What Mental Health Conditions Qualify for SSD?

Now that mental health conditions are being seen for what they are—debilitating conditions that can make it impossible for individuals to lead a normal life—the Social Security Administration (SSA) has added a section on qualifying mental health conditions to their list of impairments. When someone has a qualifying mental health condition, they will automatically be entitled to social security disability (SSD) benefits. This is great news for those who have been dealing with their conditions for a period of time and have run out of options for providing for themselves and their families.

Read on to learn more about some of the most common types of qualifying mental health conditions and what impact the work credit requirement may have on your claim.

Social Security Administration’s List of Qualifying Conditions

You may be surprised to learn that there are many different types of mental health conditions that will meet the social security disability qualifying criteria, some of which include:

• Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorders
• Alzheimer’s
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Autism spectrum disorder

Generally speaking, being diagnosed with any of these conditions will mean you are automatically approved for SSD benefits. However, you can expect the SSA representative to thoroughly review your medical records to determine whether your condition renders you unable to earn gainful employment in any industry before your claim is approved.

Meeting the Work Credit Requirement

If you have a mental health condition that is not on the list of qualifying impairments, that doesn’t necessarily mean your claim won’t be approved. Regardless of which disability you are suffering from, the SSA will be reviewing your claim to see how severe your condition is. As long as your condition prevents you from working altogether, you can expect your claim to be approved.

However, you may also need to meet the work credit requirement, which essentially means that you need to have earned a minimum of twenty work credits over the last five years, or approximately $5,440 per year, in order to qualify for SSDI when your mental illness is not considered a qualifying condition.

Contact a Boston SSD Lawyer

For assistance in obtaining social security disability approval, schedule a free consultation with an SSD lawyer at Joel H. Schwartz, PC as soon as possible. You can call our office at 1-800-660-2270 or fill out the online contact form when you’re ready to fight for the benefits you deserve.