Can I Get Social Security Disability for PTSD?

 Posted on September 24, 2024 in Social Security Disability

There is no doubt that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a disability. While many people who struggle with this complex mental health condition are able to lead very normal lives, others find that PTSD is debilitating.

PTSD can cause a wide range of symptoms, from sudden and intense emotional reactions to triggers to a constant feeling of being on guard or even a fear of leaving your home.

If you are struggling with PTSD and your condition prevents you from holding a job, you may qualify to receive Social Security Disability. An experienced Collin County, TX SSDI lawyer can help you work towards receiving the payments you may be entitled to.

How does the Social Security Administration define Disabling PTSD? 

The SSA considers a person disabled if he or she cannot engage in any substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable physical or mental disability. The disability must have lasted or be expected to last at least one year.

While that definition may seem vague, the SSA maintains a listing of impairments, often referred to as "the blue book." This is essentially a master list of types of disabilities the SSA recognizes. One category of impairments is trauma-related disorders, where PTSD is likely to fall.

However, to meet the SSA’s criteria for a trauma-related disorder, you would need to have a very specific set of symptoms, and your PTSD must stem from exposure to actual or threatened death, violence, or serious bodily harm. You would need to be able to prove that your symptoms include: 

• Involuntarily re-experiencing the trauma 

• Behavioral avoidance of possible triggers 

• Mood and behavioral disturbances 

• Increased reactivity and heightened arousal

In addition to having these particular symptoms, you will also need to show that your symptoms limit how you can function in one or two of the following areas: 

• Managing yourself, such as by controlling your emotions 

• Interacting with other people in a socially acceptable manner 

• Concentrating on the task at hand 

• Learning, understanding, and remembering new information 

Because most jobs require you to be able to function in all four of these areas to some degree, it can be quite difficult to work if you struggle with one or more. You can either show that you have marked limitations in at least two of these areas, or show that you have extreme limitations in one of these areas.

Contact a Plano, TX SSD Lawyer 

The Law Offices of Coats & Todd may be able to help you obtain Social Security Disability benefits based on PTSD. Our knowledgeable Collin County, TX SSD attorneys have more than 60 years of combined legal experience. Contact us at 972-671-9922 for a complimentary consultation.