, or psychosocial support that diminishes the symptoms of your mental disorder. You must also show that you have little ability to adapt to demands that are not already part of your daily life or to changes in your environment.
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The Ada And Psychiatric Disability In The Workplace
- Definitions. The ADA defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. When job applicants or employees have a mental health condition that meets this criteria, they have workplace rights under the ADA. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 recently broadened the definition of disability to provide legal protections against employment discrimination for more individuals with disabilities, including people with psychiatric disabilities.
- Record of psychiatric disability. The ADA also prohibits discrimination against individuals who have a record of a psychiatric disability or are regarded as having a psychiatric disability. This means, for example, that qualified individuals who have a history of psychiatric disability cannot be discriminated against just because of that history. Also, employers cant take actions because they believe a qualified applicant or employee might have a psychiatric disability.
- Rights under the ADA. Applicants and employees with psychiatric disabilities have two main rights under the ADA. First, they have a right to privacy. Except when asking for an accommodation, they can choose whether to tell the employer about their disability. Second, they have a right to a job accommodation unless this causes undue hardship for the employer.
Correct Treatment But No Documentation
Insurance companies will deny many claims because of a lack of medical documentation. So, even if your doctor follows best practices and you follow their advice if it isnt recorded, its like it never happened.
Its common in cases of depression for the insurance company to ask for your doctors clinical records. They do this to see if the doctor is following best practices adjusting medication and making appropriate recommendations. If the doctors medical file doesnt document whats happening, then the insurance company will deny your claim.
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What If You Don’t Meet The Criteria
If you have severe impairment in functioning that does not meet the above criteria, you may still qualify for support.
The SSA recognizes something called residual functional capacity the work-related abilities that you have in spite of your social anxiety disorder.
Evaluation of your RFC demonstrates how your ability to work is compromised by your anxiety even if the impairment is not severe enough to meet the criteria listed above.
For example, if you have severe performance anxiety you might be unable to complete job duties as a teacher, even though daily social activities and daily functioning are manageable.
Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder Or Severe Anxiety A Disability
Legally speaking, yes some forms of generalized anxiety disorder can be considered a disability. The law that governs Social Security benefits defines a disability as the “inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.” In other words, a disability includes mental impairments that make you unable to do your job or find enough employment to support yourself. The impairment must be long-term or potentially fatal.
Generalized anxiety disorder and other forms of severe anxiety are often long-term, can be diagnosed by a doctor, and can limit someone from engaging in substantial gainful activity. As long as your condition meets those requirements, it will considered a disability according to Social Security law.
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Social Security Disability Insurance
SSDI is the first program you may consider if depression has disrupted your ability to work. To qualify for the program, you must:
- prove you havent been able to work for at least 12 months
- have paid Social Security through paycheck deductions for the last 5 out of 10 years
The exact SSDI benefits you receive depend on your individual contributions to the Social Security system during your working years. On average, people on SSDI receive $1,165 per month as of 2014.
What Are The Disabling Symptoms Of Depression
Clinical depression is marked by pervasive feelings of sadness, despair, and loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.
The way depression manifests may differ from case to case, but the most common underlying symptoms include:
- Pervasive feelings of sadness and worthlessness
- Fatigue and loss of energy
- Inability to concentrate or focus
- Slowed speech and physical movements
- Unusual sleep patterns
- Loss of interest or enjoyment in all activities
- Loss of appetite and/or significant change in body weight and
- Suicidal thoughts.
Any of these symptoms, if presenting severely and frequently enough, can be disabling.
Though it may be obvious to you why you can no longer work with depression, your insurance company will require details of all your symptoms and the ways in which they specifically impair your ability to perform your job duties.
Remember that depression presents differently in each person. To fairly evaluate your long term disability claim for depression, your insurer must understand how your condition personally affects your functioning.
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Long Term Disability Claims Based On Depression & Anxiety
If you suffer from depression and anxiety and are claiming benefits under a long term disability policy, you must prove your condition is disabling under the disability definition found in your insurance policy. Moreover, you must meet all other requirements of your long term disability policy in order to be approved. In general, this means you must demonstrate your depression and anxiety are so severe they prevent you from performing your job . Documentation of your disability from your treating providers as well as factual evidence from you and your family, friends, and co-workers can all be used to secure your claim.
Typically, long term disability policies limit recovery for claims based solely on mental health claims to two years each plan is different, however, so review the plan terms carefully. If your depression and anxiety issues were caused by an underlying physical health problem such as chronic pain, then you may be able to receive benefits beyond your plans mental health limitation. To secure these additional long term disability benefits, you will need to develop medical evidence showing your physical impairment alone renders you disabled. An experienced long term disability attorney can help develop the necessary evidence.
About The Numbers: Mental Illness In The Workplace
- Examples of psychiatric diagnoses include anxiety disorder, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder , bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
- Overall, about 44 million adults in the U.S. report having had any mental health condition during the past year, representing about 18.5% of the U.S. population.
- Among these U.S. adults, the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that:
- 18% have an anxiety disorder
- 9.5% have depression
- 4% have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- 2.6% have bipolar disorder
- 1% have schizophrenia
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How Can The Disability Tax Credit Help Me
The Disability Tax Credit actually offers a variety of forms of credit, benefits, and grants for those coping with Anxiety Disorders and for those who care for them. The disability tax credit can help with child care or tuition expenses, and even work as reimbursement for medical expenses incurred in treatment of a disorder. As previously mentioned, even an individuals spouse/partner can receive credit if the disabled party is someone with no taxable income.
