Plan Benefits’: Key Points
Mental health is vital for overall well-being, but dealing with mental health disorders can make maintaining employment and financial stability challenging. Fortunately, those with qualifying mental health disorders can receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA)—Here is an easy-to-read overview of SSDI and how to apply for mental health-related Social Security payments.
What Is SSDI?
A government program called Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) offers financial assistance to people who are unable to work because of a disability, including mental health issues. You must have a history of employment and Social Security tax payments to be eligible for SSDI. The amount of benefits you qualify for is determined by your pre-disability wages.
Importance of Professional Help
You must seek help from it’smpetent mental health practitioner if you are experiencing mental health issues. They are qualified to make an accurate diagnosis and create a care plan for you. They can also assist with documenting your SSDI application condition. To support your SSDI claim, regular appointments with your mental health physician can attest to the severity of your condition and how it interferes with your capacity to work.
Mental Health Issues That Could Be Eligible for SSDI
The SSA recognizes various mental health conditions that could qualify for SSDI benefits:
- Psychotic Disorders: These disorders involve symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. Delusional disorder, schizophrenic disorder, and schizophrenia are a few examples.
- Neurocognitive Disorders: These conditions cause a decline in Alzheimer’se functions. Examples are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and dementia due to conditions like traumatic brain injury.
- Anxiety Disorders: Characterized by excessive worry and fear, anxiety disorders include social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Depressive Disorders: These disorders feature mood swings and a loss of interest. They include major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and cyclothymic disorder.
- Intellectual Disorders: These involve significantly below-average intellectual functioning, such as intellectual disability and developmental disorder.
- Somatic Symptom Disorders: These disorders manifest as physical symptoms not explained by other conditions. Examples include illness anxiety disorder and conversion disorder.
- Eating Disorders: This group contains eating behavior disorders such as binge-eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and anorexia nervosa.
- Trauma-Related Disorders: These include conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterized by symptoms related to trauma and stress.
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders: These disorders begin in childhood or adolescence and include autism spectrum disorders, learning disorders, and Tourette syndrome.
- Personality Disorders: These disorders involve persistent and inflexible behavior patterns. Examples are paranoid disorder, schizotypal disorder, and intermittent explosive disorder.
Applying for Social Security for Mental Health
You must demonstrate that your mental illness is severe enough to keep you from working for a minimum of 12 months to be eligible for SSDI compensation. Detailed medical records of your diagnosis and treatment must be included with your SSDI application. Ensure you include all the details on your symptoms and how they impact your day-to-day activities.
The application procedure can be complex, and many first claims are rejected because of mistakes or insufficient supporting evidence. A disability lawyer can help you ensure the application is correctly completed, collect the required paperwork, and file an appeal if your claim is rejected.
Get Professional Assistance with Your SSDI Claim
It can be challenging to navigate the SSDI application process, particularly if you have a mental health illness. Here’s when Plan Benefits come into play. Our skilled attorneys are experts at helping people with mental health conditions get the SSDI payments they are due.
Since we recognize your difficulties, we will assist you at every stage of the procedure, from submitting the initial application to managing any appeals. Our experts will work very hard to ensure that your claim is well-prepared and has the highest chance of getting approved.
Contact Plan Benefits for Help with Social Security for Mental Health
If you or someone you know is unable to work due to mental health concerns, please get in contact with Plan Benefits. We offer free consultations to help you consider your options and determine whether you qualify for Social Security benefits for mental health.
Contact Plan Benefits today to schedule your free consultation and find out how we can assist with your SSDI claim.
