Mental illness is poorly understood by many people. In popular culture, people with mental illnesses are frequently dehumanized, or portrayed as dangerous and unstable. In other cases, their illness is ignored or viewed as less serious than other types of illness.
There are many types of mental illness, ranging from depression and anxiety to paranoia and psychosis. Although mental illness is still a taboo subject, it is not actually rare. Many people with mental illnesses lead productive lives and hide their suffering from others.
When it’s time to apply for disability
Disability benefits are there for people who are unable to work because of a long-term medical condition, and mental illness is not an exception. Often, a mental illness can leave a person unable to perform basic activities or even get out of bed.
Like many other conditions, mental illnesses are often treated with strong drugs. These may cause side effects that make it difficult to work, and in some cases, this may cause more impairment than the disease itself. Some patients may need to try multiple treatments before finding one that works, and it can be very difficult to work while going through this.
People with mental illnesses may face unique challenges in getting approved for these benefit programs. A lack of understanding may lead someone to believe that depression, for example, isn’t a real disease, and they may mistakenly reject an application for disability because of this belief. Others may have trouble telling if the condition is severe enough for disability, because they don’t know much about it.
In other cases, the person with the illness may downplay its severity. Some people don’t understand how an invisible illness can be so disabling, and they may blame themselves for their inability to keep a job. This attitude is common among people with mental illnesses, but it may prevent them from getting the services and benefits they need.
If you have questions about how mental illness can impact your disability case, we can help you. Contact our offices by phone, email, or text message for a free consultation!