Qualifying for Disability Benefits with Substance Addiction
Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you’re addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.
As time passes, you may need larger doses of the drug to get high. Soon you may need the drug just to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it’s increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Attempts to stop drug use may cause intense cravings and make you feel physically ill. These are called withdrawal symptoms. Help from your healthcare provider, family, friends, support groups or an organized treatment program can help you overcome your drug addiction and stay drug-free. To learn more about how the Social Security Administration (SSA) defines this disability, visit Section 12.00 of the Blue Book.
Does Substance Addiction Qualify for Disability?
At this time, it is not possible to receive Social Security disability benefits based solely on substance addiction. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will not grant disability benefits to people with disabilities that have been caused or worsened by addiction.
If substance addiction is deemed immaterial to your disability, it is possible that the SSA will grant your disability claim. If, however, the SSA finds that your addiction materially affects your disability, it will not grant your application for disability benefits.
For example, if you are addicted to alcohol and file for disability benefits as a result of having emphysema, the SSA will probably find that your alcohol addiction is immaterial to the condition of emphysema. That being the case, the alcohol addiction will not, in and of itself, prevent approval of your disability application. The application must, however, meet the requirements for emphysema under the SSA guidelines for disability. In contrast, if you are addicted to cigarettes, the SSA will consider smoking material to the fact that you have emphysema, and it will not grant your application, regardless of whether you meet all the criteria for an emphysema disability.
If you are not currently an active addict but you have a history of drug or alcohol addiction, it would be wise to ask a Social Security disability attorney or disability advocate to help you review your medical records prior to filing for disability, especially if your disability is of a psychiatric nature.
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 substance addiction and believe you may qualify, contact us today for a free disability case evaluation.
