Depression And Disability: Can Depression Disable An Individual?

A lot of people on the internet asked, “Is depression a disability?” In order to understand this concept, let’s take a deep look at what a psychotherapist has to say in this matter. A chronic or severe depression can affect an individual’s life differently.

In some people, depressive episodes might not let an individual work properly, walk properly, or get out of bed. Depressive symptoms impact individuals differently and disability patterns can also be different for people.

According to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), depression is known to be a psychiatric disability. It’s a mood disorder which can interfere with the overall quality of life. In some cases, it can also impact the ability to work.

Is Depression a Disability?

Clinical depression is one of the common mental health disorders experienced by people across the globe. Below listed are some of the common symptoms of depression:

• Anxiety
• Changes in appetite
• Consistent sadness
• Emptiness
• Hopelessness
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Lack of concentration
• Unexplained weight loss or gain
• Self-harm or suicidal thoughts

In order to be diagnosed with depression, it is important to struggle with the symptoms for more than two weeks. If you think you or your loved one might be struggling with the symptoms of depression, You should get accurate diagnosis and proper treatment through an experienced and certified mental health professional.

It’s difficult to treat treatment-resistant depression and sometimes, it can result in a disability. This explains why depression can be a leading cause of disability in people aged between 15 and 44. Depression can develop at any stage of your life, however, mostly it develops after the age of 32.

When we say, that depression is considered a disability, it doesn’t mean that people don’t qualify for seeking benefits related to health insurance or financial assistance. Research shows that disability affects at least one life activity of an individual’s life.

What We Can Do?

Since depression is considered a disability, people can qualify for assistance. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers two financial aid programs to help people work through disabilities.

1. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): SSDI considers depression a disability because the symptoms of depression disrupt the overall quality of life. In order to enter this program, people have to prove that they haven’t worked for 12 months at least and have paid “Social Security” through salary deductions for years.
2. Supplemental Security Income (SSI): People can also take SSI benefits along with SSDI benefits. This program is specially designed for people with little assets and low income. In order to qualify for SSI programs, people must prove their diagnosis through a professional, prove a low-income basis, prove their assets and other documents are also required.
3. Medicaid: Medicaid provides low-cost healthcare access to people with low income. People can seek its benefits after having 2 years of SSDI.
4. ADA Accommodations for Depression and Anxiety: The ADA provides the most reasonable accommodations to help people with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.  For example, it allows people to take mental breaks, work from home, accommodate sick breaks, educate and train employees regarding mental health, offer flexible schedules, and more.

What happens when I don’t qualify for disability benefits?

If you don’t qualify for disability benefits, you can:

• Appeal to the Social Security Administration and request approval. You can visit their website or fill form available on the website.
• Request accommodation in the organization or workplace. This would require you to submit some supporting documents, such documents might disclose some personal information.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is depression classed as disabled?

Many mental health conditions are considered as disability and depression is one of them. Other mental health conditions classed as disability are bipolar disorder, dementia, and others.

2. Is anxiety a disability?

Anxiety disorders such as panic disorders, phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are considered a disability.

3. Can you get money for depression?

If you’re recently diagnosed with depression and are not able to work, you may be entitled to welfare benefits. To seek such benefits, you might have to enclose some personal information and submit the required documents.

4. Is stress a disability?

Research shows that long-term stress is not considered a disability, it is considered a mental impairment.

I hope this blog helps you understand why depression is considered a disability. If you have any further questions or concerns, leave a comment below, we can’t wait to connect with our readers.

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Thanks for reading!