When you think of SSDI benefits, do you often think of physical disabilities qualifying before all else? While it is possible to gain support for physical ailments, it is also possible to get benefits for mental disorders, too.
This includes many issues that fall under the umbrella of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
What disorders are anxiety-based?
Social Security takes a look at anxiety disorders that qualify for benefits. First, many different disorders fall under “anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders”, the official grouping Social Security has for many anxiety-based mental health problems. This includes social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and agoraphobia.
Of course, not all anxiety-related disorders get listed here, but that does not mean they are the only disorders Social Security recognizes. Trauma- and stressor-related disorders often share traits that anxiety disorders have, too, but SS often places these issues in their own separate categories.
What qualifies for SSDI benefits?
For an anxiety disorder to qualify for SSDI benefits, you need to have excessive worry, fear, apprehension or anxiety toward certain thoughts, objects, activities, feelings, places or people. The behavior can also manifest as avoidance, as is the case with agoraphobia where the suffering individual avoids leaving their home for fear of the outdoors.
Symptoms can include thoughts and fears about safety, obsession and compulsion, restlessness, trouble concentrating, hyper-vigilance, muscle tension, disturbances of sleep and more.
Of course, you must still meet several requirements when applying for SSDI benefits of any kind. You may wish to contact legal help for guidance as you go through the process because it can often serve as a complex path.
