When many people think about receiving disability benefits, they automatically think about physical disabilities. And it is true that the majority of applicants for SSDI are trying to receive benefits for physical disabilities.
However, it is also possible for the government to award benefits for mental disabilities as well, such as anxiety disorders. According to Disability Benefits Help, while it is possible to secure disability benefits for anxiety it can be extremely difficult due to how difficult a disorder like anxiety is to medically document.
What is anxiety?
There are five main anxiety disorders. These anxiety disorders include all kinds of phobias, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. It is possible to receive SSDI for any of these.
A huge problem with anxiety is that even mentally normal people experience periods of anxiety. However, anxiety associated with disorders is debilitating and more or less constantly present. This is why SSDI does exist for anxiety, as it is possible for anxiety to prevent a person from functioning in a work environment.
Why is it difficult to document anxiety?
Unlike a physical disability, mental disabilities like anxiety require the patient to report largely invisible symptoms. Typically, a successful bid for anxiety-based SSDI involves very lengthy medical reports both from a primary care physician and a licensed mental health professional.
It can also be very difficult to prove that your level of anxiety is such that you are unable to function on a daily basis. In order to receive benefits, you must prove that your anxiety is a constant and recurring factor in your life.
