Will Extreme Social Anxiety Qualify Me for Pennsylvania Disability Benefits?

Many people hear about anxiety disorders making people eligible for disability benefits when the anxiety is severe enough to impact work performance, but not everyone knows about whether this is possible for people with extreme social anxiety. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers disability benefits for people who cannot work or earn enough income to support themselves due to a physical or mental condition. Since social anxiety is considered a diagnosable mental disorder, you can seek Pennsylvania disability benefits for this. Talk to a Pennsylvania Disability Lawyer to learn more.

What Pennsylvania Disability Listing Does Social Anxiety Fall Under?

Now that you know disability benefits exist for social anxiety disorder, the next step is finding the correct listing in the SSA Blue Book of disabilities covered by their programs. Social anxiety disability benefits can be found under the adult listings of mental disorders. Within that section, you will find social anxiety disorder included in a subcategory called Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

To qualify for disability benefits, you will need to fit the basic symptoms listed in this section. You may qualify for an anxiety disorder or agoraphobia depending on what you are struggling with. For an anxiety disorder, you need to experience at least three symptoms including things like feeling restless, having problems with sleep, not being able to concentrate, feeling fatigued, and related symptoms. Agoraphobia is when people fear going outside or to certain public places.

The SSA requires one more set of symptoms for you to qualify, two or more difficulties that directly impair your mental skills for work. This could be problems with concentration, interacting with people, managing yourself, or understanding information so you can use that information later. If you are not experiencing any of this, you might still qualify if you meet the exception of having serious and persistent anxiety for at least two years.

Evidence You Need for Pennsylvania Social Anxiety

When people hear about submitting evidence of their anxiety, many people become confused. Mental disorders exist primarily in the mind with little traces of physical medical evidence to offer. However, social anxiety medical evidence exists and can be found by working with your doctor or psychiatrist. Ask them for medical records detailing your:

• Vigilance behaviors
• Apprehension expectation
• Motor symptoms (i.e. tension)
• Autonomic hyperactivity

Therapy notes and medical records detailing any anti-anxiety medications you take are also important pieces of medical evidence for your disability claim. You can have your therapist or doctor write down how your social anxiety impairs your ability to work. This will help the SSA evaluate your substantial gainful activity.

Disability Lawyer in Pennsylvania

Anticipating whether your disability claim will be accepted or rejected can be stressful. Consider reaching out to a Pennsylvania Delayed Insurance Benefits Attorney who will work with you to figure out what else your application needs. Contact Edelstein & Nelson at (800) – 300 – 0909 for a consultation today. Our experienced legal team of Pennsylvania disability lawyers can help you take action when your disability claim has been denied or delayed.