Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD can be debilitating and make it difficult to carry out daily activities and work. This leads many people with PTSD to wonder if they can qualify for disability benefits. The short answer is yes, it is possible to get approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) due to PTSD, but it depends on several factors.
What are the disability requirements for PTSD?
To qualify for SSDI or SSI disability benefits due to PTSD, your symptoms must be severe enough to meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) criteria. The SSA has a listing for mental health conditions, including PTSD, in its blue book of disability conditions. To meet the PTSD listing and get approved quickly, your PTSD symptoms must satisfy these requirements:
| PTSD Blue Book Listing Requirements |
|---|
| Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive memories or dreams of the traumatic event(s) |
| Dissociative reactions like flashbacks where you feel or act as if the traumatic event(s) were recurring |
| Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event(s) |
| Marked physiological reactions to reminders of the traumatic event(s) |
At least two of the following:
|
| Irritable or aggressive behavior |
| Risky, destructive, or self-destructive behavior |
| Hypervigilance |
| Exaggerated startle response |
| Problems with concentration |
| Sleep disturbance |
Your PTSD symptoms must satisfy these criteria and be documented by a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist or therapist. The symptoms must also have persisted for at least one year.
What if my PTSD doesn’t meet the blue book listing?
Even if your PTSD does not satisfy every requirement in the blue book listing, you can still potentially qualify for benefits through a medical-vocational allowance.
The SSA will then evaluate whether your PTSD prevents you from working when considering your:
- Age
- Education level
- Past work experience
- Transferable skills
So even if you do not meet the blue book criteria for PTSD, make sure to fully describe how your symptoms impair your functioning and ability to work.
How does the SSA evaluate mental health conditions like PTSD?
To evaluate the severity of your PTSD and work limitations, the SSA looks at factors like:
- Your medical records – These should document your PTSD diagnosis, symptoms, mental status examinations, and treatment.
- Your own reports – The SSA will consider how you describe how PTSD affects your daily activities and ability to function.
- Statements from third parties – Information from people who know you and your struggles with PTSD symptoms can help demonstrate severity.
- Your mental health provider’s opinion – Input from psychologists, psychiatrists, or therapists carries significant weight.
The SSA will determine if your PTSD symptoms seriously interfere with your ability to work full-time. Things like missing work frequently, having trouble concentrating, difficulty interacting with others, and low stress tolerance would show work impairment.
What medical records help qualify for PTSD disability?
It is crucial to provide the SSA with comprehensive medical documentation that supports your PTSD disability claim. Helpful records can include:
- Records of counseling or therapy for PTSD
- Medication lists showing treatment for PTSD symptoms
- Psychiatric or psychological evaluations
- Hospitalization records related to PTSD
- Documented opinions from mental health providers about your work-related functional limitations
Having consistent, objective evidence of your PTSD diagnosis, treatment history, and symptoms is key. If you don’t have enough medical documentation, the SSA may ask you to attend a consultative exam with a psychiatrist or psychologist they choose.
Can you work with PTSD and still get disability benefits?
Yes, it is possible to qualify for Social Security disability benefits with PTSD even if you are currently working. Your work attempts will be evaluated to determine if they demonstrate substantial gainful activity (SGA).
In 2023, the SGA earnings limit is $1,470 per month for non-blind individuals. So if you are earning above this SGA amount, you would generally not be considered disabled. However, just because you exceed the SGA amount does not automatically disqualify you from getting benefits if you have PTSD.
The SSA will look at whether your work attempts prove that you are able to sustain full-time work consistently. Things like:
- Frequently missing work due to PTSD
- Having trouble learning and completing tasks
- Making errors or having decreased productivity
- Being unable to interact appropriately with supervisors, co-workers, or the public
can show that your PTSD substantially impacts your ability to maintain employment. The SSA will evaluate your specific work activity to determine if it represents SGA or not.
Does PTSD automatically qualify you for disability benefits?
No, a diagnosis of PTSD does not guarantee that you will be approved for disability benefits. While PTSD can severely disable someone’s ability to work, the SSA has a strict evaluation process. Many people with PTSD are denied benefits initially and have to appeal their disability claim and go through the hearing process to get approved.
