How To Apply For Social Security Disability With Bipolar Disorder
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Bipolar disorder causes severe mood swings that can make learning, working, or other aspects of daily life difficult to perform. Fortunately, the Social Security Administration offers financial benefits to help alleviate these struggles.
These benefits, called Social Security Disability benefits, are available to those who meet certain requirements and successfully complete the application. An adult or child living with Bipolar disorder can benefit from understanding the entire disability process in order to gain the financial support deserved.
Tips For Getting Disability With Bipolar Disorder
The application process is long and complex, but there are a few things you can do to put yourself one step ahead.
- See a therapist weekly and a psychiatrist monthly. Regularly speaking with a therapist or counselor in addition to a psychiatrist will show the SSA that your condition is serious and that youre taking treatment seriously. Getting benefits is very unlikely if you arent receiving frequent care.
- Strengthen your medical records. Your medical records are a major part of the application. Work closely with your doctor so that their records accurately represent how serious your condition is. If youve ever been injured or hospitalized because of your bipolar disorder, make sure thats all in the medical records. Also make sure your doctor is tracking things like fluctuations in weight or other side effects from your bipolar disorder. If youve changed primary doctors in the past, ask your current doctors office to help collect your old medical records.
- Talk to a lawyer. Believe it or not, the disability application is primarily a legal matter. Doctors can help with your application but most of them dont know the process well. A disability lawyer is an expert in the process and they can help you build the strongest possible case.
What Is Bipolar Disorder Disability
Bipolar Disorder is also called manic depression, leading to excessive mood swings. During mania, a person goes back and forth between depressive and euphoric states. These cycles may take place over a long time or can occur concurrently.
When experiencing mania, they may be euphoric, rage-filled, sleepless, and possess rushed thoughts and speech. A person suffering from a severe manic episode may experience hallucinations or become delusional. A person suffering from depression believes they are hopeless, anxious, sleep-deprived, and suffering from suicidal thoughts. An overall inability to function normally results from these unusual shifts in energy levels.
Disability can result from bipolar disorder for several reasons, including:
- Imbalance in brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters
- Hormonal imbalance
- Traumatic experiences or extreme stress
In addition to bipolar disorder and depression, illnesses and injuries can also cause these conditions.
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My Bipolar Disorder Meets The Criteria Now What
After confirming that you can meet the SSA criteria, the next step is to apply for disability benefits. If youre unsure whether or not you qualify, you can still apply. As long as you fill out the application honestly, there are no negative side effects to applying.
An easy way to determine your eligibility is also to take our free online quiz. We can help you understand your benefits options and if you qualify, we can also refer you to an experienced disability lawyer who we trust and who you wont have to pay unless they win your case.
If youre still unsure whether disability benefits are right for you, you may also want to read more about the two main types of disability, SSDI and SSI.
Contact Us To See If You Can Obtain Ssdi For Your Depression Or Bipolar Disorder
The SSDI lawyers atKrasno, Krasno & Onwudinjo understand how difficult it can be to live with a depressive or bipolar disorder.
Our highly experienced Social Security Disability lawyers work with your doctor to obtain the necessary information for your case. We fight to get your claim for benefits approved so you can get the financial and medical help you need.
To make an appointment, call us now at 243-4836. Consultations are free.
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Getting Help With Your Bipolar Disorder And Disability Benefits From Carmichael Law Group
It is important that you have thorough medical records documenting your diagnosis of bipolar disorder. It is equally important that you have a strong legal advocate by your side as you seek SS disability benefits. The attorneys at Carmichael Law Group have helped hundreds of people just like youthose who qualify for and deserve disability benefits but may have been unable to secure them. We help clients nationwide, it doesnt matter where you live. We can help you provide the exact documentation the SSA is looking for and will use our knowledge, skills, and resources for your benefit. The attorneys at Carmichael Law Group are persistent and dedicated when helping you obtain the disability benefits you need and are entitled to receive. Contact Carmichael Law Group, LLC today.
Contact us today for your FREE initial consultation.
What Kind Of Evidence Do I Need To Meet The Criteria For Benefits
When you apply for benefits, you will need to submit adequate medical evidence that proves the severity of your condition to win your claim. This will include your psychiatric record along with any documentation of manic or depressive episodes, in-patient treatment at a mental health facility, and records of the treatments you have underwent.
