How Does My Mental Illness Affect My SSA Claim?
When you are applying for SSA benefits due to mental illness, the process is mostly the same, but you may still want to educate yourself on the specific requirements you need to meet. Living with a mental illness can make it very difficult to make a comfortable income, so you should never allow yourself to deny these important benefits our country owes you as a citizen.
In general, there is a specific list of approved mental disorders that the SSA normally allows benefits to be awarded for:
* Schizophrenia
* Substance Abuse Disorders
* Anxiety Related Disorders
* Autism
* Mental Retardation or Intellectual Disabilities
* Organic Disorders (Alzheimer’s, etc.)
* Affective Disorders (Depression, Bi-Polar, etc.)
* Personality Disorders (Borderline Personality, etc.)
* Somatoform Disorders
However, if you find that your disability is not listed above, you are still able to present your case for benefits from the SSA. When doing this, the SSA will be looking at your mental residual functional capacity, or MRFC, in order to determine how your disability affects your ability to work and earn an income. If you want to go this route, you will need thorough paperwork proving your disability from a specialized mental health professional. Normally, these will be the main attributes associated with your overall MRFC:
* Overall Reliability
* Stress Tolerance
* Memory Capacity
* Ability to Follow Simple Directions
* Distractibility
* Supervision Needs in the Workplace
* Ability to Function in Public Spaces
In some cases, your disability may require you to undergo regular therapy in order to receive benefits. For substance abuse related disorders, this is always a requirement, but other disorders may be required to undergo therapy as well. By seeing a therapist regularly, your ability to function will increase, and your disability will be controlled in a more effective manner.
Do you feel your mental disorder qualifies you for social security disability benefits? If so, please contact the Liner Legal team immediately. We will walk you through every step of the process to ensure you are able to lead a comfortable life as an American citizen. Our dedication to your stability and well-being is unrivaled in our area. If you want the best SSI disability benefits firm in Cleveland, Ohio, there is no better option. We eagerly await the opportunity to fight for your rights to a decent life.
