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Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder A Disability

For Social Security Disability Insurance Beneficiaries

Anxiety Disorders: Generalized Anxiety Disorder

If you receive SSD benefits, you have a trial work period of nine months that allows you to test your ability to work without risking your benefits. Be sure to check how many months you have left of your trial work period before you begin. A month only counts if you earn over $720. After the trial work period ends, you will not receive benefits in months where you earn over $1000. For three years after the end of your trial work period, you can begin receiving benefits again if you stop earning $1000/month and you?re still disabled this is called Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits, or EXR.

What Other Benefits Can I Receive For Anxiety

There is a wide range of treatments available to tackle complex mental health problems like severe anxiety.

Prescription medications are helpful for some patients while others rely on service animals or another type of alternative treatment.

Mental health conditions are complex and often more than one form of treatment is recommended to address the issue.

We recommend that you meet with a medical professional immediately if you are suffering from anxiety or another mental health condition to get an expert opinion regarding treatment.

Causes Of Depression Or Anxiety

Although it is not clear, family genes or other biological reasons may cause or influence the emergence of depression. It is not uncommon to see these conditions shared by members of the same family. Depression may also be brought on by changes in ones life such as divorce, death, or a job change, however, such periods of depression normally resolve themselves within a relatively short period of time. However, if such a severe mood lasts every day for two-weeks or longer, then depression may require treatment to be resolved.

If your depression has been persisting, it is important to seek treatment early, both for treatment and to document its existence and severity should you have difficulty recovering and have to file a disability claim.

Anxiety may come on for no apparent reason or may also be familial. If left untreated, anxiety can worsen to the point that it interferes with the ability to concentrate and complete tasks needed for normal work activities. Some individuals anxiety reaches the point that they may refuse to leave their homes for fear of triggering an episode of panic.

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C& p Exam For Anxiety Tips

1. Know whats in your medical records!

2. Review your Disability Benefit Questionnaire

3. Review the eCFR, Title 38, Schedule 4 for ANXIETY and other mental health symptoms and ratings

4. Do NOT have your best day

5. Be uncomfortably vulnerable

6. Know your true story coldand potential in-service stressors that caused or made your ANXIETY and/or other mental health conditions worse.

Consider A Neuropsychological Evaluation

Anxiety disorders: background information about anxiety ...

In addition to a personal narrative and supportive reports from your treating doctor, you may consider undergoing a Neuropsychological Evaluation. A neuropsychological evaluation will measure your cognitive deficits.

Neuropsychological testing objectively and scientifically measures how your disability is impacting your cognitive functioning. This includes memory, learning perception, problem solving, speed processing, verbal functioning, and executive functioning, among other things. The evaluation usually also includes IQ testing and screening for any primary or secondary psychological diagnoses. It also will include validity testing to demonstrate the reliability of the test results.

Many conclusions can be drawn from a valid neuropsychological evaluation, including your primary diagnosis, secondary diagnosis , and your deficits in specific areas of cognitive functioning. The results provide the insurance company with strong and objective evidence to demonstrate how and why your anxiety disorder impacts your ability to work.

Your narrative, doctors support, and additional neuropsychological testing will all go a long way in helping to prove your anxiety disorder long term disability claim.

Recommended Reading: What To Do During An Anxiety Attack

Getting Help On Va Disability Claims For Service Connection

If you are a veteran or know of a veteran who is suffering from an anxiety disorder, the good news is that there are help and resources available to receive disability compensation. Click this link for a list of resources provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. If your VA claim has been denied for Anxiety or other mental conditions, do not hesitate to contact us!

Symptoms Affecting Your Functional Capacity

If you don’t qualify under one of the above SSA impairment listings, as part of the disability determination process, the SSA will automatically consider your symptoms and impairments to see to what extent they impair your daily activities and if there is any kind of work you could do. The SSA will give you a rating of the type of work it thinks you can do . This is called your residual functional capacity . For anxiety disorders, the key question is whether you can do even unskilled work. If your disorder keeps you from leaving the house or interacting with people appropriately, it’s possible the SSA could find this, but if your disorder is so severe, it’s likely the SSA would have found that you fit into one of its impairment listings for anxiety, agoraphobia, OCD or PTSD, above.

