Qualifying for SSD with Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are considered a type of disabling mental condition by the SSA and may qualify you for SSD benefits, depending on your ability to meet other eligibility criteria. For assistance with qualifying for SSD benefits based on an anxiety disorder, connect with one of our diligent Social Security lawyers.

Disability Eligibility Criteria for Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are characterized by patterns of frequent or continuous worry and feelings of anxiousness related to many different events or activities. Symptoms can include difficulty concentrating or controlling worry, fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, irritability, sleep disturbances, and more.

According to the SSA, in anxiety-related disorders, anxiety is either the primary disturbance or experienced if one attempts to gain control of symptoms, such as confronting dreaded situations, phobias, or obsessions. Anxiety may qualify for SSD benefits when the requirements in both A and B are satisfied, or when the requirements in both A and C are satisfied:

A. Medically documented findings of at least one of the following:

• Generalized persistent anxiety accompanied by three out of four of the following signs or symptoms:
  • Motor tension
  • Autonomic hyperactivity
  • Apprehensive expectation
  • Vigilance and scanning
• A persistent irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation, which results in a compelling desire to avoid the dreaded object, activity, or situation
• Recurrent severe panic attacks manifested by a sudden unpredictable onset of intense apprehension, fear, terror, and sense of impending doom occurring on the average of at least once a week
• Recurrent obsessions or compulsions which are a source of marked distress
• Recurrent and intrusive recollections of a traumatic experience, which are a source of marked distress

AND

B. Resulting in at least two of the following:

• Marked restriction of activities of daily living
• Marked difficulties in maintaining social functioning
• Marked difficulties in maintaining concentration, persistence, or pace
• Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration

OR

C. Resulting in complete inability to function independently outside the area of one’s home

Get the SSD Benefits You Need based on a Qualifying Anxiety Disorder

Suffering from anxiety can severely disrupt your ability to work and hold down a steady job. In turn, that makes it difficult to provide for your family and pay for the medication and therapy necessary to manage your condition. The SSA sometimes offers benefits to people who have anxiety but is also known to deny valid claims.

The Social Security Disability lawyers at Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin want to make sure your claim isn’t denied. Our experience means we know how to build claims that are designed to get results fast. Call us today for more details on qualifying for SSD with anxiety.