You can also help substantiate your application with non-medical evidence, such as input from your employers, family members, and case workers about how your disorder has affected your ability to work.
Medical, psychiatric, and supportive testimonies are the bedrock of a disability claim. It is essential to ensure your records sufficiently meet the SSAs requirements or the Administration will deny your application for benefits.
It is a good idea to contact a lawyer before submitting your claim. Our attorneys know what evidence the SSA is looking for in order to approve a claimant for benefits.
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Can You Work With Bipolar Disorder
People with bipolar disorder are prevented from being discriminated against at work by the ADA. However, you must be able to do the core tasks that the job requires. You are, however, allowed to ask for accommodations, which are changes to the schedule or responsibilities that can make the job easier to perform.
Examples of accommodations for bipolar disorder include:
- A more flexible schedule
- A support animal
Whether or not you can work will depend on how severe your bipolar disorder is. Symptoms such as mood swings, hallucinations and trouble concentrating will make it harder to hold down employment.
Finding a job you love that makes you happy and motivates you to get up in the morning will go a long way in making it easier to keep. You should also ensure that you have a good support system in place.
Do I Qualify For Disability For Bipolar Disorder
When youre suffering from bipolar disorder, you might feel alone. But youre not. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 4.4 percent of U.S. adults experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives.
To qualify for benefits for bipolar, according to the Social Security Administrations blue book list of impairments, your condition must have three or more of these characteristics:
- Pressured speech
- Involvement in activities without regard to a high chance of painful consequences
- Increase in goal-directed activity or physical agitation
Winning disability benefits is all about proving you cant work. So you also must show an extreme limitation in oneor marked limitation in twoof the following areas of mental functioning:
Or, you can show that your mental disorder is serious and persistent. That is, you have a medically documented history of bipolar disorder over a period of at least two years, and there is evidence that:
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Is Bipolar A Disability
The Social Security Administration recognizes that symptoms from mental disorders like bipolar can significantly interfere with your daily routine and prevent you from working. If symptoms from your bipolar disorder are severe enougheven with proper medicationyou could qualify for disability benefits for bipolar disorder.
The SSA can find you disabled in one of two ways:
- You meet the specific requirements for bipolar disorder that the SSA has identified in its impairment listing on mood disorders , or
- You can’t function at a high enough and consistent enough level to hold a basic, unskilled job.
Can You Work While Living With Bipolar Disorder
Living with bipolar disorder is different for everyone, and having bipolar disorder doesnât mean you canât or shouldnât work.
Even if you experience symptoms that are affecting your functioning and daily activities, the ADA ensures that workplaces allow reasonable accommodation.
Reasonable accommodations, such as extra break pay, can help you manage symptoms that might otherwise affect your productivity at work.
The ADA aims to protect your civil rights if you live with a disability and works to prevent discrimination. It also aims to guarantee you equal opportunities in:
- participation in government programs and services
- access to public transport
- telecommunication services
You donât have to fill out a form to be protected by ADA. If you meet their definition of disability, you automatically benefit from all the protections afforded under ADA.
If you believe you have been discriminated against because you live with bipolar disorder, you can file a complaint with the US Department of Justice.
Complaints can be handled by:
When it comes to living with a disability, Social Security provides both Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplementary Security Income .
If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the SSA has a 5-step assessment process to determine if you are eligible for benefits.
You will be asked:
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Consideration Of Your Residual Functional Capacity
If the SSA says you don’t meet the disability listing, the SSA will consider what you can do. It does this by writing up your mental residual functional capacity . An MRFC is a description of what tasks you can do in a work setting it explains your communication skills, your ability to relate to others, your ability to speak to the public, and whether you can be reliable in showing up to work.
For instance, say you have bipolar disorder and there is evidence in your medical records that you have moderate impairment in your social functioning caused by mood swings and you have a moderate level of difficulty with concentration. Your RFC might look like the following: you have no limitations in walking/standing/sitting, you are unable to work with the public, and you are limited to simple 1-2 step instructions. This RFC would prevent you from working in many occupations, but you still would not be found disabled since there are simple unskilled jobs that do not require working with the public. Read more about how the SSA makes this decision in our article on how the SSA evaluates an RFC for disability.
Provincial Income Support Benefits For Bipolar
Each province in Canada pays income support benefits to people who cant work because of a disability. If you are eligible, you can receive fixed payments for life.