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What Are The Disabling Symptoms Of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders can cause both disabling emotional/cognitive symptoms and physical symptoms. Many people are surprised to hear that although anxiety disorders are considered a mental illness, they have tangible physical symptoms as well. Its important to report all symptoms you experience to your treating doctors so that he or she gets a full picture of the impact your anxiety has on your daily life and ability to work.

How Can The Nba Help

Generalized Anxiety Disorder | Mood Disorders

The National Benefit Authority is Canadas biggest disability tax service provider, having assisted over 40,000 Canadians in successfully claiming disability credits. Our in-house team of experts can help determine your Disability Tax Credit eligibility, and walk you through your Canadian Disability Tax Credit application. Disability Tax Credit amounts vary on a case-by-case basis, but can be upwards of $50,000 per application!

Allow us to recover your disability for generalized anxiety disorder on your behalf, alleviating you and your family of at least one concern.

Also Check: Can Anxiety Cause Heart Problems

Contact The Berry Law Firm For Help With Va Disability Appeals

The GAD VA disability appeal lawyers at Berry Law Firm are committed to helping Veterans in their fight for the full disability benefits they are entitled to receive.

If your VA disability claim for benefits related to an anxiety disorder was denied, we want to help you. Our team of award-winning attorneys includes Veterans, former VA employees, and military spouses who are dedicated to providing Veterans the legal representation needed to pursue an appeal for all the disability benefits you have earned through your service to our nation.

Call Berry Law at or contact us online to schedule a free and confidential legal consultation today. We know the way forward.

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Va Mental Health Anxiety Disorders Rating Schedule

There are currently 6 different VA disability ratings for anxiety orders.

The rating you receive impacts the amount of disability you may receive for your medical condition:

0% Rating

The medical condition qualifies for a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder yet the symptoms are not severe enough to impair daily functionality.

Furthermore, the patient does not require medication to treat the anxiety disorder.

In this rating, the veteran is not eligible for any monthly VA disability compensation.

10% Rating

The 10% rating also indicates that anxiety or depression has been diagnosed yet the symptoms are mild.

While the veteran may experience short periods of high stress that results in minor social or occupational impairment, the condition is still not considered severe.

In this rating, the veteran will likely not receive much or any form of disability assistance.

30% Rating

The medical condition represents mild symptomatology.

In other words, there is an occasional decrease in work efficiency or inability to perform work tasks.

The patient may periodically miss work because of the mental health condition yet it doesnt fully prevent them from completing tasks.

Additionally, the patient may occasionally isolate themselves yet are still able to maintain relationships.

Under this rating, the veteran may be entitled to some form of disability compensation yet nothing is guaranteed.

Higher Severity/Impairment

50% Rating

70% Rating

100% Rating

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Va Disability Ratings Schedule For Anxiety For 2020

Veterans that have anxiety which is persistent and excessive, interfere with a normal life, and cause people to avoid certain situations suffer from an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorder diagnoses are rising in the military not only with veterans but among active-duty personnel.

In fact, the U.S. Armed Forces report that anxiety disorder diagnoses rose dramatically from 2005 to 2016.

The report also found that service members in the U.S. Army have the highest amount of anxiety disorder cases with more than 7% of active-duty personnel currently diagnosed.

For this reason, active-duty troops and veterans should seek VA disability for anxiety disorders.

These disability benefits can help cover treatment and other costs associated with mental health problems.

The Department of Veterans Affairs relies on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders to rate anxiety disorder conditions.

There is a unique set of criteria that determines whether the patient is suffering from an anxiety disorder.

