Your depression can make accomplishing your daily routine next to impossible, including completing the tasks associated with your job in Philadelphia. When you cannot work, supporting yourself and your loved ones becomes that much more difficult which then adds to your depression.
Despite this, many may be of the opinion that depression and anxiety are not conditions that merit disability benefits, and instead think that those suffering from them simply need to work through them. This attitude has perhaps been impeding you from opening up to your doctor about the potential of seeking such benefits. You should know, however, that assistance is indeed available.
SSD benefits for depression
According to the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments, depressive disorder is among those conditions that qualify for disability benefits. You do have to meet their criteria in order to qualify, however. These requirements come in multiple segments, and you must meet a combination.
The first is mandatory; your case must meet it in order for you to qualify. A mental health professional must have diagnosed you with either depressive or bipolar disorder manifesting in a range of symptoms. For depressive disorder, you must exhibit more than five of the following indicators:
- Depressed mood
- Limited interest in everyday activities
- Loss of appetite resulting in weight loss
- Difficulty sleeping
- Psychomotor (conscious) agitation or retardation
- Decreased energy
- Sense of guilt and/or worthlessness
- Difficulty remaining focused
- Suicidal thoughts
For bipolar disorder, you must demonstrate a three-pronged combination of either speech difficulties, flighty ideas, inflated self-esteem, restlessness, poor judgment, increases in psychomotor agitation or being easily distracted.
Diagnosing disabling depression
With the remaining criteria segments, you only need to meet either one of them in a combination with the aforementioned requirements in order to qualify. These include marked limitations in mental functioning that impede your ability to adapt to different situations or interact with others, or having a documented treatment history of at least two years for a serious and persistent mental condition, supported by clinical testimony affirming your difficulties to adjust to demands outside of those of daily living.
