Could You Use Financial Assistance Right Now?
If you can’t work because severe depression is shutting you down, you can get help to stay afloat financially from Social Security Disability benefits.
Benefits provide monthly checks. But even more than that, they ease your struggle paying essential bills, so you can focus on your well-being.
Some people might think you need a physical disability to get Social Security Disability benefits.
But in recent years, about a quarter of people receiving disability income from Social Security had mental health disorders, like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and PTSD.
Because depression is an “invisible” condition, you may need someone with experience to help you explain your situation to Social Security. Most people, with all kinds of health impairments, are denied when they first apply for benefits.
You can get someone to back you up when you need financial relief. The Morgan Law Firm disability lawyers in South Bend have helped thousands of people in Indiana and Michigan appeal their disability denials.
Social Security Disability Is All We Do.
How to Qualify for Social Security Disability for Depression
We all know that everybody at one time or another feels said or down. But if you face major depression, you know this is something more than that. It can limit your daily functioning and not let up.
The National Institute of Mental Health said more than 17 million adults in the United States—about 7 percent of all adults—have experienced a “major depressive episode.”
The Social Security Administration (SSA) says you can get disability benefits for depression if you document five of these effects of depression:
- Your mood is low.
- Your energy is down.
- You move in slower or more agitated ways.
- Your appetite and weight are changing.
- You struggle to focus.
- You lose interest in many activities
- You feel guilty, or you feel worthless.
- You’re having trouble with sleep.
- You’re having suicidal thoughts.
And you need to show an “extreme” limitation in one of these areas, or a “marked” difficulty in two of them:
- You can’t adapt to changes and manage yourself on a daily basis.
- You can’t concentrate and stay on track with tasks.
- It’s hard for you to deal with other people.
- It’s difficult for you to take in and understand information
The way you get Social Security to see your depression meets these standards is by providing evidence from your medical treatment, such as:
- Records of doctor visits
- Reports from doctors
- Reports from psychotherapists
- Reports from psychiatrists
- Lists of your prescriptions for depression
- Descriptions of any treatments for depression
- Statements from people who know you
You don’t have to put all of this together and present it to the government without any help. A disability attorney can help you.
Talk to our disability law firm for an initial consultation on your disability claim for depression. It’s FREE.
Get a Disability Lawyer Who Listens & Doesn’t Judge
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America said depression can take several forms, including:
- Major depression disorder that comes with changes in behavior and lasts for weeks
- Persistent depressive disorder, which can last for years
- Depression fueled by having other medical problems
- Depression brought on by a stressful event or big change
- Seasonal affective disorder related to certain times of year
To qualify for disability benefits, your depression—or a combination of health conditions including depression—must leave you unable to work for at least a year. And you have to prove it.
The process of applying for Social Security Disability can seem unfeeling. The disability legal team members at The Morgan Law Firm make it our mission to listen to you, understand your situation, and help you reach a better time.
Not only do we want to help you win benefits after you’ve been denied, we want to make sure you’re treated with care and respect through the entire process.
To get a disability lawyer, there is no fee until you win benefits.