Many people believe that you must have a physical medical condition to qualify for Social Security Disability – but that is simply not the case. People who suffer from certain mental disorders may also qualify for disability.
There are quite a few mental disorders that the Social Security Administration recognizes as potential causes of long-term disability – thus providing possible grounds for disability benefits. These mental disorders include, but are not limited to, the following.
- Dementia
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Schizophrenia
- Paranoia
- Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Mental Retardation
- Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
- Passive-aggressive Disorder
- Alcohol and Drug Addiction
- Autistic/Pervasive Developmental Disorders
To qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, your mental disorder must be diagnosed by a doctor. In addition, your condition must meet the same criteria as any other illness or injury that prevents you from working. Those basic criteria are as follows.
- Your condition must prevent you from doing the type of work you have been doing in
the past. - Your condition prevents you from being trained for other types of work that may be
available to you. - Your condition must be proven to be long-term (lasting at least one year).