What Is A Severe Impairment
Social security defines a severe impairment as one that significantly limits your ability to do any of the following: walk, sit, stand, push, pull, lift, and carry hear, speak, and see understand and follow simple directions, and interact with co-workers and supervisors, and adjust to changes in the workplace.
In contrast, a non-severe impairment impacts your ability to work only minimally.
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Anxiety Disability Claim Depression Disability Claim We Are Here To Help
The long-term disability claim process is complex and can be very difficult to navigate on your own, especially when your life is already disrupted by the effects of anxiety or depression. If you are considering making an anxiety disability claim or a depression disability claim, have already started the claims process, or your long-term disability claim application has been denied, Ludwar Law Firm can help you. With over 25 years of experience handling long-term disability claims for depression and anxiety, Ludwar Law Firm stands out above the rest. Clients of our Calgary-based law firm from all over Alberta and Saskatchewan appreciate being able to talk to people who can explain the process, their options, and what will happen during their claim. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Ludwar Law Firm
An Overview Of Depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive and persistent low mood accompanied by low self-esteem and by a loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Major depressive disorder is a disabling condition that adversely affects a persons family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. In the United States, around 3.4% of people with major depression commit suicide, and up to 60% of people who commit suicide had depression or another mood disorder.
The diagnosis of major depressive disorder is based on the patients self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives or friends, and a mental status examination. There is no laboratory test for major depression, although physicians generally request tests for physical conditions that may cause similar symptoms. The most common period of onset is between the ages of 20 and 30 years, with a smaller secondary peak between 30 and 40 years.
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Talk To A Disability Lawyer
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Applying For Ssdi/ssi Benefits For Anxiety Disorders
If you apply for disability benefits related to an anxiety disorder, the Social Security Administration will review your review your disorder under the Adult Listings, which is a set of criterial that measures that severity of your anxiety and may qualify you for benefits.
This is a strict test. To qualify for benefits under the Adult Listings, you must meet the conditions of either Paragraphs Aand B below,OR the conditions of Paragraphs A and C below. This is not a maybe test all the required conditions must be met to qualify for benefits.
A: You must have medical documentation ofone of the following:
- Constant generalized anxiety, with three of the following four symptoms: motor tension, vigilance and scanning, autonomic hyperactivity, or apprehensive expectation.
- Constant irrational fear of a situation, object, or activity that results in a significant desire to avoid the situation, object, or activity.
- Recurring severepanic attacks that are characterized by sudden unpredictable episodes of intense fear, apprehension, terror, and a sense of impending doom that happen at least once a week.
- Recurrent compulsions or obsessions that cause marked distress.
- Recurring intrusive remembrances of a traumatic experience that causes marked distress.
B: The condition under Paragraph A must result in at leasttwo of the following:
- Repeated periods of decompensation, each of extended duration.
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What Is A Disability
You have to show that your mental health problem is a disability to get the protection of the Equality Act.
‘Disability’ has a special legal meaning under the Equality Act, which is broader than the usual way you might understand the word. Even if you dont think you have a disability, the Equality Act may protect you from discrimination if your mental health problem fits its definition of disability.
The Equality Act says you have a disability if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial, adverse, and long-term effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
The focus is on the effect of your mental health problem, rather than the diagnosis. So you need to show that your mental health problem:
- has more than a small effect on your everyday life
- makes things more difficult for you, and
- has lasted at least 12 months, is likely to last 12 months, or that it is likely to recur.
Examples of ‘substantial adverse effect’
Simon has obsessive-compulsive disorder . He has to check and recheck whether lights are switched off and doors are locked. This can make him late for work or other appointments. His obsessive thoughts often distract him from activities that he is doing and disrupt his daily routines. His mental health problem therefore has a substantial adverse effect on the way he does things.
Examples of ‘long term’
Depression Disability And Your Job: What It Means To Be Disabled
If youre feeling overwhelmed and dont have the energy for daily tasks or self-care, there may be a chance that you qualify for disability benefits because of depression.
The question of whether depression makes you eligible for disability is complex. Its true that many people with depression are able to work, but some are not. A lot depends on the severity of your symptoms and how they affect your ability to function in everyday life.
In this disability benefits review, we take a look at what it means to be disabled by a mental illness, as well as how you can qualify for disability benefits.
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Disability For Depression And Anxiety In Canada
How can you get disability for depression and anxiety in Canada? Mental illnesses arent real disabilities! you may ask. Well, in Canada, Disability Tax Credit eligibility is determined by how a condition affects your life, not based on a rigid list of conditions.
According to the Canada Revenue Agency, depression is a disability if you are in at least one of the basic activities of daily living for a prolonged period of time, at least 12 months of almost constant impairment.
Depressive episodes can easily last months or even years, preventing people from completing the basic tasks of daily life. Its difficult to cook, or clean, or work when you lack motivation, finding yourself unable to do anything but lie in bed trapped in your own head.
Another criterion of Disability Tax Credit eligibility is the requirement for life-sustaining therapy. For severely depressed people, therapy can be their one lifeline back to normalcy, and is absolutely necessary if they are contemplating suicide or self-harm.