Getting Social Security Disability Benefits for Conversion Disorder

If your physical symptoms of conversion disorder keep you from working full-time, you might qualify for disability benefits.

By , Attorney · Seattle University School of Law

It's very common for people to experience physical symptoms of mental distress, like shaking when you're nervous. When these symptoms persist despite the lack of any external stressors or medically determinable disease or illness, doctors sometimes diagnose conversion disorder.

Conversion disorder—also known as functional neurological disorder—can significantly interfere with your ability to complete your activities of daily living. If symptoms from your conversion disorder have kept you from working full-time for at least a year, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits.

What Is Conversion Disorder?

Conversion disorder is characterized by neurological symptoms that can't be explained by anything physically wrong with the brain. But that doesn't mean that the symptoms aren't real, or that they don't cause problems with functioning.

Conversion disorder affects motor functions (movement) and the senses. Common symptoms include:

  • weakness or paralysis
  • loss of balance or difficulty walking
  • shakiness or seizures
  • trouble swallowing
  • numbness, and
  • difficulty speaking, seeing, or hearing.

Doctors don't fully understand conversion disorder yet, but they think that it may be triggered by a traumatic event, such as abuse. Conversion disorder is a type of somatoform disorder, the term for a class of mental illnesses that cause physical symptoms without a known etiology (cause).

Is Conversion Disorder a Disability?

When determining whether any condition is disabling, the Social Security Administration (SSA) focuses more on how symptoms from the condition affect the ability to work, rather than any specific diagnosis. Somebody whose conversion disorder causes mild difficulty swallowing isn't likely to have much trouble working, while another person with severe hand tremors might find it hard to grasp small tools or use a keyboard.

How Will Your Application for Conversion Disorder Be Evaluated?

Once you submit your application ("claim") for disability benefits, your claim will be sent to Disability Determination Services, a state agency that helps the SSA review claims for disability benefits. There, a claims examiner will gather evidence from your doctors, counselors, therapists, and any other professional who has documented symptoms of your conversion disorder. The claims examiner will then contact a medical consultant to help determine your residual functional capacity (RFC).

What Your RFC Contains. Your RFC is a set of limitations that reflects the most you're capable of doing in a work environment. For example, somebody whose conversion disorder causes them to lose balance easily might have an RFC that restricts them from jobs working at heights or around heavy machinery. Or somebody whose hands shake intensely may have an RFC limiting their ability to perform tasks involving fine manipulation.

How Social Security Uses Your RFC. After reviewing all the available medical evidence, the SSA will compare your current RFC with the physical and mental demands of your past work. If the claims examiner decides that you can't go back to any of your old jobs, they'll then determine whether any other jobs exist that you can do, despite the limitations in your RFC.

After the examiner makes a decision about whether you can work full-time, they will send you a decision in the mail. Not many disability claims are awarded at this initial stage of the disability determination process, so it's likely that you'll receive a denial letter, but you can appeal the denial before later requesting a hearing with an administrative law judge.

How Can You Get Disability for Conversion Disorder?

Getting approved for disability benefits on the basis of conversion disorder can be tricky. Because conversion disorder doesn't have any apparent physical cause, showing that you have the disorder at all—without blood work, lab tests, or medical imaging—can be an uphill battle. And many doctors can mistake conversion disorder for malingering ("faking it"), which can damage your disability claim.

You can increase your chances of getting disability for conversion disorder by taking the following steps:

  • Document your symptoms. Start a journal or diary to keep track of all of your symptoms. Write down what your symptoms are, how frequently they occur, and how long they last.
  • Visit your doctors. Regular visits to physicians and psychiatrists signal to the SSA that you're actively being treated for your symptoms. Your doctors' notes should contain their observations about any abnormalities you have with your senses and motor skills.
  • Provide treatment notes. Cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, and medication management are all tools used to treat symptoms of conversion disorder. Let the SSA know if you start a new treatment or see a new provider.
  • Get a letter from your doctor. Medical source statements can help the SSA understand what your symptoms are and how they limit your ability to function, especially if your doctor has treated you regularly for at least a year.
  • Ask friends and family to help. Letters from friends or relatives can provide insight into how your conversion disorder affects your ability to do basic tasks such as household chores or grocery shopping.

If you're thinking of applying for disability benefits based on conversion disorder—or you've received a denial letter from Social Security and want to appeal—consider hiring an experienced disability attorney. Even well-documented cases of conversion disorder can be a hard sell to a claims examiner or administrative law judge, and a lawyer will know which arguments have the best chances of success.

For more information, see our articles on hiring a disability lawyer.

Updated May 15, 2023

Do You Qualify for Disability in Your State?
Find out in minutes by taking our short quiz.

Talk to a Disability Lawyer

Need a lawyer? Start here.

How it Works

  1. Briefly tell us about your case
  2. Provide your contact information
  3. Choose attorneys to contact you
Boost Your Chance of Being Approved

Get the Compensation You Deserve

Our experts have helped thousands like you get cash benefits.

How It Works

  1. Briefly tell us about your case
  2. Provide your contact information
  3. Choose attorneys to contact you