One in Three Social Security Disability Recipients Have Mental Illness

A new report released at the end of January shows that a growing portion of social security disability recipients and applicants have a mental disorder of some kind.

The Social Security Administration’s latest report shows that 35% of social security disability recipients have a mental illness, which has gone up about 50% from 10 years ago, and up 139,625 recipients from 2012.

The report showed that 1 in 3 of the 10,228,364 people receiving social security disability benefits was diagnosed with a “mental disorder,” and accounts for the largest group of beneficiaries. Of those with diagnosed mental disorders, “mood disorders” were the largest subset, at about 14% of applicants and recipients. According to the SSA, mood disorders include symptoms such as “appetite disturbance with change in weight; or sleep disturbance; or psychomotor agitation or retardation; or decreased energy; or feelings of guilt or worthlessness; or difficulty concentrating or thinking; or thoughts of suicide; or hallucinations, delusions, or paranoid thinking.”

Other mental disabilities included substance abuse problems such as alcohol abuse and prescription painkiller addiction. This type of temporary social security disability assistance may have helped the overall numbers of addiction in those categories level out or begin to fall.

Southern states continue to lead the country with the largest number of social security disability recipients in the 18-64 age group. States with the largest number of SSDI beneficiaries included Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, and West Virginia.

As the report was released, Social Security celebrated its 75th anniversary of sending out monthly social security retirement and disability checks. The very first check was mailed on January 31, 1940, to one Ida May Fuller in the amount of $22.54 – an amount that in today’s dollars would be $372.81. Social security has been controversial since its inception in 1935, and the recent debate between President Barack Obama and the GOP-led Congress highlights the continuing controversy.

At the current rate of funding and distribution, the social security disability fund will reportedly become insolvent in 2016. Numerous lawmakers have proposed changes to the legislation to keep the program solvent, but at the beginning of 2015, GOP lawmakers proposed a budget that included cutting off ties between SSDI and Social Security Insurance, which would prevent SSI from putting money in the coffers of SSDI.

“Making that one minor change to the Social Security [disability] program would ensure its solvency for another 15 or 20 years,” said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest. “This is a change that we would expect Democrats and Republicans to act together on this time.”

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Mental Health Claims for Social Security Disability

Claims for Social Security disability benefits regarding mental illness and psychological disorders require extensive and carefully presented proof to be successful.  It is extremely difficult to receive disability benefits from the SSA for Mental Health Disabilities.

If your condition is critical enough that you are unable to work, you could be entitled to Social Security benefits under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The best way to learn about Social Security Benefits and Social Security Insurance is to talk with one of our Social Security Disability Attorneys at the Strom Law Firm. Call us for a free consultation to discuss your social security disability benefits application. 803.252.4800