Am I Eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits if I Have PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Some individuals may develop PTSD after they themselves, or a person close to them, experiences danger, is seriously injured, or dies suddenly. While some people experience symptoms right after the event or trauma, others may not experience symptoms until much later.
Symptoms may include but are not limited to repeated and intrusive thoughts of the trauma, nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, anxiety, irritability, short temper, inability to concentrate, avoidance of people or places that you associate with the trauma, loss of interest, isolation, panic attacks, physical symptoms such as pounding heart, rapid breathing, nausea, sweating, difficulty functioning in your daily life, alcohol and/or drug abuse, relationship problems and depression.
Treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder involves, but is not limited to, counseling, cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant drugs, antipsychotic medications, or a combination of one or more of these treatments.
The effects of this condition can make day-to-day functioning difficult if the symptoms are so severe that they interfere with an individual’s ability to work. If this is the case, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits. To be eligible for Social Security Benefits, you will need detailed medical records of your condition that should describe a typical PTSD episode, the frequency and duration of any panic attacks and what causes your symptoms to become worse. It is also important for your doctor to comment on how your PTSD symptoms affect your ability to function at home and at work.
If you or someone close to you is suffering from PTSD, whether from military service or other traumatic injury or event, you maybe eligible for Social Security Benefits. Please contact our office at 315-471-1664 to discuss whether your potential claim for Social Security Disability Benefits.
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