You can qualify for provincial benefits even if youve never worked. However, they only apply if your total family income falls below a certain amount. That amount differs from province to province. Family income doesnt affect the approval process for other types of disability benefits, however.
You apply for provincial disability benefits through your provincial agency or program. As usual, your doctor will need to provide a report or certificate that confirms you cant work because of your condition.
If denied, you can appeal internally within the agency or program. In some provinces, you can also appeal to an outside tribunal for a final decision. Check the income support program in your province for the proper procedures.
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Prove You Have Bipolar Disorder
To prove that you have bipolar disorder, you must experience three or more of the following seven symptoms:
- Pressured speech
- Flight of ideas
- Youre easily distracted
- Inflated self-esteem
- A decreased need for sleep
- Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation
- You take part in activities that are likely to result in negative or painful consequences, but you dont recognize those likely consequences
How Does The Process Work
You receive a Ticket in the mail. You take this Ticket to any Employment Network or State Vocational Rehabilitation agency , and if you both agree to work together, the EN or VR will help you with job training, finding employers, information about work incentives, materials to send to prospective employers, and other tasks that will help you go to work. Participating in the Ticket to Work program means that youre protected from a Continuing Disability Review based on your potential ability to work.
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Does Bipolar Disorder Count As A Disability
The American Disabilities Act defines a disability as something that causes a person physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This definition can also include a person who has a history or record of such an impairment or who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.
Bipolar disorder is considered a disability under the ADA and the United States Society Security Administration . This is because it can, but not necessarily, affect your ability to maintain employment. The ADA ensures that people with disabilities do not suffer discrimination at work, so you cannot lose your job due to complications stemming from bipolar disorder. In addition, the SSA provides financial support if you have a disability that prevents you from being able to work.
If you are living with bipolar disorder and wish to apply for disability benefits from the SSA, you will need to provide details of your work history and current circumstances.
How To Win A Bipolar Disability Case
Learn how to win a bipolar disability case in this simple guide. Get actionable tips and Social Security requirements. Find out if you qualify.
Bipolar Disorder affects about 2.8% percent of people age 18 and older living in the United States.
Depression, anxiety, and agitation can overtake your life if you have bipolar disorder. This serious mental health condition can affect your job and daily life, putting your financial well-being at risk.
However, you may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits to ease your financial burden.
This guide gives you actionable steps to win a bipolar disability case. Read on to discover how.
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What Are The Disabling Symptoms Of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a disabling condition caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain resulting in severe mood swings. It is characterized by periods of manic activity punctuated by exceptionally bad periods of depression. Both the highs and lows of bipolar disorder are intense and can interfere with all aspects of your daily life.
You can absolutely qualify for long term disability benefits due to bipolar disorder. However, you will need to provide strong evidence to your insurance company of your disabling symptoms to get your claim approved.
Bipolar Disorder And Social Security Disability Benefits
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Bipolar disorder sometimes known as manic depression is a disorder of the brain. People with this disorder will often experience extreme shifts in levels of activity, mood and energy. Such extremes are referred to as manic and depressive episodes. Out of all bipolar disorder cases, 83% are classified as severe.
Most cases of Bipolar Disorder go undiagnosed throughout childhood and teen years, leaving most diagnoses to be delayed and without medical treatment until well into adulthood. If untreated, this can be a dangerous disorder, as many people who suffer from this condition can experience suicidal thoughts during depressive episodes, and can engage in risky behavior during manic episodes.
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How Hard Is It To Get Disability For Bipolar
Getting disability benefits in the united states can be a challenging process and this is especially true in cases such as mental disability. Getting disability for bipolar is difficult and can take a lot of time and effort in order to get approved. For first thing to do is to determine if you qualify for disability in general. There are certain requirements that you should meet in order to be considered disabled according to the Social Security Administration . If you can meet the requirements, then you are next required to contact the SSA and apply for disability. You will then be scheduled for an interview with a doctor from the SSA. During the interview, you must state why you are disabled and why you are unable to work. You must also be able to prove that your disability is long-term and permanent..
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Documenting Your Diagnosis Of Bipolar Mood Disorder
To win disability benefits for bipolar, you need a comprehensive strategy that accounts for three key factors: your medical condition, your job, and your disability benefits provider.
In the case of your medical condition, gaining a firm diagnosis is step one.
There are several types of bipolar mood disorder. For each type, the distinct symptoms can vary. So, your symptoms need to be well-documented as you proceed through the claims process.
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