Mental Illness and Social Security Disability Benefits
When people think of symptoms, their first thoughts are swelling, rashes, skin discolorations, or other visible signs. But mental illnesses don’t give off what most doctors or the Social Security Administration (SSA) would consider physical symptoms.
If you’re dealing with a mental illness, the only signs you may be able to see are a person’s actions. It’s what’s going on inside their mind is causing their problems. Since those thoughts or disruptions aren’t visible, it’s much harder to prove they exist.
In this blog, we’ll discuss mental illness disability benefits and how the Law Offices of Terri D. Mason can help you.
Mental Illness
Mental illness encompasses many disorders, each having its own symptomology that sets them apart from the rest. Disorders can range from mild to severe and wreak havoc on a person’s ability to live and act in a normal manner.
These disorders can cause a person to want to harm themselves or others. They may not be able to process information properly, causing them to have difficulty if they try to live on their own and take care of their personal affairs.
What Mental Illnesses Qualify for Social Security Disability?
Several mental illnesses qualify for Social Security benefits. Even though the symptoms may not be something you can externally see on the body, the person’s actions and tendencies often speak for them. The most commonly recognized mental illnesses that qualify a patient for Social Security disability benefits include the following but are not limited to:
- Autism
- ADHD
- Anxiety and Anxiety-related Disorders
- Depression
- Intellectual Disabilities
- Learning Disabilities (such as dyslexia)
- Schizophrenia
Patients are often placed on strong medications to control their actions. The medications work for many people, but for others, they don’t. Trying to live a productive life while using different medications is sometimes more disabling than the disorder. This is where filing for mental illness disability benefits comes into play.
Social Security Disability Benefits
In order to qualify for Social Security disability for mental illness, the patient has to prove they have a mental disorder that significantly impacts their quality of life as well as their ability to live on their own. This may include taking strong psychotropic medications and being under the supervision of a medical professional specializing in treating mental disorders.
The SSA will rarely take the word of a physician on their own merit. You’ll need to continually provide documentation and substantiated proof that you’re incapable of living a regular life. It’s not unheard of to be denied multiple times due to a lack of information or a statement by your doctor.
The deadlines for applying and appealing are strict. Missing one deadline could require that you start the entire process from the beginning.
Finding the Right Social Security Disability Lawyer
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with a mental illness that makes you or them eligible to receive disability benefits, you’ll want to find a lawyer who specializes in this type of case. These cases aren’t resolved easily and may take two or three years to finalize, sometimes longer.
You want an attorney who can continue to fight for your rights and will ensure that you get the Social Security disability benefits you deserve. This entails constantly meeting deadlines and updating your case file so that it contains the most accurate information and the most current case notes from your doctor.
If you’re looking for the best Baltimore SS disability lawyer to handle your case, contact the Law Offices of Terri D. Mason today. She has been an advocate for individuals who have been diagnosed with mental illnesses for over 20 years and understands the difficulties her clients face when their lives are not their own.
Individuals with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities are often discriminated against and become victims of their disorders. Ms. Mason works diligently to ensure that her clients get the respect they deserve and the benefits they need to have the best quality of life they can have. Call us today and find out how to get started with the disability for mental illness process.