It can be almost impossible for applicants to be approved for benefits when a mental impairment is the cause of the problem. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has not always recognized mental impairments in regard to how well someone can do their job. That can mean your application will be denied and you'll need to go before an administrative law judge (ALJ) before you can get benefits. To help you prove that you are unable to work because of a mental impairment like depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety issues, read on find out more.

A Decrease in Job Output

Mental issues are no less debilitating than physical conditions. Many workers find that their quality, pace, and level of concentration as they go about their workday begins to suffer as a mental impairment affects them in increasingly worrisome ways. What applicants must do if they want to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is to show the ALJ exactly how and why their ability to do their jobs is affected by their condition. As a side note, if you are being treated for your mental impairment with medication, the medication can often add to the problems at work. Both the effects of the illness and the remedies used to address it can be used to qualify for benefits.

Give Specific Examples of Work Issues

The SSA is looking for specific examples in which you can show that your impairment interfered with your work. The SSA usually classifies such interference as quality of work, pace of work, and concentration on work. Workers with mental impairments cannot "hide" their issues from employers for long. When you fail to perform the duties of your job and the reason can be traced to a mental or physical issue, you may qualify for benefits. Here are some examples of that:

1. You are supposed to create work schedules for the following month but you are consistently late in performing this task due to a depressed mood, missing work often, feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy, and more.
2. Your job is to speak in front of groups of people who are attending training seminars. You begin to suffer from severe anxiety and find that you must cancel your appearances or suffer anxiety attacks during the seminar.

Get Help With Your Case

It's not easy to convince an ALJ to approve benefits, but having a Social Security lawyer certainly helps. They can prepare you to answer questions about your impairment but even more importantly, they can cross-examine the vocational experts that provide the judge with accurate advice about mental issues and job tasks. Speak to a Social Security lawyer about your case and get the benefits you need at your appeal hearing.

To learn more, reach out to a Social Security attorney.