Write A Personal Narrative

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Explaining to your insurance company how your individual symptoms prevent you from performing your job duties can be extremely helpful. You can do this by preparing a detailed, written narrative for the insurance company. In many cases, it is helpful if the narrative addresses all your symptoms by listing them separately first. Because most symptoms of anxiety disorders are subjective in nature, your narrative can also address the severity of your symptoms, as well as factors that trigger or exacerbate your symptoms.

Read Also: What Happens When You Have An Anxiety Attack

Talk To A Disability Lawyer

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    Substances And Anxiety In Gad

    While there are no substances that are known to cause generalized anxiety disorder , certain substances or the withdrawal from certain substances have been implicated in promoting the experience of anxiety. For example, even while benzodiazepines may afford individuals with GAD relief from anxiety, withdrawal from benzodiazepines is associated with the experience of anxiety among other adverse events like sweating and tremor.

    Tobacco withdrawal symptoms may provoke anxiety in smokers and excessive caffeine use has been linked to aggravating and maintaining anxiety.

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    Getting Help From An Attorney

    If you are suffering from a debilitating anxiety disorder that makes it impossible for you to work, your condition may be exasperated by the stress of applying for SSDI benefits. The application process is difficult to navigate, and over half of first-time applications are denied. The best way to relieve the stress of applying for SSDI benefits is to consult with an experienced attorney. SSDI lawyers are familiar with the regulations enforced by the SSA when it comes to benefits, and these legal professionals can assist you as you collect medical evidence of your disability and file the necessary paperwork. Set up a consultation with an attorney to get started on your application.

    Ruth F. Kolb, Esquire has been practicing social security disability law since 2003 handling all levels of representation from initial claims through all stages of appeal.

    Disability Benefits For Anxiety Disorders

    Generalized Anxiety Disorders

    Anxiety disorders are mental illnesses characterized by feelings of fear, worry and anxiousness that can be overwhelming and continuous. Anxiety disorders are often severe enough to interfere with ones daily activities as well as their ability to work. When an individual with an anxiety disorder can no longer maintain employment because of their condition, he or she can qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.

    Recommended Reading: Can You Have Anxiety While Sleeping

    Working While Receiving Benefits

    If you feel that your situation has changed and you would like to try working again, you will not lose your rights to benefits. In fact, you might have access to additional support.

    You may even be able to get help paying for work expenses and vocational training. Given the highly treatable nature of SAD, the offer can be a great incentive to return to the workforce if and when you feel ready.

    If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

    For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

    Service Connection For A Gad Diagnosis

    If you have a diagnosis for GAD, the next issue is whether the disorder was caused by military service. You have to establish a service connection before the VA will determine your level of impairment and assign a disability rating.

    It is well understood that traumatic experiences, which are common in military combat, play a role in the development of anxiety disorders. A recent study revealed that GAD exists in 10% of Vietnam Veterans and up to 15% of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. In addition, the study concluded that GAD was as prevalent as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among Veterans being treated in primary care clinics, and the impairment associated with GAD was found to be relatively equal to that of PTSD.

    Your service records, medical records and statements from fellow Veterans, friends and family can help establish that your condition began during military service. Service records may identify a specific event during service that caused emotional or psychological injury, perhaps along with physical injury. This could be an event you had not considered, but which a review of your records or interviews with former comrades helps to pinpoint.

    If you have sought VA benefits for anxiety and your claim has been denied, let us review your claim and discuss whether an appeal is in order. If you need to appeal a denied claim or appeal your disability rating, our VA disability attorneys are here to help.

    Also Check: How To Combat Anxiety Attacks

    Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder Or Severe Anxiety A Disability

    Legally speaking, yes some forms of generalized anxiety disorder can be considered a disability. The law that governs Social Security benefits defines a disability as the “inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.” In other words, a disability includes mental impairments that make you unable to do your job or find enough employment to support yourself. The impairment must be long-term or potentially fatal.

    Generalized anxiety disorder and other forms of severe anxiety are often long-term, can be diagnosed by a doctor, and can limit someone from engaging in substantial gainful activity. As long as your condition meets those requirements, it will considered a disability according to Social Security law.

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