Disability for Anxiety?
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In this article, we will discuss the topic “Disability for anxiety.” We will present the impairment listing by Social Security Administration, Residual Functional Capacity determination, as well as anxiety disorders that may qualify for disability benefits (PTSD, OCD, GAD, phobias, and panic attacks).
Disability for Anxiety; Benefits
Mental health conditions can be considered a disability if they have a long-term (lasts or can last for 12 months) effect on daily activity.
Like other health conditions, you can be eligible for disability benefits for anxiety by Social Security Administration, if anxiety affects your daily activities, means, only if you struggle with long-term severe anxiety (that has lasted or is expected to last for 12 months).
Mild anxiety, which does not cause trouble to take a shower, cook, eat, or dress, is not considered a disability, and you cannot qualify for disability benefits.
Social Security Administration Impairing Listing for Anxiety
Social Security Administration (SSA) has suggested an impairment listing for anxiety.
The listing is made for individuals with anxiety, to help them see if they can qualify for disability benefits.
According to SSA, you can qualify if you have three or more symptoms, such as:
- Restlessness,
- Trouble sleeping,
- Muscle tension,
- Irritability,
- Concentration difficulties,
- Getting tired easily.
Besides those, you must correspond to the functional criteria as well; to be eligible for disability benefits, you must have a “marked” problem (an extreme limitation), or at least two serious limitations in the following areas:
- Perceiving, remembering, or using information,
- Interacting with others using socially accepted behavior,
- Concentrating or sustaining the pace of performing tasks; in other words, the ability to complete tasks,
- Adapting or taking care of oneself (cooking, dressing, or taking a shower).
It is possible that because of living a highly structured situation or because of undergoing intense therapy, you do not meet the presented criteria.
You should not get disappointed, though, as maybe you correspond to the alternative functional criteria.
To meet that, you need to be medically documented as severe and persistent at least for two years, and if you can show (prove) that you have been living a highly structured situation, or had been receiving an intense ongoing treatment, that reduces anxiety symptoms.
You can qualify for disability benefits in the case you can show that you have minimal ability to adapt to surrounding changes, which are not a part of your daily life yet.
Residual Functional Capacity Determination
If Social Security Administration considers that your anxiety is not severe enough, and does not correspond to the impairment listing, it will review the evidence in your file, and analyze if you have any limitations on the ability to work.
Then SSA will give you a mental residual functional statement (or mental RFS), which will explain what kind of tasks you can do at work and how often.
To be eligible for disability benefits, the mental RFS that you get must limit you from a job you had for the last fifteen years.
After applying for disability benefits for anxiety, you may be required for an interview or attend to a consultative mental exam with a psychologist or a psychiatrist approved by SSA, who will check your condition.
That process will take some months; nevertheless, it is recommended to undergo that exam, as having more documents about your disability will increase your chance of getting disability benefits.
Getting disability benefits for anxiety can be hard, though, as anxiety can be a subjective condition to diagnose.
To raise your chances to qualify for benefits, you can talk to a lawyer that is knowledgeable in that field.
Anxiety Disorders that May Qualify for Disability Benefits
Anxiety disorders that may qualify for disability benefits are:
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
SSA requires that you have at least three of the symptoms like hypervigilance, apprehension, motor tension (shaking), and autonomic hyperactivity.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder arising as a result of a traumatic event, such as physical or sexual abuse, war, or other events that harm an individual’s psyche.
For being eligible for disability benefits, undergoing treatment is not enough; SSA requires that you also have repeating memories, which cause marked distress, that shows that your anxiety is more extreme and severe than moderate anxiety.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
With OCD, an individual involuntarily has obsessive, disturbing, or frightening thoughts (obsessions).
He/she always, and unsuccessfully tries to get rid of the anxiety caused by thoughts with the help of equally intrusive and tiring actions (compulsions).
SSA requires that even with treatment, your obsessions and compulsions cause marked distress, showing that your anxiety is close to extreme and is severe enough.
