If you are struggling with PTSD, you qualify for social security benefits if your condition causes substantial mental or physical discomfort, consistently impacts your capacity to function daily, and hampers your social relationships as well as your ability to work or keep a job.
The SSA, short for Social Security Administration, states that you may be eligible for holistic medical treatment and monthly reimbursements if your PTSD regularly challenges you to maintain employment.
The good news is, as opposed to the notion that these benefits are only available to veterans suffering from PTSD due to military service, they are also extended to all patients severely affected by the mental condition, from cops to fire personnel to the general public.
However, as per some reports by applicants, claiming social security disability approved for PTSD might be difficult due to the discrepancy between the various requirements set out by the government and the terms or nomenclature used by the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association).
So, is PTSD actually a disability? Can you get social security disability approval for PTSD despite all the complications and hurdles, and what is the process? There are many questions to answer in this article. Let’s dive right into it!
4 Proven Strategies
Let’s discuss the proven strategies to get social security disability approved for PTSD.
1. Find Out If You Are Really Disabled If You Have PTSD
According to the SSA or the Social Security Administration, an intense case of PTSD may hinder your everyday activities, including your job. So, you are advised to watch out for the major signs and symptoms before you think you are disabled by the condition.
If you show one or more of the following symptoms, you may have a PTSD disability:
- Severe hypervigilance and trauma caused by nightmares and frequent flashbacks
- Increased sensitivity to shock
- Extreme irritability
- Hyperawareness or over alertness
- Overly intrusive thoughts and memories
- Increase in reckless behavior such as binge drinking, dangerously fast driving, etc.
- Severe drop in concentration levels
- Constant feelings of emotional numbness and hopelessness
- Increased emotional detachment affecting social interactions and close relationships
- Abrupt changes in mood
- Increased or total social isolation and the tendency to avoid certain people and places
- Reduced willingness to talk about the traumatic events
- Heightened trust issues
- A constant fear of being judged or misinterpreted
2. Crack the Process to Get Social Security Disability Approved for PTSD
As per the 12.15 impairment listings by the SSA, the qualification of your PTSD as a disability deserving of social security compensation depends on properly collected and documented medical evidence.
Your medical analysis must meet the following criteria:
- Suicidal thoughts
- Violent behavior that is harmful to others around you
- Sleep disruptions
- High-intensity nightmares reliving the traumatic event marked by severe palpitations and sweating
- Avoidance of triggers that might cause distress
It does not stop here. The SSA even mandates you to seek immediate psychological and psychiatric support. You would be fit to receive the benefits if you satisfy the below conditions:
- You have been dealing with PTSD symptoms for a minimum of 2 years
- You have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder (you will still be considered disabled)
- You have been properly diagnosed by your doctor and have been taking comprehensive treatment as prescribed
- You experience extreme anxiety in social interactions
- You hardly have any control over your emotions or behavior
- You struggle with adapting to change
Your mental status report will be thoroughly examined and cross-checked by the SSA. Therefore, it is recommended to keep all the suggestions, notes, and supporting documents gathered since your treatment began.
Determining the impact of PTSD and the extent of your illness is quite subjective. But the SSA takes this precaution anyway before your claim is approved. So, you must prove how intense your PTSD symptoms are and how they prevent/restrict you from the below-mentioned activities.
- Various cognitive abilities, such as going out, interacting with friends, shopping, etc.
- Staying focused on a task long enough to complete it
- Trouble remembering things/memory loss affecting work, studies, or academic performance
The credibility of your claim increases if you have different mental health professionals attest to the fact that PTSD renders you disabled. So, to ensure you present the above symptoms with proof, request your counselor or psychiatric practitioner to create a detailed medical statement for the SSA.
3. Learn How to Correctly Apply for Social Security Benefits for PTSD
As PTSD disability claimants in the US, you can call the SSA at 800-772-1213. There is another number for people with hearing impairments, which is 800-325-0778. The lines are open from 8 in the morning to 5:30 in the evening, 5 days a week (Mon to Fri). This is the quickest way to apply.
You can even submit your claim online to get the application process started, or you also have the option to visit the Social Security office near you and submit your claim for PTSD disability payment directly.
4. What to Do if Your Condition is Not a Part of the Listing?
In some cases, the SSA may not consider you disabled based on the listing or the classification mandated by them. But they may still declare you incapacitated if your medical records confirm it. This way, even if you would not receive your disability compensation, you may still get some vocational allowance.
The SSA will then proceed to review your mental capabilities on the basis of submitted medical evidence. Your documentation and medical constraints are reframed for the perusal of a vocational expert who determines whether or not the proof is sufficient to declare a disability.
This evaluation is called an RFC or Residual Functional Capacity evaluation that measures your mental and physical ability despite having PTSD.
The SSA will evaluate depending on how you have coped with work for the last 15 years. After the analysis, if you are found to be totally unfit over all these years, that is, both physically as well as mentally affected due to PTSD, so much so that you are unable to perform your job duties, you will be declared incapacitated by the SSA.
Here is a tip, make sure to include treatment documents and other proof related to your mood disorders, if any.
Your RFC review takes into account the cumulative impact of all your disabilities, which is not just limited to PTSD. You may be battling depression, anxiety, and other disorders along with PTSD, so be upfront about it in your paperwork, and you are more likely to become eligible for the medical-vocational allowance.
Conclusion
If you think the application process is overwhelming, you can reach out to a competent lawyer/social security disability attorney. This way, you will have a far better chance of success as your lawyer will take care of all the complicated formalities and extensive paperwork needed.
I hope you found the article interesting. Let us know how you went about this process in the comments below.
She is an experienced Clinical Psychologist and Mental Health Writer with a decade of expertise in psychology. Skilled in assessment, therapy, and patient care. Committed to helping individuals through clinical practice and mental health writing at Therapyjourney.co. Passionate about promoting mental well-being and awareness. Open to aligned opportunities.