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What Applicants Need To Know About Depression And SSDI

22 July 2020

Dolores Rice

If you have been diagnosed with depression and cannot work, know that you may be eligible for benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA recognizes that mental illnesses like depression can create just as much, if not more, disruption in a person's ability to work at their job. To be approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), affected workers will encounter many challenges along the way. To get more information about getting approved if you are suffering from depression, read on.

Qualifications for Approval

The SSA first looks at the amount of work an applicant has performed in the past few years to determine eligibility. They use something called work credits to figure this out. If the applicant has enough work credits, things move on to disability determination services (DDS) where the focus turns to the reason the applicant cannot work. The SSA uses a list of common impairments from the so-called blue book to evaluate each applicant. The blue book lists all qualifying impairments, like depression, and goes on to list the symptoms or criteria each applicant needs to fulfill to qualify for SSDI benefits.

Blue Book Listings

You can locate depression under the heading of Depressive, Bi-Polar, and Related Disorders in the SSA's disability evaluation materials and view what is required of applicants when they apply. This criteria applies to both the past and present situation, and applicants must show that they are experiencing a certain number of the listed criteria that range from depressed mood to lack of interest in activities, changes in appetite and sleep, and more. Applicants must also show that they have been experiencing symptoms for at least two years.

What Else To Know About Being Approved for Benefits

1. You must show that you have sought treatment for depression, that you followed the treatment professional's advice, and that you are continuing to seek treatment.
2. Treatment does not have to be with a mental health professional, but it helps. You can also talk to any doctor about your depression and receive treatment via medication or a referral to groups or other types of counseling.
3. Keep records of your interactions with treatment professionals. It may be advisable to begin keeping a journal.
4. Even after you've applied for SSDI benefits, continue your treatment. It may take months for you to hear back from the SSA and an unbroken period of treatment is important.

Many SSDI applicants are turned down for benefits and getting approved for mental health disorders like depression is even more challenging. All applicants that get denied benefits should speak to a Social Security lawyer about their case and get representation at the appeal hearing. With the help of an attorney, you can be approved for the benefits you need and deserve.

For more information, contact a social security law firm such as Gordon & Pont.

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