Panic attacks
Panic attack is an inexplicable, painful for the patient attack of severe anxiety, accompanied by unreasonable fear, in combination with various vegetative (somatic) symptoms, such as increased heart rate, sweating, and others. SSA requires that panic attacks are severe, sudden, and frequent.
Phobia (Social phobia or social anxiety disorder)
Phobia is an irrational, uncontrollable fear or sustained experience of excessive anxiety in certain situations or the presence (expectation) of a specific known object.
SSA requires that phobia influences on your social life (social phobia or social anxiety disorder) negatively.
Recommended books and sources
- Anxiety and Depression in People with Intellectual Disabilities: Advances in Interventions (Disability for Anxiety)
- Coping With Peripheral Neuropathy: How to handle stress, disability, anxiety, fatigue, depression, pain, and relationships (Disability for Anxiety)
- Disability for Anxiety – Mental Illness in the Workplace: Psychological Disability Management (Psychological and Behavioural Aspects of Risk)
- HFNE “Beconase Side Effects Anxiety”
- HFNE “Making Friends with Anxiety (How?)”
- Video – Depression & Anxiety Disability Insurance Claim Help & Tips (Disability for Anxiety)
FAQs about the topic “Disability for Depression.”
How do you get disability for anxiety?
You can get disability for anxiety, and disability benefits for anxiety by Social security administration, if anxiety affects your daily activities for a long-term (lasts or can last for 12 months).
Anxiety disorders that may qualify for disability benefits are GAD, OCD, PTSD, phobias, and panic attacks.
Can I get disability for anxiety and panic attacks?
You can get disability for anxiety and panic attacks and disability benefits if you meet Social Security Administration (SSA) requirements.
There are two criteria; if you do not meet the first, you can try the second.
The first is the impairment listing, and the second is being medically documented as severe and persistent at least for two years, and if you can show (prove) that you have been living a highly structured situation, or had been receiving an intense ongoing treatment, that reduces anxiety symptoms.
What is a good job for someone with anxiety?
There are several good jobs for someone with anxiety, such as:
– Counselor,
– Programmer,
– Accountant,
– Journalist.
– Dog trainer,
– Landscaping and gardening,
– Zookeeper,
– Carpenter,
– Plumber,
– Electrician,
– A chef.
Is anxiety a mental disability?
Anxiety is considered a mental disability if its symptoms affect daily activities negatively, for example, cause trouble dressing, eating, and taking a shower, and if it lasts or will last for twelve months.
What are the six types of anxiety disorders?
The six types of anxiety disorders are:
– GAD (Generalized anxiety disorder),
– PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder),
– Social phobia (or social anxiety disorder),
– Panic disorder,
– OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder),
– Specific phobias.
Is anxiety a chemical imbalance?
Anxiety is not a chemical imbalance, but it is considered to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain (when neurotransmitters are too much or too little).
Depression and other mental disorders are also thought to be caused by such a chemical imbalance.
Conclusion
Summarizing this article, “Disability for anxiety,” we can say that like other health conditions, you can be eligible for disability benefits for anxiety by Social Security Administration, if anxiety affects on your daily activities, means, only if you struggle with a long-term severe anxiety (that has lasted or is expected to last for 12 months).
If you want to know if you are eligible for disability benefits for anxiety, you should check the disability listing suggested by the Social Security Administration.
Is possible that SSA will not consider your anxiety severe enough for getting disability benefits; you should not get despair, though, as maybe you correspond to the alternative functional criteria.
To meet that, you need to be medically documented as severe and persistent at least for two years, and if you can show (prove) that you have been living a highly structured situation, or had been receiving an intense ongoing treatment, that reduces anxiety symptoms.
You can qualify for disability benefits in the case you can show that you have minimal ability to adapt to surrounding changes, which are not a part of your daily life yet.
Please feel free to comment on the content or ask any questions in the comments section below.
References
Take Control of Your Anxiety Today: Personalized Counseling with BetterHelp
