Depression and Mental Disability Claims
No one wants to admit that they can’t do the things they were once able to do because they are suffering from mental illness. Far too often, people with depression try to hide it from their families, their employers, their doctors and themselves. They don’t want to be seen as complainers or people who can’t do things most people can.
When No One Knows But You
The problem with this “tough-it-out” approach is that, if the depression becomes disabling, there is no medical record of the problem. Moreover, friends, family members, co-workers and employers may not be aware of the depth of the problem.
Getting SSI for Depression
If you have no record of medical treatment, your chances for obtaining disability benefits are very slim. This can make a difficult situation even worse. The intent is to ensure that disability benefits only go to those who truly need them, but it can certainly make the process difficult to navigate when it comes to mental illnesses.
At the law office of Chermol & Fishman, LLC, in Philadelphia, our disability attorneys represent people with depression and other mental disability claims. We encourage our clients to seek out medical diagnosis and treatment for their depression.
Hope for Those With Severe Depression
We recognize that it can be difficult to talk to others — even medical professionals. But regular treatment for depression is important for improving your condition as well as for improving the chances of success in a Social Security disability or supplemental security income claim.