Social Security Disability Schizophrenia

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a serious, ongoing psychological disorder that typically plagues sufferers with the inability to lead a normal lifestyle. Emotional and mental issues that are connected to schizophrenia may make sufferers unable to work a job.

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychological condition that originates in the brain of the sufferer.

Common symptoms of untreated schizophrenia include frequently appearing to be in a catatonic state, complaining of hearing noises or voices that are not real, paranoia that leads to the belief that people are going to cause harm to the sufferer or the belief that others are attempting to control their mind.

Treatment options for people suffering from schizophrenia typically involve a combination of medication and ongoing psychological care. Sufferers may need to schedule regular appointments with a psychiatrist in order to talk about coping skills and ensure that medication is working as intended. Most people who suffer from schizophrenia will need to have ongoing mental health care for the duration of their lives.

Qualifying for Disability with Schizophrenia

It is understood that schizophrenia can be a debilitating condition, so the Social Security Administration (SSA) is aware that some people with the condition may need to collect social security disability due to an inability to work.

Medical records are extremely important when a person is trying to qualify for social security disability insurance (SSDI) benefits related to schizophrenia. A medical professional will need to document that the individual has experienced symptoms such as delusions, periods spent in a catatonic state and hallucinations.

Any symptoms of schizophrenia experienced by the sufferer must be observed by a medical professional for a minimum of two years before SSDI benefits can be requested. The extent of these symptoms must make performing work tasks completely impossible even if reasonable accommodations are made.

The SSA will want the person applying for SSDI benefits to show that they are not able to do any kind of work before approving their benefits. For people with schizophrenia, this means that the person cannot reasonably perform the duties related to any job that they have held within the past 15 years. Any skills acquired while working or attending school may also be evaluated to determine whether there is a job that can be performed by the individual.

Schizophrenic individuals need to prove that they require the assistance of other people at all times because of their mental state. Decompensation, a deterioration of the mental function of an individual, is usually assessed to determine whether the mental function of the sufferer has degraded enough to make working any type of job impossible.

Anyone suffering from schizophrenia should be sure to consult medical professionals who are known for keeping thorough records related to the mental health of their patients. Symptoms of schizophrenia and treatment options that have been sought must be well documented in order to prove the inability to work when applying for SSDI benefits.