How To Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits If You Are Mentally Ill

Social Security Disability Income may sound as if it is only available to those who

are injured or sick, but it is also available to individuals suffering from mental illness. However, it is harder to win a claim for mental illness since the symptoms are harder to assess and not as visible as an illness or injury.

It is important to know that examiners are not psychiatrists and go by a "blue book" of impairments. Some impairments may not be listed in this guide and a claim will automatically be denied. Even if your condition isn't listed in the book of impairments, you can also prove that it is disabling enough to not let you work for at least a year.

To be considered "disabled", a person must:

*Be fully insured at the onset of disability.

*Have been employed for at least five of the previous ten years. This applies to disability that begins after age 31. If the disability begins before age 31, you must have been employed for the better part of six quarters, or at least one-half of the quarters between age 21 and the age when disability began. *Be under Social Security normal retirement age. After normal retirement age, disability benefits become retirement benefits.

*Have a physical or mental impairment that disables you from performing any substantial work, or have a disabling physical or mental impairment that is expected to either be terminal or last for at least 12 months.

When filing, work with a knowledgeable expert such as an attorney or advocate who is well-versed with helping people file Social Security Disability claims. They can help you gather all of the required information that you will need such as medical history, work history and other pertinent information.

Many claims for those with mental illness are denied, but take heart that there is always an appeals process. People with severe mental illness may be unable to function in a work environment and could be eligible for medical vocational allowance.

by: Kathleen Wright

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