Step 1: Confirm Your Mental Health Diagnosis

The SSA recognizes conditions such as:

• Depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, and anxiety disorders.
• Documentation by mental health professionals is critical for SSA evaluation.
• Your symptoms must cause major functional limitations in daily life or work.

Step 2: Verify Duration of Your Condition

The SSA requires:

• Your mental health condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or be terminal.
• Consistent treatment records supporting your diagnosis and limitations.
• Clinical assessments showing ongoing impact on your functioning.

Step 3: Check Work Credit Eligibility

You must have:

• Sufficient work credits paid into Social Security through past employment.
• Credits vary by your age at disability onset.
• Typically, 20 work credits earned over the last 10 years are needed for adults.

Step 4: Understand the SSA Disability Assessment

The SSA will:

• Review medical and psychological evidence to assess your impairment.
• Evaluate your ability to perform work-related activities despite your condition.
• Consider whether you can adjust to other types of employment.

Common Reasons for Denial

Denials often occur due to:

• Insufficient or incomplete medical documentation detailing your mental health condition.
• Conditions too mild or temporary to meet SSA’s standards.
• Failure to complete SSA-ordered evaluations or follow-ups.
• Not meeting the work credit requirements.