Is Anxiety a Disability?
If you or someone you love lives with anxiety, you know that this condition can interfere with a person’s life. You may even wonder if it’s a disability. After all, anxiety can be quite debilitating at times.
So, does anxiety fall under the category of a disability? We’ll explore the answer below, offering information about what symptoms qualify a person for disability benefits. We’ll also offer information about treatment.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety can be a normal part of life, but some people experience excessive worry. In this case, they may have an anxiety disorder.
When someone has an anxiety disorder, excessive worry interferes with daily life. There are various types of anxiety disorders, but all of them involve worry or fear that doesn’t go away.
For instance, generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive worry or fear that exceeds worry about everyday stressors. People with generalized anxiety disorder experience symptoms like irritability, difficulty concentrating, problems sleeping, and extreme fatigue
On the other hand, people with social anxiety disorder find social settings to be extremely distressing. They may avoid social situations altogether, or suffer from intense fear when in these settings. When exposed to social situations, they worry about negative judgment and may show symptoms like blushing, sweating, or speaking in a soft tone.
Some people with anxiety disorders experience specific phobias, which refer to fear of certain objects or situations. For example, a person may have a fear of dogs, driving in a car, or flying in a plane.
In my professional experience, when people use the term “anxiety” they are referring to one of these anxiety disorders. While all anxiety disorders involve fear, it’s helpful to remember that there are several specific types of anxiety disorders. It’s also important to keep in mind that some level of anxiety is normal, and it doesn’t mean a person is disabled.
Is Anxiety a Disability?
If you’re applying for SSDI, you might wonder if anxiety is a disability. Anxiety disorders can qualify as disabilities if they meet certain criteria.
For an anxiety disorder to be considered a disability, it must be “serious and persistent.” You’ll need to provide medical evidence that you’ve had an anxiety disorder for at least two years.
To determine if your anxiety disorder constitutes a disability, the Social Security Administration will evaluate your medical records. They must confirm that you have a diagnosis. They’ll also review your records to determine how severe your anxiety disorder is and whether it impedes your ability to work.
What Symptoms Qualify an Applicant for Anxiety Benefits?
If you have symptoms of an anxiety disorder, you can be approved for disability benefits, if the disorder is severe and persistent and interferes with your ability to work.
Some symptoms that may qualify you for benefits include:
- The experience of panic attacks (intense fear coupled with symptoms like sweating, fear of death, racing heart, chest pain, and shortness of breath)
- Extreme fear of specific scenarios or locations, such as being in crowds, using public transportation, or being in an open space
- Intense fear of social settings, due to worry about negative judgment
- Persistent anxiety coupled with concentration difficulties, inability to control worry, and feelings of being wound up or on edge
Along with anxiety disorder symptoms, a person must have difficulty with the following tasks:
- Adapting to the environment
- Interacting with other people
- Concentrating
- Persisting with tasks
- Understanding information
When anxiety symptoms cause problems with the following tasks, a person is likely to have a difficult time maintaining a job. This makes it more likely that an applicant will qualify for disability benefits.
Demonstrate Your Anxiety Disorder
To meet criteria, you’ll need to demonstrate that you have an anxiety disorder. This could involve providing the Social Security Administration with medical records that document your symptoms and diagnosis.
These records could come from a physician, nurse practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist, clinical social worker, or other professional providing psychiatric care. Records can include diagnostic assessments and mental status examinations, as well as your medical history or medication usage.
Demonstrate That Your Anxiety Is Serious
Having an anxiety disorder in and of itself isn’t sufficient to receive disability benefits. You must show that your anxiety is severe enough to prevent you from working. To demonstrate that your disorder is serious, you will need to provide evidence from medical providers, vocational programs, and educational institutions showing that anxiety interferes with your ability to adapt, interact with others, and perform work-related tasks requiring you to understand information, concentrate, and use persistence.
How Likely Is It That the SSDI Application Will Be Approved by the SSA?
In my experience, many people who apply for SSDI are denied the first time they apply. Research shows that just 27.3% of adults making an initial application are approved.
The first time you apply, it’s likely that you’ll be denied. Fortunately, you can appeal the decision. You have a good chance of being approved upon appeal, as long as you can demonstrate that your anxiety disorder is severe and persistent.
Keep in mind that each person’s scenario is different. Approval is not guaranteed, and you may need to work with a disability attorney to ensure the best outcome.
Anxiety Disorders: What Are the Different Treatments?
If you live with an anxiety disorder, there are quality treatments that can reduce the impact that symptoms have on your daily functioning. Anxiety disorders are often treated with medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.
Medication
There are several different medications that can reduce anxiety symptoms. You’ll have to work with a doctor to determine which medication is the best fit for you.
Antidepressant medications are often used to treat anxiety disorders, because these medications can alleviate fear and worry. There is also a class of medications called benzodiazepines, used specifically for treating anxiety. I advise patients to use these medications with caution, because long-term use of benzodiazepines can lead to abuse and dependence.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, also known as therapy or talk therapy, can help you process your emotions and learn healthy coping skills for anxiety. A specific type of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaving that are worsening anxiety.
Exposure therapy is one specific type of CBT. This method exposes people gradually to feared objects or situations. They often learn to practice relaxation exercises while exposed to a situation that causes fear, so the situation becomes less anxiety-provoking.
A mental health professional can help you decide the best therapy modality for your unique needs.
Seek Professional Help
If you’re ready to seek help for anxiety, consider online therapy services. You can access online services at BetterHelp from the safety and comfort of home.
FAQs
The answers to the following common questions provide additional information about anxiety disorders as disabilities.
At What Point Is My Anxiety a Disability?
Anxiety disorders can be considered a disability when they are severe and persistent, preventing a person from working.
Is Anxiety Classed as a Disability?
Anxiety disorders are listed as mental health conditions that can be disabilities, as long as they meet certain criteria.
Can I Live a Long Life With Anxiety?
Yes. Anxiety disorders are manageable with treatment. Therapy and medication can help you to manage symptoms so they do not interfere with daily life or overall health.
Is It Ok to Live with Anxiety?
There is no shame in living with an anxiety disorder. These disorders are incredibly common, affecting about 19.1% of U.S. adults over the course of a year.
Conclusion
Anxiety disorders lead to excessive fear and worry that can interfere with daily functioning. For some people, anxiety is so severe that it prevents them from working. In this case, they may qualify for disability benefits for anxiety.
If you’re seeking disability benefits, you’ll need to gather your medical paperwork, as well as any documentation you have from school, job training programs, or mental health providers. It’s important that you’re able to support your disability claim with documentation, or your application won’t be approved.
If your initial application is denied, don’t be discouraged. You can still file an appeal. There are also supportive resources available, including therapy, vocational training programs, and case management services. These resources can reduce the negative impact of anxiety on your daily life, so you can return to work and function independently.
Sources:
1)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
3)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder
4)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10597-018-0334-9
