How to Apply for Mental Disability

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about one in four American adults have a mental disability such as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder. Many people manage to work and live fairly normal lives despite their disabilities, but in some cases mental disabilities make it impossible for people to hold down jobs. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides a monthly check for qualified people that cannot work due to a mental disability. To qualify, a person must have worked and paid into Social Security for a certain length of time in the past.

Instructions

• 1

  Talk to your doctor about whether or not you qualify for SSDI. To qualify, your mental disability must prevent you from working and your symptoms must be expected to last for at least one year. Ask your doctor how long you can expect your symptoms to prevent you from working.

• 2

  Begin your application for SSDI by visiting your local Social Security office or calling the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. You can also begin your application online (see Resources).

• 3

  Review the criteria Social Security will use to determine if you are disabled depending on which mental disability you have. The criteria appear on their website (see Resources). Take care to provide information that demonstrates how you meet the criteria when you fill out forms, and ask your health care professionals to document in your medical records how you meet the criteria.

• 4

  Fill out all forms completely and accurately. Give detailed explanations about how your mental disability prevents you from working and how it affects your daily activities. If you need more space, you may add additional paper. If you need help filling out any forms, contact Social Security. They must assist you if needed.

• 5

  Request copies of your medical records from all doctors, counselors, hospitals and other health care providers that have ever treated you for your condition and forward copies to Social Security. Social Security will ask you to sign a release of information form so they can get copies of your medical records, but they usually only request your most recent records. They must consider all information you send them, though, so send all your records. That way they will have a complete picture of how your mental disability affects you.