Connecting with Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits can be easier for some people than for others. Some people will have to deal with a denied application and an appeal, although many people in that situation can move on to receive the benefits they need after a second review of their application or a hearing.
Those with obvious physical injuries will have the easiest time making a claim for SSDI benefits. After all, they will have medical conditions that are easy to verify with consequences that are hard to ignore. However, many severe disabilities don’t produce visible signs.
Mental health conditions, in particular, are typically invisible. Applying for SSDI benefits can be a little more difficult for those with qualifying mental health conditions, but certain circumstances, such as the need for inpatient mental health care, can potentially speed up the process of getting benefits.
Inpatient mental health care produces a verifiable record
People with mental health concerns may struggle to keep jobs, which can mean that they don’t always have health insurance. They may not have had one mental health professional regularly treating them for their symptoms, which can make it that much harder to prove that their issues stem from a true disability.
Spending time in an inpatient mental health facility can make it easier for someone to show that issues like depression or disassociation have impacted their ability to live independently and support themselves. Reviewing your medical records with an SSDI attorney, including documentation from both voluntary and involuntary mental health hospitalizations, can be a good starting point for exploring your need for SSDI benefits.