Getting Disability for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that can develop after you've experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. The specific causes are varied, but common traumatic events include exposure to war, sexual assault, domestic violence, crime, serious work accidents, or natural disasters. PTSD is sometimes called by different terms when referring to veterans—like "shell shock" or "combat fatigue"—but anybody can develop PTSD.

The terms "PTSD" or "PTSI" (post-traumatic stress injury) are relatively recent, but people have known for a long time that trauma can affect your brain even after the traumatic event has ended. When symptoms from PTSD interfere with your ability to work, you may be eligible for monthly benefits from Social Security, wage replacement from private long-term disability insurance, veterans' compensation from the VA, or reasonable accommodations from your employer under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Is PTSD a Disability?

Social Security awards disability benefits to people who have a medically determinable impairment that keeps them from working full-time for at least one year. The agency recognizes that symptoms from PTSD can prevent you from working, so if you have medical documentation of significant mental health limitations—for example, recurring flashbacks and nightmares that disrupt your daily routine—you may qualify for benefits. Other symptoms of PTSD can include:

• angry outbursts
• extreme fear that the traumatic event will happen again
• being overly alert and aware of your surroundings ("hypervigilance"), and
• a tendency to be easily startled.

If you're experiencing these symptoms, it's best to contact a psychologist or psychiatrist to determine whether you have a post-traumatic stress disability such as PTSD or PTSI. Your doctor will conduct a "mental status examination," where you'll answer questions about your history, your current mood, and your thought process. Your answers will help your doctor make the right diagnosis.

Doctors offer many ways to treat PTSD. Your doctor will likely recommend that you see a counselor or therapist. A therapist can help you develop stress management skills to better handle your PTSD symptoms. Your doctor can also recommend antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications to improve any problems you might have with sleep or concentration. The more extensive your treatment records are, the more likely you are to qualify for disability benefits.

How Can I Get Social Security Disability for PTSD?

Social Security can find you disabled "medically" or "vocationally." Medical disability means that your medical records document symptoms or test results that the agency has already determined are disabling under the listing of impairments. If you're approved through a vocational allowance, that means the agency has found that your particular limitations make it impossible for you to do any job.

Qualifying Under the Medical Listing for PTSD

Social Security evaluates PTSD under listing 12.15 for trauma- and stressor-related disorders. For the agency to determine that you're medically disabled because of your post-traumatic stress disorder, you'll have to satisfy certain requirements (set out below). First, your medical record must contain evidence of each of the following:

• exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or violence
• involuntary re-experiencing of the traumatic event (for example, intrusive memories, dreams, or flashbacks)
• avoidance of external reminders of the event
• disturbance in mood and behavior, and
• increases in arousal and reactivity (for example, exaggerated startle response or sleep disturbance).

To find this evidence, Social Security will look at your doctor's treatment notes to see what medications you take, how you feel and act during doctor's appointments or counseling sessions, and the results of your mental status examinations. Make sure to let Social Security know if you are hospitalized or switch doctors so the agency can get this necessary medical evidence.

Next, Social Security will look to see how much your symptoms limit your mental abilities. Simply having a diagnosis isn't enough—you'll need to show that your PTSD causes an "extreme" (debilitating) limitation in one, or a "marked" (intense, but not debilitating) limitation in two, of the following areas:

• understanding, remembering, or using information (learning new things, applying new knowledge to tasks, following instructions)
• interacting with others in socially appropriate ways
• being able to concentrate on tasks to complete them at a reasonable pace
• adapting or managing oneself (regulating emotions, handling changes, having practical personal skills like paying bills, shopping, hygiene).

Proving these limitations can be tricky because terms like "marked" and "extreme" are subjective and not very well-defined. To help Social Security understand how you meet these criteria, it's a good idea to ask your treating psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, or therapist to write a medical source statement. Having multiple providers who can provide evidence that your limitations are medically disabling strengthens your claim. You can click on the thumbnail below for an example of what a helpful medical source statement from your doctor might look like:

Most claimants (applicants) who are found medically disabled because of PTSD do have evidence of marked or extreme limitations. But Social Security can also find that you're medically disabled without those limitations if you can show that you're only able to function as well as you do because you get a lot of help. The agency will look for evidence of a support system that you can't function without, such as social workers, group homes, or family members who make sure that you're taking care of yourself.

