Breaking The Pattern of Abuse: Tips For Protecting Yourself

Posted on: 9 June 2016

Anxiety disorders are one of the most widespread mental illnesses in the United States. If you suffer from a social anxiety disorder or PTSD, you might not have been able to work and this will put an increased amount of stress on you. Did you know that you might be able to receive disability benefits? Here is what you need to be considered for disability benefits when suffering with an anxiety disorder.

Medical Evidence

You most likely have received a diagnosis from your doctor or psychologist for one of the anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, social disorder, panic disorder, OCD or PTSD. You will have to provide the Social Security Agency with proof that you have been tested or evaluated for one of these disorders. Your doctor may have to show notes showing treatment of the disorder and that you have consistently been showing symptoms of anxiety.

You will be required to explain what happens because of your anxiety. Do you have panic attacks while at work? Do you leave your job or quit if the stress becomes too much? How do you react to anxiety at home? Are you able to complete your tasks at home or work, or do you completely shut down? If you are able to, get a statement from your present or previous employer stating how you behaved because of anxiety in the workplace.

Do You Qualify?

You will have to meet the requirements of the Social Security's Listing of Impairments in order to qualify for disability payments. You must be able to prove that your anxiety is severe enough that it affects your daily life. You need to be able to show that your symptoms recur regularly with abnormal levels of stress, worry, and hyper-vigilance, to name a few, continuing daily.

It may be difficult to prove that your anxiety is affecting your ability to interact with others in a social and work setting. The SSA will mostly focus on how well you work with others and if you are able to concentrate long enough to perform the tasks you need to complete. It will also concentrate on how well you can adapt to changes going on around you.

In order to qualify for benefits, your anxiety must limit you from working any of the jobs you have had over the years and prevent you from performing any simple, unskilled job in the country. If you are able to prove that your anxiety or panic attacks occur more than once a week and at random, you might qualify for benefits. To learn more, speak with someone like Bruce K Billman.