(Thank you to Ram Meyyappan for this very helpful information for OCD sufferers with disabling symptoms:)

If you suffer from severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that makes it impossible for you to maintain gainful employment, then you may be able to qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) Benefits.

Social Security Disability Programs and OCD

There are two programs available through the Social Security Administration (SSA):

• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

To receive benefits under either program, you must meet the SSA’s basic disability definition and must additionally satisfy the technical eligibility requirements for the program as well.

The SSA’s definition of disability requires your condition:

• Is medically determinable, which simply means provable through acceptable medical means
• Has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months, or is a terminal condition
• Can be proven to be so severe that it prevents you from maintaining gainful employment

The technical eligibility rules for SSDI include having sufficient work credits and meeting the monthly income limitations.  Learn more here.

For SSI benefits, you must have very limited income and other financial resources available to you.  Learn more about this need-based program here.

OCD as a Medically Determinable Disability

The SSA follows standard procedures in reviewing applications to see if they contain the appropriate evidence to prove a medically determinable disability.

For OCD, the first step in the process is to see if your application meets the requirements found in the Blue Book  under Section 12.06 – Anxiety-related Disorders, which requires you experience at least three of the following symptoms along with your persistent anxiety:

• Tension in your motor muscles
• Uncontrolled hyperactivity affecting your nervous system
• Consistent problems with feeling apprehensive
• Pronounced issues with always needing to be on guard or on watch, known as vigilance and scanning

You can also meet the listing in Section 12.06 by proving you experience one of the following:

• Ongoing and irrational, uncontrollable fears related to certain activities, situations, objects, or other circumstances, including a pronounced tendency to avoid that which causes your fears
• Severe and frequent panic attacks, occurring at least once a week
• Ongoing obsessive or compulsive urges and behaviors that cause pronounced distress and disruption in your daily activities
• Intrusive and ongoing memories or flashbacks to the traumatic experiences

Your medical records must also prove you either:

Cannot function at all outside of your own home, without constant monitoring and support

OR

You experience at least two of the following limitations to your activities of daily living:

• Pronounced difficulty completing normal, daily tasks
• Severe struggles with social functioning
• An inability to concentrate, remaining on task, or complete activities at a “normal” or reasonable pace
• Repeated episodes of decompensation, which are periods during which your symptoms that may have been relatively under control revert to a pronounced state again

Qualifying for SSD under a Medical Vocational Allowance

Even if your OCD does not meet the listing in Section 12.06 of the SSA’s Blue Book, you may still be able to qualify for disability benefits. To do so, you will need to prove your functional capacity is so severely affected by your condition that it prevents you from maintaining gainful employment.

After reviewing your claim under the listing in Section 12.06, the SSA will then conduct an RFC analysis to see if you qualify for benefits under what is known as a medical vocational allowance (MVA).

You and your doctor will need to complete a functional analysis report form detailing the ways in which your OCD impacts your “activities of daily living” and your ability to complete normal job functions and perform everyday activities in your personal life as well.

Completing Your Application and What to Expect

There are multiple ways to apply for SSD benefits. You can:

• Complete and submit your application on the SSA’s website,
• Under some circumstances, make arrangements for a phone interview to complete your application,
•  Set an appointment to complete your application in person at your local SSA office, with the help of an SSA representative,
• Fill out all the required forms as hardcopy documents you get from the SSA office or download from the Internet.

You should work closely with your doctor to document your OCD and its effects on your everyday abilities. You may additionally want to seek the assistance of a Social Security advocate or attorney, particularly if your OCD does not meet the listing in the SSA’s Blue Book for the condition.

Most disability applications, regardless of condition, are denied at the initial review stage.

If your OCD application is denied, you will need to request a reconsideration review and potentially an appeal hearing to continue trying for benefits.

A disability attorney or advocate can assist you throughout the entire process and can potentially increase your chances of eventually being approved for benefits.

For more information contact:

Ram Meyyappan

Social Security Disability Help

www.disability-benefits-help.org/blog