Qualifying Vocationally for PTSD If You Don't Meet the Medical Listing

PTSD can affect every person differently—your symptoms might not cause marked or extreme limitations, but they can still prevent you from working. If your medical record is supportive, Social Security can still find you disabled "vocationally" even when they don't think you're disabled under the medical listing for PTSD.

To figure out whether you can work any jobs, Social Security will want to know all the ways that PTSD interferes with your activities of daily living. The agency asks you about your daily activities because it makes sense that something you're having trouble doing at home would be something you'd struggle with at work.

For example, if your mind is so preoccupied with revisiting a traumatic event that you're having difficulty paying attention to a TV show, you might have a hard time following simple instructions from an employer. Or, if you have frequent episodes of worsening symptoms ("periods of decompensation") where you yell at your friends and family, it's unlikely that you'll do well in a job where you'd have to deal with other employees or the general public.

Social Security looks at your medical records and daily routine to determine what you can and can't do mentally. Because the agency needs to see whether your limitations prevent you from doing any work, these medical limitations are then translated into terms a vocational expert would understand, a process called assessing your residual functional capacity (RFC). For example, any difficulty you have concentrating might be explained in your RFC as "off-task" behavior. Too much time spent off-task means that no employers would hire you for full-time work—thereby qualifying you for disability benefits.

People with PTSD are often diagnosed with other mental impairments such as anxiety and depression. Be sure to document any treatment you're receiving for these conditions as well. Social Security will look at the combined effect of your impairments when assessing your RFC. So even if your PTSD is not disabling by itself, if you have other conditions, the combination of your limitations can add up to a disabling RFC.

How Much Can I Get in Social Security Disability for PTSD?

There's no specific Social Security disability amount for claimants with PTSD—the agency doesn't calculate the size of your benefit based on the type of disabling medical condition you have. Instead, the exact amount you'll be paid every month depends on which type of disability program you're eligible for—Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Eligibility for SSDI or SSI depends on several factors including your employment history, income level, and current resource amount. SSDI benefits are provided to people who've earned enough in work credits to become insured under the program. SSI is a needs-based benefit offered to people who have limited income and assets regardless of their work history.

If you qualify for SSDI, your monthly benefit rate will be calculated based on your average lifetime earnings before you became disabled. For 2025, the maximum amount you can receive in SSDI is $4,018 per month, but the average amount is much less, at $1,580. SSI benefits are $967 per month in 2025, minus any countable income you have for that month. Many states provide a modest SSI supplemental benefit amount, depending on your living situation.

How Do I Apply for Disability Benefits for PTSD?

There's no special procedure you need to be aware of when applying for disability benefits due to PTSD. The application process is the same regardless of your medical conditions, and filing for Social Security benefits is a fairly straightforward process. Most claimants choose to apply online at Social Security's official website. If you're filing for SSDI, you can complete the entire application online. SSI claimants who are over 18, have never been married, and have never applied for SSI before can also submit the full application online.

You can also apply for disability benefits by calling 800-772-1213 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday to speak with a representative. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can call the TTY number at 800-325-0778. Or, you can go in person at your local Social Security field office. Some offices require that you make an appointment first, so it's best to call ahead and ask.

Veterans can receive both VA and Social Security benefits, although it's important to keep in mind that the two agencies have different disability criteria. Even veterans with a 100% disability rating from the VA aren't guaranteed to get SSDI or SSI, although in practice they'll likely have a strong case for Social Security benefits due to the medical records required to get a 100% VA rating. In order to apply for VA benefits, you'll need to complete Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, which you can do online.

How Hard Is It to Get Disability for PTSD?

Mental disorders such as PTSD are some of the most commonly awarded impairments for disability benefits (12.2% in 2023, according to the most recent Social Security data). But that doesn't mean that you'll get benefits on your first try—only about 35% of applications are awarded at the initial level, a trend that has remained steady for the past several years.

There are many reasons why your application may be denied at first. You may not yet have the required medical evidence needed to establish disability, or you might not meet the technical requirements to receive either SSDI or SSI. Some applicants, after learning more about their rights under the ADA, might even agree with the denial and decide to return to a job with reasonable accommodations for PTSD, such as noise-cancelling headsets, a modified break schedule, or remote work options.

If you disagree with Social Security's decision, you don't have to give up after an initial denial. You can—and often should—appeal the denial in order to get a hearing with an administrative law judge, where you'll have your greatest chances of getting approved. At this stage, it's usually beneficial to get legal help from an experienced disability attorney who can work with you to strengthen your claim.