Anxiety Disorder

Serving the Western United States

Anxiety Disorder and Social Security Disability

Anxiety disorder covers a broad spectrum of mental illnesses that have to deal with severe and acute episodes of fear and anxiety. Generalized Anxiety Disorder causes the sufferer to excessively worry about everyday problems, not allowing them to concentrate or function properly. Panic disorder is synonymous with the overwhelming condition it causes, panic attacks. The individual experiences intense hyperventilation, shaking, and terror just to name a few of the symptoms. These attacks can last a few minutes, or even a few hours depending on the severity. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder stems from past experiences that cause the individual to develop feelings of depression, anxiety, and paranoia; sometimes the person experiences flashbacks of their traumatic experience years after it occurred.

Anxiety Disorders all prevent the sufferer from being able to concentrate and handle stresses at a reasonable level. This type of behavior can prevent anyone suffering from these illnesses from functioning in a typical working environment.

Anxiety Disorder and California Social Security Disability Help

If the applicant’s impairment falls within any of the following categories set forth by Social Security’s Listing, a strong claim may exist. The Listing is as follows;

A. Medically documented findings of at least one of the following:

1. Generalized persistent anxiety accompanied by three out of four of the following signs or symptoms
   1. Motor tension; or
   2. Autonomic hyperactivity;
   3. Apprehensive expectations; or
   4. Vigilance and scanning; or
2. A persistent irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation which results in a compelling desire to avoid the dreaded object, activity, or situation; or
3. Recurrent severe panic attacks manifested by a sudden unpredictable onset of intense apprehension, fear, terror and sense of impending doom occurring on the average of at least once a week; or
4. Recurrent obsessions or compulsions which are a source of marked distress; or
5. Recurrent and intrusive recollections of a traumatic experience, which are a source of marked distress; and

B. Resulting in at least two of the following:

1. Marked restriction of activities of daily living; or
2. Marked difficulties in maintain social functioning; or
3. Marked difficulties in maintain concentration, persistence, or pace; or
4. Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration; or

C. Resulting in complete inability to function independently outside the area of one’s home.

An individual who does not meet the Social Security Listing above will still be eligible to receive benefits, if he/she has a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (or any anxiety disorder for that matter) and is being treated by a mental health professional (psychologist or psychiatrist). The treatment must be for a period long enough for the mental health professional to have a credible opinion as to disability.

To increase your chances of winning your Social Security Disability claim it is important for you to hire an experienced Social Security Disability attorney to get you the Social Security Disability help you deserve. Please call us at 1-800-882-5500 or fill out a form on our website for a FREE claim evaluation.