When you’re applying for Social Security Disability benefits based on your history of mental health concerns, you will still need to prove that your mental health makes it impossible for you to work. Your condition will need to last for at least 12 months or be considered terminal.
If you haven’t been able to work for that long and are struggling with your mental health, then you will need to start collecting evidence that you can provide to the Social Security Administration. That evidence can be anything from medical records to treatment with a therapist.
What kinds of medical evidence work well for Social Security Disability claims with mental health disorders?
A stay at a psychiatric hospital or in a hospital ward could be an excellent piece of evidence if you have it. A mental health stay usually isn’t sought by anyone who isn’t incredibly unwell. In some cases, the person who was a patient may have been admitted without their knowledge or approval, too. All of this information can make for compelling evidence as you make your case to the Social Security Administration.
If you have had a psychiatric hospital stay, you should have extensive documentation about your diagnosis and treatment. If you were involuntarily admitted, you will have been forced to follow the treatment plan, which is something that you will also want to attach with your application or appeal.
Your attorney will talk to you about the paperwork that can make your mental health disability application more thorough. With good documentation and proof of your health, it will be easier to prove that you are suffering from a significant disability.