While anxiety can interfere with your ability to work and complete day-to-day activities, proving anxiety alone qualifies you for SSDI can be challenging. At Schaffer & Associates LPA, we overcome this hurdle through strategic legal planning and fearless advocacy. By coupling anxiety with a physical ailment, we have achieved success for countless hardworking individuals across Ohio and Michigan. To discuss your next steps for obtaining disability for anxiety and physical symptoms in Toledo, consider contacting our office today.
Anxiety is a mental health impairment that causes feelings of dread, fear, and uneasiness. Individuals who have anxiety disorders may struggle with overwhelming feelings of apprehension or tension, which can worsen over time. Some of the most common symptoms that sufferers experience include:
While everyone can feel anxious from time to time, individuals with anxiety disorders often experience symptoms that are intense, excessive, and persistent.
According to data from the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting over 19% of the population. Certain anxiety disorders are more prevalent among women and, while these disorders are highly treatable, only 36% of those suffering seek treatment. When coupled with other conditions, such as physical ailments, the symptoms of anxiety can become even more debilitating.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not often provide disability benefits solely for anxiety. Individuals are more likely to qualify for SSDI benefits if their anxiety results in ongoing and severe symptoms that interfere with their work and daily routine, and if accompanied by additional diagnoses. To successfully apply for and obtain disability for anxiety in Toledo, you must meet certain criteria found in the SSA listing for anxiety disorders.
The SSA listing for anxiety disorders can be found in Section 12.06 of the Blue Book, which encompasses anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. This listing recognizes four different anxiety disorders, including:
It should be noted that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common anxiety disorder included within Section 12.00 Mental Disorders but is included in the listing for trauma- and stressor-related disorders. This listing is found in Section 12.15 of the Blue Book, and requires medical documentation of five key symptoms of PTSD.
To determine whether or not your anxiety disorder is disabling, the SSA will look to see that you have been receiving regular treatment for your anxiety. When applying for Toledo SSDI benefits, you will be asked to sign a release form that authorizes your doctors to send medical records about your anxiety to the SSA. These medical records need to contain the necessary evidence required to substantiate your anxiety disorder, including:
While anxiety is included in the SSA Bluebook, successfully obtaining disability for anxiety is often an uphill battle. Unfortunately, disability benefits for anxiety are often denied, primarily due to the subjective nature of these claims. Anxiety disorders often present as what some refer to as an “invisible illness”, which typically cannot be proven using visual-based medical imaging tests like MRIs, CT scans, or ultrasounds.
For this reason, claims examiners have to base their decisions on treatment notes from medical professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists and other therapists. If they disagree with your doctor’s assessment and determine that you are still able to work, they will deny your claim. At Schaffer & Associates LPA, we understand the complexities of anxiety disorder claims and compile all possible evidence to successfully prove the existence and the severity of the condition. Many times, we accomplish this by demonstrating that anxiety is co-occurring with a physical condition.
Living with chronic anxiety can cause stress on your body, particularly to your nervous, digestive, cardiovascular, and immune systems. This stress can have major consequences on your physical health, often leading to or worsening other physical ailments. Some of the most common physical conditions to have with anxiety include:
A physical condition does not have to be caused by anxiety to add to the combined effect your conditions have on your disability. If you suffer from any physical condition alongside anxiety, you may still qualify for disability benefits in Toledo based on the combined effects of your impairments.
In reality, many applicants are prevented from working due to a combination of several different medical conditions. The SSA is required to evaluate your disability as a whole when determining your eligibility for benefits. This means that you are able to document the combined effects of major and minor impairments.
It is possible to be approved for disability for anxiety and physical symptoms in Toledo, as long as you:
For instance, if you suffer from anxiety and chronic migraines, you may experience persistent pain and worry that severely limits your ability to work. To fully illustrate the extent of the limitations of each impairment, as well as their connection to one another, you must ensure the SSA receives all of your medical evidence from all treating providers.
The SSA will then consider the combined effects of your conditions, the extent of your inability to work, and whether your impairments meet the requirements set forth in the Blue Book. If you are not approved for benefits based on the Blue Book listings, the SSA will evaluate your residual functional capacity to decide whether you can perform your past job activities in a new occupation.
Every year, over 60% of initial SSDI claims are denied by the SSA. Hiring an experienced attorney with a track record of success—someone who understands this complex process—can make all the difference in the outcome of your claim. At Schaffer & Associates LPA, we are well-versed in navigating disability for anxiety and physical symptoms, exhausting all options to build the strongest SSD claim possible. To begin your free initial consultation with our team, consider contacting our office to talk about disability benefits for anxiety disorder and a physical ailment in Toledo.