Is it Harder to Get Disability for a Mental Condition?

One of the functions of SSI is to provide people with mental disabilities with a secure source of income. Some of the people who have mental conditions that may, indeed qualify, as disabilities don’t end up applying for the Social Security benefits that they could receive. There is something of a perception that proving a mental illness claim is more difficult than proving a physical disability. This is not actually true. You have to understand how the Social Security Administration approves or disapproves cases to understand why it doesn’t matter whether you are applying for a mental or physical disability claim.

If you have a mental disability, the Social Security Administration does not regard your condition any differently than they would a physical disability. What they are interested in is the severity of your condition. The Social Security Administration does not make judgments about awarding benefits based upon what type of an illness somebody suffers with or what type of injury they have. They determine whether or not they work benefits based on whether or not the sufferer is able to pursue gainful employment or not. If the sufferer simply cannot be employed, then they may be regarded as disabled.

A mental health issue really only ascends to the level of a disability under certain conditions, and it’s important to keep this in mind. A mental health issue cannot simply make some types of employment impossible for someone. In order for it to qualify as a genuine disability, the sufferer has to be unable to get employment at all. Again, the question is one of severity. Mental impairments that are not as severe and that make it difficult, but not impossible, to make a gainful living may not be approved by the Social Security Administration as causes to award disability benefits. A Mt. Prospect lawyer can help you if you feel your condition wasn’t taken as seriously as it merits.

In a claim based on a mental health impairment, the best source of evidence is inpatient psychiatric records and outpatient psychiatric records from a licensed social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist. To learn more, watch this short video.