PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder): Is It A Disability?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health illness that can develop in people who have encountered or witnessed a painful, upsetting, or otherwise traumatic incident.

As you might expect, PTSD is a common result of military duty and affects many veterans. Symptoms can frequently be severe and negatively affect a person's daily life. Although it's common in veterans, anyone who has gone through a negative experience may need additional screening.

Before we determine if PTSD is a disability, it's important to know the difference between a disability and a disorder. A disorder is a disruption caused to the daily functioning of an individual. Disability, though, is a condition that restricts the functions or movements of a person.

A person who has a disability may not be able to participate in roles that probably a person with disorder can. Not every person who goes through a horrific event experiences PTSD. Among those who do, the traumatic incident may result in minor symptoms in one individual but severe ones in another.

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Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder A Disability?

It can be very difficult to deal with PTSD without support. (Image via Freepik/ Freepik)

The Social Security Administration (SSA) sometimes recognizes post-traumatic stress disorder as a disability, enabling those suffering from the disorder to access insurance.

PTSD is a severe, even crippling mental illness. Psychologists do not classify it as a disability, but it can result in a variety of illnesses and experiences that are disabling. As a result, some individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder qualify for disability benefits.

It can be important to classify it as a disability because of its co-occurence with other mental health concerns. PTSD frequently co-occurs, or comorbidly, with other mental illnesses. Major affective disorders, dysthymia, problems with substance misuse, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders are the most typical comorbid diagnoses. PTSD and dementia can also co-occur.

A study of American veterans with and without post-traumatic stress disorder found that those with the diagnosis had a nearly two-fold increased incidence of dementia. The link between PTSD and ill health has not been definitively proven by studies to date. There's some evidence linking PTSD to gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular conditions.

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Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

For some individuals, PTSD can be a disability. (Image via Pexels/Rodnae Productions)

We have come a long way in our understanding of mental health concerns, and even the armed forces recognize that PTSD is a thing.

In an attempt to help veterans, the Veterans Administration (VA) was set up to help soldiers transition out of military service. That assists them with home loans, education, mental health, life insurance, and much more. They have a disability severity scale that helps them decide the support that can be offered.

When rating post-traumatic stress disorder, VA takes into account the frequency, length, and severity of the symptoms, as well as the associated level of social and occupational impairment. VA rates mental disorders generally on a scale of 0-100%, with PTSD falling into the 10%, 30%, 50%, and 70% areas. Additionally, 30% is considered to be mild to moderate.

The VA checks if you experience periodic decreases in work efficiency, difficulty in carrying out job-related duties, or symptoms like depression, anxiety, suspicion, or panic attacks.

Some instances of how it could manifest in your day-to-day existence include occasionally being unmotivated to work, dealing with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks, desiring to isolate yourself, but generally being able to uphold healthy connections with friends, family, and coworkers.

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Takeaway

Post-traumatic stress disorder can influence general functioning and everyday life. The general population is eligible to apply for Social Security Disability.

As there're a few categories on which you might base your application, it's essential to review the qualifying requirements. In addition to completing their own parts, your doctor will likely need to endorse your application. Collect as many medical records and papers as you can. Help is available, if you're willing to seek it.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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