A personality disorder is a severe and pervasive condition that can keep you from interacting with other people in a normal way or functioning effectively in a work environment. In some of the worst cases, people who suffer from personality disorders can be a danger to themselves and others.
From that description, it seems pretty clear this is a disabling issue, and one for which an individual should be able to get help in the form of Social Security disability benefits. But in order to receive those benefits, you have to file a claim and prove your eligibility.
That means matching medical requirements of a specific disease on the SSA’s Listings of Impairments. Or you can use the Five Step Evaluation Process to show the SSA that, even though your condition doesn’t match something on their list, it is the equivalent in severity. Proving equivalency is a much murkier path than matching a preset definition, so meeting a listing should always be the first option you try.
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Before beginning, you should understand exactly what the Listings of Impairments is. This is a document that compiles every disabling condition that the SSA has defined as something that makes you eligible for benefits, as well as what you need to prove in order to show that your symptoms reach the required level of severity.
Specific Requirements for Listing 12.08 Approval
There are two requirements you need to meet to show that you have a personality disorder serious enough to qualify you for benefits. They are defined under section A and B, and you have to satisfy both of these sections.
- Display patterns of behavior that hinder your ability to adjust to new situations or environments and consist of at least one of the following:
- Autistic or isolationist thinking
- Pathologically inappropriate hostility or suspicion
- Strangeness in behavior, speech, perception, or thought
- Ongoing mood disturbances
- Pathological aggressiveness, passivity, or dependence
- Relationships that are unstable, intense, impulsive, and damaging
- These patterns of behavior result in two or more of the below:
- Severe restrictions to your activities of daily living
- Severe problems functioning in a social manner
- Severe problems with persistence, pace, or concentrating
- Serious and ongoing personality disturbances
Beyond this observed evidence, there are no objective laboratory tests the SSA accepts as support for someone having a personality disorder, so you need to ensure that your medical history is detailed, extensive, and well-documented.
If you are unable to meet the specific requirements of Listing 12.08 though, that doesn’t mean you need to forget about getting benefits. While it’s not as clear of a path, many people have been able to use the Five Step Sequential Evaluation Process to obtain the benefits that they need and deserve.
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A skilled Social Security disability attorney can show you how to use the process to prove to the SSA that your disabling condition has prevented you from working for 12 months or longer and thus meets the standard of equivalency that qualifies you for benefits.
Learn even more about the claims process by reading our Social Security Disability eBook for free!
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