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Social Security uses a disability handbook known as the “blue book”, that is more properly named the Disability Evaluation Under Social Security handbook, to evaluate all Social Security disability claims. This disability handbook contains an entire section regarding Mental impairments, such as organic mental disorders, schizophrenic, paranoid and other psychotic disorders, mental retardation, anxiety related disorders, personality disorders, somatoform disorders, affective disorders (includes depression and bipolar disorder), substance addiction disorders, and autism and other pervasive developmental disorders; each of the mental impairments listed above have a list of symptoms and a list of disability criteria that Social Security uses to evaluate the existence and severity of the specific mental impairment. Now, you’re wondering if there are specific mental health symptoms that guarantee a disability approval based upon a mental impairment. The simple answer to this question is no, there are no specific mental health symptoms that guarantee an allowance for Social Security disability. Social Security views mental impairments in much the same way as they do physical impairments, meaning that Social Security evaluates an individual’s residual functionality (what an individual is capable of doing in spite of their impairment or impairments) rather than specific impairments. So how does Social Security evaluate the severity and residual functionality when a mental health impairments is involved? Social Security uses a variety of information to evaluate mental impairments including medical evidence, activities of daily living, and ability to function is social settings including work environments. Since Social Security uses medical evidence to establish the existence of a mental impairment; it is beneficial to have a well-documented mental heath treatment history, however if no medical evidence is available, Social Security determines the severity of an individual’s mental impairment through a one time consultative mental evaluation with one of “their” physician. As you might expect, consultative mental evaluations are most often not best indicator of an individual’s overall mental functional capability. Once Social Security has established the existence of a mental impairment, they must evaluate the severity of the impairment. Social Security does so by evaluating an individual’s ability to perform activities of daily living such as: shopping, cooking, paying bills, personal hygiene, household chores, and other activities associated every day life. This is done to ascertain if you have the ability to independently initiate and participate in routine activities without special supervision. Social Security must also consider an individual’s alleged mental impairment with regard to their ability to perform activities of daily living, because the inability to perform activities of daily living may be indicative of a variety of mental disorders. Consequently, activities of daily living are not the only evaluation criteria that Social Security uses to evaluate mental impairments. Social Security uses social functioning as another indicator of the severity of an individual’s mental impairment. Social Security often evaluates an individual’s ability to interact with the public, family, friends, neighbor, and others, in order to determine if they are able to function independently, appropriately, and effectively with others. Social functioning is important especially within workplace environments. If an individual is unable to interact appropriately with others their ability to sustain gainful employment is significantly impaired. Keep in mind, Social Security disability is based upon an individual’s inability to sustain substantial gainful work activity, therefore Social Security must evaluate all mental health symptoms that make if difficult for an individual to maintain employment. 
Social Security Disability and SSI Disability Information
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