Some key things that can help your PTSD disability claim include:
- Having complete medical records that document your symptoms, treatment, and functional limitations
- Getting a detailed opinion from your mental health provider explaining your work-related impairments
- Describing how your PTSD makes you unable to maintain employment
- Citing examples of job loss or failure related to your PTSD struggles
- Highlighting any psychiatric hospitalizations
- Listing all medications and therapy that help manage your PTSD
Thoroughly proving that your PTSD prevents you from working and showing its severity is crucial. Hearings with an Administrative Law Judge also tend to have higher approval rates than initial applications.
Can you get Social Security disability for anxiety and depression along with PTSD?
Yes, you can potentially qualify for disability benefits if you have co-occurring mental health conditions along with your PTSD. PTSD often coincides with other issues like depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse disorders.
The SSA will look at the combined impact your impairments have on your ability to work. Having anxiety or depression in addition to your PTSD symptoms can demonstrate more severe occupational limitation.
Your disability claim and medical records should clearly explain how all of your mental health symptoms relate to each other and exacerbate your functional impairments. The SSA will evaluate your conditions together to see if they meet or equal the severity of a listed impairment.
Should you list all of your conditions when applying?
When applying for Social Security disability for PTSD, it is important to list all physical and mental conditions you have. Even if something like chronic back pain or arthritis is not your primary disabling condition, it can still factor into the SSA’s decision when combined with your PTSD symptoms.
Failing to disclose all medical conditions on your disability application can delay processing or lead to denial of your claim. The SSA will consider impairments in combination, so the more evidence you provide, the better.
When does PTSD qualify for VA disability benefits?
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also provides disability compensation for veterans who have PTSD connected to their military service. The criteria for qualifying for VA disability for PTSD include:
- Experiencing a traumatic in-service event like combat, sexual assault, catastrophe, or repeat exposure to details of trauma
- Having a PTSD diagnosis from a mental health professional like a psychiatrist or psychologist
- Exhibiting PTSD symptoms like re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance, hyperarousal, etc.
- Having social or occupational impairment due to PTSD symptoms
The VA uses a ratings scale from 0% to 100% to determine the PTSD disability percentage. The higher the rating, the greater the impact on functioning and the higher the monthly payment amount.
VA disability rating scale for PTSD:
| Disability Rating | PTSD Symptom Severity |
|---|---|
| 0% | PTSD symptoms not severe enough to interfere with work or relationships |
| 10% | Mild PTSD symptoms with occupational and social impairment |
| 30% | Occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent inability to perform tasks due to PTSD symptoms |
| 50% | Reduced reliability and productivity due to PTSD symptoms like flattened affect, panic attacks, difficulty understanding complex commands |
| 70% | Severe PTSD symptoms like obsessional rituals, illogical speech, near-continuous panic or depression, spatial disorientation |
| 100% | Total occupational and social impairment due to PTSD |
Having supporting medical evidence and a nexus connecting your PTSD to your military service is key to obtaining an accurate VA disability rating.
Can you get SSI for PTSD?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides monthly payments to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. SSI has the same medical requirements for disabling conditions like PTSD.
However, SSI also has strict financial criteria regarding countable income and assets:
- You must have under $2,000 in assets as an individual or $3,000 as a married couple to qualify for SSI.
- Your countable monthly income must be below the federal benefit rate – $841 for individuals and $1,261 for couples in 2023.
So you can receive SSI disability payments due to PTSD if you meet the SSA’s medical qualifications and have low income/assets. Your living expenses, household size, and geographic location also factor into SSI eligibility.
Conclusion
Post-traumatic stress disorder can certainly cause impairment severe enough to warrant Social Security and VA disability benefits. However, approval is not guaranteed since the SSA and VA have strict evaluation criteria your PTSD symptoms must satisfy.
Documenting your condition thoroughly, highlighting how PTSD affects your functioning, and being persistent through appeals can help demonstrate you meet disability listing requirements. Having experienced legal representation on your side through the process also improves approval odds.
While getting disability benefits approved for PTSD can be challenging, it is certainly possible if you are unable to maintain employment due to your symptoms. Make sure to comprehensively show how PTSD impacts your daily activities and employability when applying. This will provide the evidence needed to qualify for the disability assistance that PTSD makes necessary.