Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of disability in the United States for Americans aged 15 to 44, affecting more than 16.1 million American adults annually. If you or someone you know has ever suffered from MDD, you may know the toll it can take on your personal life – including your employment – all too well. This often leads people to apply for Social Security disability benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance and/or Supplemental Security Income.
However, actually receiving disability benefits for depression is much more difficult than it may seem. This is due, at least in part, to the subjective nature of depression complaints. Only you will ever know what you are going through when you’re in the throes of depression, it is difficult to explain to someone else, especially when that someone else is a complete stranger who has the “power” to decide whether you receive disability benefits or not.
To meet the Social Security listing for depression, there must be medical documentation of five or more of the following: depressed mood; diminished interest in almost all activities; appetite disturbance with change in weight; sleep disturbance; observable psychomotor agitation or retardation; decreased energy; feelings of guilt or worthlessness; difficulty concentrating or thinking; or thoughts of death or suicide.
In addition to meeting at least five of the above, you must also have either an extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning: understanding, remembering, or applying information; interacting with others; concentrating, persisting, or maintaining pace; or the ability to adapt or manage oneself.
As you may have realized, your medical records are crucial in proving your disability case. It is important that your psychiatrist, psychologist, or counselor, not only notates in the record how you describe your feelings, but that they also make note of any observations they notice or mental status exams they perform. Both of those can help boost your claim.
If you are applying for disability benefits and need help, contact a lawyer today.