Can You Receive Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder?

When you hear of someone applying for disability, you often think of a physical condition, but there are many people who also get disability benefits who suffer from a mental disorder. Bipolar disorder is one of those disorders. People who suffer from this condition can suffer from it so severely that it prevents them from working. 

Some people may have to be out of work for some time until they get their bipolar disorder under control with proper medical treatment.  After their bipolar disorder is stabilized, they can resume their normal working duties. But for some people who suffer from bipolar disorder, they experience extreme episodes of mania as well as depression. Their condition is so severe that even despite medical treatment; they still cannot function in a working environment.

For instance, some folks have such terrible depression (lows) that they cannot focus on anything and they work at a slower speed than others or some just do not show up to work at all.  On the other hand, the mania (highs) causes victims to experience racing thoughts, difficulty focusing, and rapid or unintelligible speech. The more often people suffer from these symptoms, the more difficult  it is for them to get through a workday.  

Are You Eligible?

In order to be eligible for disability when you have bipolar disorder, you have to meet certain requirements both medically and psychologically. The first thing that needs to be done when determining eligibility is to get an accurate diagnosis. Just because someone has variations in their mood does not necessarily mean that they have bipolar disorder. There are times when someone is experiencing high and lows from certain prescribed medications they are taking or from drug abuse. All such possibilities must be ruled out before diagnosing someone with bipolar disorder.

The next challenge is that there are four statements the SSA uses and two of those four must be true before determining eligibility.

• You find it hard to do your normal daily activities. 
• You cannot keep your attention focused on the task you are doing. 
• You are not getting along well with other people. 
• You have long periods when the symptoms of bipolar disorder get worse and your daily functioning abilities lessen. 

How We can Help:

The best thing you can do is to talk with the Disability Experts of Florida. They are trained in knowing for sure whether or not you qualify for benefits for bipolar disorder. They can also help you through the process of getting your medical records together and filling out paperwork.