SSI Benefits for Bipolar Disorder

In the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, mental illnesses are categorized by number codes to help document their severity. Out of all these, only seven are designated as SMIs, or "serious mental illnesses": schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder.
Since bipolar disorder is listed among these serious mental illnesses, one would believe that receiving Supplemental Security Income disability benefits would be extremely easy, especially if you have a long history of doctor and therapist visits. The truth is that people with serious mental illnesses face a series of roadblocks on the way to receiving SSI benefits, and most do not receive benefits on their first try---especially without a lawyer---because of a variety of reasons.

Definition of SSI

• Supplemental Security Income is generated by general tax revenues, not Social Security benefits. There is a misconception that SSI comes from benefits that come directly from Social Security accounts, but therapists and doctors will confirm for their patients that SSI is generated from tax revenue and not Social Security money set aside. Despite the professional clarification that exists, there is still a section of the population that is mistakenly believes that disability claims affect their Social Security.
  SSI benefits can be awarded for physical, emotional or mental disorders. Although bipolar disorder belongs to the SMI catergory, it is not the SSI's intention to award everyone the same benefits if they are awarded benefits at all. Proving the severity of your mental battle with bipolar disorder through records is easier than acquiring money based solely on your mental disorder's existence. Most first-time claims are turned down.

Age

• Even though someone may have suffered from mental illness since childhood and into adulthood, and may have doctor and therapist files on his condition, age is a huge factor in receiving disability. The fact that you are young supposedly contradicts the severity of your condition. Someone may be in the throes of serious mental illness at the age of 18, but their youth will often lead a SSI interviewer to question their overall health otherwise and disregard the mental illness.

Working Years

• The SSI disability application asks that you list your jobs over the last 15 years. Fifteen years seems to be about how long someone must have worked to receive the benefits; the SSI prefers to award supplement income to workers who have been in the workforce and "done their time" as a laborer. If you are young and have only worked for seven to 10 years, this could hurt your application.

Getting Representation

• Getting a lawyer will probably help your position, and the lawyer will act as an advocate on your part by studying your records and past history, and by applying state law. Some lawyers will not charge a fee unless they win the case for you; if you win, the lawyer gets a percentage of your back pay. Once a court rules that you are disabled, your SSI payments will start retroactively, from the date that you first claimed disability.

Important Notes

• Make sure you gather all the information you can about yourself, since you will have to go through an interview process to determine if you are truly disabled. Family members, as well as doctors, therapists and co-workers may, have to fill out a form about you behavior or perceived mental health. Make sure you are ready for the first interview and its results.