
Depression and Social Security Disability: Understanding Your Options
If depression symptoms interfere with your ability to work, you may be entitled to disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 18.4% of the adult population of the United States has been diagnosed with depression during their life.
It’s important to recognize that everyone occasionally experiences feeling sad and down. The sadness a person feels when a loved one dies is not the same as what a person with a depressive disorder experience. However, sadness that lingers for weeks and overtakes your life should be discussed with your doctor because it could be a symptom of a depressive disorder.
The Social Security Administration recognizes depression and other forms of mental health impairment as potentially disabling depending on the types and severity of the symptoms a person experiences. If a health care professional diagnoses your condition as a depressive disorder, the depression disability attorneys at GCC Law can help you obtain financial assistance in the form of disability benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs.
Types And Signs Of Depressive Disorders
Millions of people have been diagnosed with depressive disorders, but many others fail to recognize the symptoms or choose to ignore them. Although treatments, including medication and therapy, are available, depression does not get better on its own.
Depression is a mental health disorder causing debilitating symptoms that a person cannot control on their own. Types of depressive disorders include:
- Major or clinical depressive disorder: The most common type of depressive disorder, clinical depression, causes symptoms lasting for two weeks or longer. It is the most severe of the depressive disorders.
- Persistent depressive disorder: Symptoms of PDD tend to be less severe than those associated with major depressive disorder, but it also can cause long-term disability with symptoms last at least two years.
- Depressive disorder caused by another medical condition: Some medical conditions, such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and hypothyroidism, may cause depression that responds well to treatment of the underlying medical condition.
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: PMDD is a type of depression coinciding with symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Symptoms that include extreme irritability and anxiety may improve after the start of a woman’s period. The symptoms of PMDD can be severe and interfere with a person’s normal daily activities.
- Thoughts of death, self-harm, and suicide.
- Sadness, hopelessness, or irritability.
- Extreme forgetfulness.
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities a person enjoyed in the past.
- Difficulty concentrating, thinking, or decision-making.
- Changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping more or less than usual.
- Otherwise unexplained changes in weight and appetite.
- Feelings of extreme or excessive guilty.
- Feeling tired, fatigued, or lacking energy.
- Feeling worthless.
If you experience symptoms associated with depression, talk to your health care professional. A doctor typically begins by asking patients to describe symptoms, including their frequency and severity, and may order laboratory and diagnostic testing to identify medical causes for the symptoms.
Depression And Social Security Disability Benefits
SSDI and SSI pay depression disability benefits when the condition is severe enough to prevent you from working for at least 12 months or expected to result in your death. Qualifying for depression disability through the SSDI program requires that you be “insured” by having worked long enough and recently enough at jobs where Social Security taxes were paid on your earnings.
SSI is a need-based program that does not require a work history. Instead, it imposes income and resource limitations for eligibility. For example, the total value of resources or assets individuals own may not exceed $2,000 or $3,000 for couples.
To determine whether your mental health condition qualifies for Social Security disability for depression through SSDI or SSI, the Social Security Administration reviews medical records and statements from physicians and other medical professionals. It also may consider statements from friends, relatives, co-workers, and others to assess your condition and decide whether you qualify for benefits.

The Social Security Disability Determination Process
The depression disability claim process begins by filing an application. Once it determines that you meet the non-medical requirements for SSDI or SSI, Social Security sends the application to the Disability Determination Services (DDS), an agency in your state that reviews the medical evidence associated with your claim.
The DDS uses a listing of physical and mental health conditions, commonly known as the “Blue Book,” to determine if your condition is severe enough to be disabling according to the definition used by Social Security. The listing for depression is found in Section 12.04 of the Blue Book.
If your condition does not meet or equal the listing requirements, you still can qualify for depression disability benefits. The severity of your condition can be established by proving the limitations imposed by your medical prevent you from doing work you did in the past or adapting to other types of work available in the national economy.

GCC Law Gives You A Chance Win Disability Benefits For Depression
Our depression disability attorneys put their experience to work to give your application the best chance of meeting the strict criteria to be approved for SSD for depression. Qualifying for depression disability is not easy, and you have too much at stake to take on the Social Security system on your own. Fewer than one-third of claims for disability benefits submitted annually to the Social Security Administration are approved during the initial application process.
Learn how GCC law can make a difference with your application or by appealing a denial of benefits. Contact contact us for a free initial consultation and claim evaluation.
Call Our Illinois Depression Disability Lawyers Today
At GCC Law Firm, our Illinois Depression disability attorneys provide personalized, solutions-driven legal advocacy for clients. If your SSDI or SSI claim has been denied in Illinois, we can help. Contact us to schedule a free and completely confidential initial consultation, please contact our law firm today.
Call (479) 340-0002.