Major depressive disorder is one of the most common medical impairments we encounter when dealing with Social Security Disability claims. While there are many types of depressions that vary in terms of their severity and impact on your life, major depressive disorder is known to fundamentally disrupt a person’s everyday life. This makes it difficult to function or work normally.
What is Major Depressive Disorder?
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness. Those living with it may offer suffer from a general loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, depression affects how you feel, think, and behave.
It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living. People may experience a period of major depression or have many episodes throughout their life. It is more common for people who suffer from depression to have multiple episodes.
When experiencing a major depressive episode, individuals suffer from some or all of the following symptoms. These symptoms will be pervasive and ongoing, during day and night, and may include:
- Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness, or hopelessness
- Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
- Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
- Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
- Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
- Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
- Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
- Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
- Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
People suffering and diagnosed with major depressive disorder will have severe symptoms that interfere with their day-to-day activities including work and school. These symptoms can also negatively impact their relationship with others.
Social Security Disability and Depression
Like other medical conditions, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has an impairment listing for depressive disorders. This impairment listing is a set of requirements that SSA will consider when evaluating your claim. Your diagnosis of major depressive disorder must meet the following conditions before you are considered disabled and qualify for SSDI or SSI benefits.
The listing is 12.04 and reads as follow:
12.04: Depressive, bipolar and related disorders (see 12.00B3), satisfied by A and B, or A and C:
- Medical documentation of the requirements of paragraph 1 or 2:
- Depressive disorder, characterized by five or more of the following:
- Depressed mood;
- Diminished interest in almost all activities;
- Appetite disturbance with change in weight;
- Sleep disturbance;
- Observable psychomotor agitation or retardation;
- Decreased energy;
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness;
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking; or
- Thoughts of death or suicide.
- Bipolar disorder, characterized by three or more of the following:
- Pressured speech;
- Flight of ideas;
- Inflated self-esteem;
- Decreased need for sleep;
- Distractibility;
- Involvement in activities that have a high probability of painful consequences that are not recognized; or
- Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation.
- Depressive disorder, characterized by five or more of the following:
AND
- Extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning (see 12.00F):
OR
- Your mental disorder in this listing category is “serious and persistent;” that is, you have a medically documented history of the existence of the disorder over a period of at least 2 years, and there is evidence of both:
- Medical treatment, mental health therapy, psychosocial support(s), or a highly structured setting(s) that is ongoing and that diminishes the symptoms and signs of your mental disorder (see 12.00G2b); and
- Marginal adjustment, that is, you have minimal capacity to adapt to changes in your environment or to demands that are not already part of your daily life (see 12.00G2c).
Depression and Medical Evidence
If you are working with a disability lawyer, they can help you interpret SSA’s disability listing for major depressive disorders. But, for the purposes of this blog, we’ll highlight a few key points noted in the listing.
First, please note that in most instances, SSA makes reference to ‘severe’ or ‘extreme’ limitations. That is a high standard to meet, and moderate or mild depression symptoms will not qualify.
In addition, it’s important to note that for your claim to be successful, your condition must not be responsive to medical treatment. In other words, if you suffer from major depressive disorder and do not comply by taking medication that could improve your condition, it is likely that your claim won’t be approved.
On the other hand, if your major depressive disorder is pervasive, serious, not responsive to medical treatment and well-documented, you may have a successful disability claim.
As always, SSA will hold you to their defined standard of disability which is that your impairment prevents you from performing work of any kind above the substantial gainful activity limit. This impairment must impact you for a period of 12 consecutive months or longer.
If you or someone you know is suffering from major depressive disorder and would like a free consultation on your claim, our disability lawyers would be happy to help. As with most disability claims, the devil is in the details. We can save you time and frustration by helping you realistically consider whether you should file for Social Security Disability. Contact us today to learn more!
