Disability Benefits Are Available for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Approximately 20 to 25 million people are affected by various types of anxiety. These include generalized anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and others.

The generalized form of anxiety is often the most severe for those people who are trying to work and earn a living, largely because it is characterized by persistent worry that remains with a person no matter what he's doing. It just doesn't go away, and it can lead to other mental and physical problems brought on by chronic stress.

The Reality of Anxiety

Some people don't take those who have anxiety very seriously, preferring to believe it's 'all in their head' instead of an actual medical condition. Even a few doctors are guilty of this, but most understand that problems like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are real, and they aren't always easily treatable.

While some people respond well to medication and other treatments, others continue to struggle and aren't able to work. They often hire lawyers to help them get the disability benefits they deserve, especially if they receive an official diagnosis but their disability claim is denied.

What Are Disability Benefits Used For?

When people can't work, disability benefits can come to their rescue and provide them with the money they need to survive. If someone has a serious handicap or physical problem that keeps him from working, the money they receive from disability benefits may be all they have to live on.

Some people will mental impairment or a serious traumatic injury can also get benefits. People with GAD and other types of anxiety should remember that it is the severity of the disability that matters for benefits, not the type of disability. The same is true with depression.

The Struggle to Receive Disability Benefits

People who have anxiety, depression, or another type of condition that's not easily visible to the public often say that they're denied benefits - but it's not because they have a specific condition.

Instead, it becomes harder to prove that a person has "enough of a disability" to qualify for benefits when the disability can't be seen. A doctor and a lawyer are often both needed to get a person with GAD the benefits he deserves, but anyone suffering with severe anxiety shouldn't give up hope.

What to Consider Before Applying for Disability Benefits

Anyone who plans to apply for disability benefits for anxiety or a related condition should be aware of the fact that they have to be truly disabled. In other words, if they can still work at any kind of job they've held within the last fifteen years, or if they're qualified for another job and capable of performing it, they won't receive benefits.

There is no requirement as to how recent the diagnosis of GAD has to be when applying for disability benefits, as the difficulty a person with anxiety faces on a daily basis can change over time.

It's also important to remember that anyone who receives benefits but finds that he is able to work should be honest about that and have the benefits stopped. A failure to do so could get that person in a lot of trouble, and it also takes money away from people who may desperately need it.