As an adult suffering from an anxiety disorder, you know what a huge impact it can have on your life. Many adults in your position end up suffering financially, as they cannot keep up with the demands of a regular job and thus begin to fall behind in the expenses of day to day living.
But did you know that if you find yourself in this situation, you can apply for Social Security disability benefits?
Shared symptoms of anxiety disorders
Social Security allows for people suffering from mental disorders to apply for benefits. This includes a number of different categories which contain similar or related disorders. For example, Social Security groups anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders together into one category due to their shared symptoms. These symptoms can include:
- Restlessness and hyper-vigilance
- Trouble concentrating
- Sleep disturbances and muscle tension
- Panic attacks
- Fatigue
- Frequent physical complaints and pains
As for the disorders that fall into this category, there are several listed. This includes panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Overlap between disorders
Note that this does not cover the entire range of potential disorders. Also note that some disorders have an overlap with anxiety disorders, but Social Security does not sort them into this category. For example, if you have a trauma or stressor-related disorder that manifests with anxiety-based symptoms, the disorder itself will still fall under trauma disorders.
If you suffer from an aforementioned disorder or a related one with shared symptoms, you may also find yourself eligible for disability benefits. This can help you financially support yourself, which can get your life back on track.
