Virginia Woolf - renowned author with severe depression[/caption]Gordon Matilla---Those with disabilities can apply for Social Security Disability payments so long as certain criteria are met, usually the inability to work and difficulty performing certain tasks of everyday living. But for those with mental illness proving a disability that impedes function is much more difficult than establishing a disability claim with a physical disability.
Given the fact that six percent of Americans struggle with mental illness according to the National Institute of Mental Health the problem of having mental illness more seriously questioned as a disability is an issue in helping people who can’t work or do ordinary daily tasks without help. Mental illness is a common disability that include major depression, which is listed by NIMH as the most disabling of mental illnesses that impacts the most people, schizophrenia, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and autism. There are also those who have other problems that can be treated with medication and therapy in order to minimize the conditions, such as eating disorders and attention deficit disorder; however mental illness in general has more barriers in terms of a patient’s ability to receive government assistance in the form of Social Security.
Attorneys point out how much harder it is to prove a mental than a physical disability. That’s because the tests for confirming the problem interferes with function includes evaluations that examine social functioning, activities of daily living, concentration and other factors.
Proper documentation is very important to establish credibility. It is also important to include records of treatment, laboratory results and any records of hospital stays.
Social Security disability has specific guidelines for meeting the criteria to receive disability payments. The problem is, however, that those with mental illness fare less well in receiving them.
