Is OCD a Disability? Getting Social Security Benefits in Michigan & Ohio
When you can’t escape intrusive thoughts, and you can’t stop repetitive actions to cope with anxiety, it uses up much of your time and energy.
These symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) interfere with your ability to work. And when you can’t work because of health problems, Social Security Disability benefits provide a foundation for a more stable life.
But can you get disability for OCD? Don’t you have to just deal with it? Are they really going to give you monthly checks because you have OCD?
When your ability to work is severely hindered—yes, you can get disability benefits for OCD. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes it as a mental disorder that can qualify for financial assistance.
People with all kinds of mental health problems wonder whether Social Security Disability benefits will help them. They wonder if you need a visible, physical ailment to be approved. Mental illness is vexing to those who have it and misunderstood by those who don’t.
But it turns out that mental disorders are the second largest health issue for people who successfully apply for and receive disability benefits. That includes conditions like anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, and yes, OCD.
Almost 2 million workers were getting disability benefits for mental and psychiatric conditions in recent Social Security numbers.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy to get financial relief for OCD.
You have to convince Social Security that you can’t work at all because of symptoms that only you experience and truly know. How do you get that across to them?
Bring in a skilled, experienced disability lawyer, someone who knows how to build a disability claim for OCD because they’ve been through this process thousands of times before.
People in Michigan and Ohio can get Levine Benjamin Law Firm. We’re the top disability law firm in Michigan by the amount of benefits we win for our clients.
If you’re struggling with OCD and can’t work in Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Toledo, or anywhere in Michigan or Ohio, get in touch with us to get yourself in a better situation.
From Applying to Appealing, We Help You Every Step of the Way.
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Can You Get Disability for OCD? Yes, if You Overcome These Challenges.
This is what you’re up against when you’re applying for Social Security Disability with obsessive compulsive disorder, along with many mental health problems:
- Every person experiences OCD differently, making it a challenge to explain.
- Different degrees of severity of OCD mean some cases qualify for benefits while others don’t.
- OCD and other mental disorders are hard to measure with medical tests.
- Other people have biases about mental health problems, including people at Social Security who decide on disability claims.
- A large majority of initial applications for disability benefits—for all kinds of impairments—are denied.
But there are ways to deal with all of these challenges.
You must get reports on your condition from mental health providers who’ve seen you, for example. You must show a record of regularly seeking treatment.
You can also provide testimony from people who personally know you about how OCD impacts your daily life.
While your own words won’t be enough for Social Security on their own, a consistent diary about your struggles that you’ve kept for months or longer can help your disability claim.
It’s like putting together a legal case, so get an Ohio or Michigan disability lawyer to handle the detailed work. You don’t pay any legal fee unless and until you win disability benefits.
You also don’t have to pay anything to call up a Levine Benjamin disability lawyer and discuss your options.
Getting Disability Benefits for OCD: Symptoms You Can Show
Social Security spells out the OCD symptoms you can document to win disability benefits.
These include:
- Getting fixated on unwanted thoughts you can’t control
- Repeating actions over and over to try to sooth your stress
- Struggling to clearly process information
- Struggling to relate to other people
- Easily losing concentration, interfering with your ability to stay with tasks
- Lacking control to manage your emotions, behavior and everyday life
The disability attorneys at Levine Benjamin have helped many Ohioans and Michiganders dealing with OCD get financial relief for a more peaceful life.
We take care of the legwork of applying for disability benefits—or appealing a denial of benefits to higher levels —so you get a break to take care of yourself