Step 1: Confirm Your Mental Health Diagnosis

In Arizona, qualifying conditions include:

• Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, and related disorders.
• Severe symptoms that limit your daily functioning and ability to work.
• Evaluation by a licensed mental health provider must verify your diagnosis.

Step 2: Meet SSA’s Duration and Severity Requirements

Your condition must:

• Persist or be expected to last at least 12 months, or be terminal.
• Be shown through ongoing treatment records, psychological evaluations, and hospitalizations.
• Substantially limit your ability to perform work-related activities.

Step 3: Fulfill Work History Requirements

Eligibility depends on your work credits:

• Accumulate enough credits based on your age at disability onset.
• Generally need 20 credits in the last 10 years prior to disability.
• Credits are earned by paying Social Security taxes through work.

Step 4: SSA’s Functional Capacity Evaluation

The SSA will:

• Review medical evidence and mental health professionals’ statements about your limitations.
• Assess if you can perform any form of gainful employment, not just past jobs.
• Consider your ability to manage social interactions, concentration, and stress.

Common Reasons for SSDI Denial

Watch out for:

• Insufficient or missing medical documentation from qualified mental health experts.
• Mild conditions that don’t meet SSA’s strict disability criteria.
• Missed SSA evaluations or tests.
• Lack of proper work credits or incomplete work history.