Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI is a necessary government program for a lot of people. Unfortunately, a lot of those people run into difficulty when they try to get approved for those benefits. What disabilities are hard to prove for SSDI? It turns out mental health disabilities are the hardest to prove and get approved. Find out why from the trusted attorneys at Tabak Law.
Why is Proving a Mental Health Disability Hard?
The unfortunate truth about mental disabilities is that most of the evidence that you are going to have is subjective. You can combat this in a few ways though. First off, be sure to collect supportive evidence including accounts from family members, coworkers, etc. These non-medical accounts can be vital, especially in these types of cases.
Additionally, you want to ensure that you are following your doctor’s orders. Complying with treatment is often harder for mental disabilities, but doing so is important for any SSDI claim. While complying with treatment, also be sure that your doctors and medical professionals are documenting everything.
Read More: What Not to Say When Applying for SSDI?
What Mental Health Disabilities Qualify for SSDI?
In all, there are 11 categories of mental disabilities defined in the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book, and each of the categories contains multiple individual disabilities. We’ll provide a brief rundown of the list but know that each category has qualifying criteria that are important to understand as well. However, even if you do not fit the criteria exactly, you still may qualify for SSDI.
Neurocognitive Disorders
- Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type
- Dementia due to a Medical Condition
- Vascular Dementia
- Major Neurocognitive Disorder
- Neurological Diseases
- Substance-Induced Cognitive Disorders
- Progressive Brain Tumors
- Vascular Malformation
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders
- Delusional Disorder
- Psychotic Disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective Disorder
Depressive, Bipolar, and Related Disorders
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder I and II
- Bipolar of Depressive Disorder
- Dysthymia, or Persistent Depressive Disorder
- Cyclothymic Disorder
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Borderline Intellectual Functioning
- Tourette Syndrome
- Specific Learning Disorder
Eating Disorders
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Disorder
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge-Eating Disorder
Intellectual Disorder
- Intellectual Disability
- Intellectual Developmental Disorder
Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Agoraphobia
Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
- Conversion Disorder
- Somatic Symptom Disorder
- Illness Anxiety Disorder
Personality and Impulse-Control Disorders
- Intermittent Explosive Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Dependent Personality Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
- Paranoid Personality Disorder
- Schizoid Personality Disorder
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder
- Avoidant Personality Disorder
Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders
Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
Does it Get Easier to be Approved for SSDI the Older You Get?
Improving Your Chances of Being Approved for SSDI with a Mental Disability
We already mentioned collecting evidence, following medical treatment plans, supportive evidence, and documentation, but there is one more thing that you can do especially if you have already been denied SSDI. You can hire an experienced SSDI attorney.
An experienced SSDI attorney can review your case and uncover any issues that your case may have, anywhere where your chances can be improved, and if your case should go in front of a judge, they will be able to support you. Overall, an SSDI attorney will improve your chances of being approved for SSDI benefits.
Experienced SSDI Attorney Free Case Review
At Tabak Law, we can provide a free case review. In fact, all of our SSDI services are free unless we win you benefits. Even with a win, we only take payment as a percentage of your back pay. It’s Tabak for the Payback! Reach out to us today for your free case review.
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