Qualifying for Disability Benefits with Affective Disorders
Affective disorders are a set of psychiatric disorders, also called mood disorders. The main types of affective disorders are depression and bipolar disorder. A psychiatrist or other trained mental health professional can diagnose an affective disorder with a psychiatric evaluation. Symptoms vary by individual and can range from mild to severe. However, there are effective treatments available, including both medication and psychotherapy. To learn more about how the Social Security Administration (SSA) defines this disability, visit Section 12.00 of the Blue Book.
Do Affective Disorders Qualify for Disability?
Yes, people with affective disorders do qualify, but they need to meet the requirements of the SSA’s guidelines for this disability. Your medical records must satisfy at least one of the following two sets of criteria.
The first set of criteria:
- Your depression must result in marked restrictions or difficulty in at least two of the following areas:
- daily activities
- social functioning
- your ability to maintain concentration, persistence, or pace
- repeated occurrences in decompensation episodes (meaning a deterioration of you condition), with each episode having extended duration
- Your depression must also result in at least four of the following, either occasionally or consistently:
- anhedonia (a condition in which you are unable to experience pleasure) or a pervasive loss of interest in nearly all activities
- significant changes in eating habits and weight
- sleep disturbances
- agitation or retardation of psychomotor function
- decreased energy levels
- feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- suicidal thoughts
- difficulty thinking or concentrating
- hallucinatory episodes, delusions, or paranoid thinking
If you are unable to meet the first set of criteria, you may qualify for benefits by meeting each of the elements of a second set of criteria:
- You must have a medically documented history of depression, lasting at least two years.
- Your medical records must show that your depression has limited your ability to work. There may be some improvement in your ability to work being the result of treatment in the form of counseling or prescribed medicine.
- Your records must show you are subject to repeated episodes decompensation (meaning a worsening symptoms of your symptoms), each episode being of an extended duration
OR evidence that the aftereffects of a disease causes worsening of your symptoms with even a minimal increase in mental demands or changes to the environment
OR evidence that you are unable to live at least one year outside a ”highly supported living arrangement” together with evidence that this arrangement needs to be continued.
It is possible to be awarded either complete disability benefits or to be awarded a medical vocational allowance if you meet the tests discussed above. Most people receive Social Security disability benefits under this heading in the form of a medical vocational allowance.
How Do I Apply for Disability Benefits?
To apply for disability benefits, it’s important to understand the disability application process. If you’ve been diagnosed with an affective disorder and believe you may qualify, contact us today for a free disability case evaluation.
