Posttraumatic stress disorder can limit a person’s ability to work, attend school, maintain healthy relationships, and otherwise engage in a full and satisfying lifestyle. Does this mean that PTSD is a disability?
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What Is PTSD?
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex mental health disorder that occurs in the aftermath of one or more traumatic events.
Causes
The one common factor among all people who develop PTSD is that they have histories of at least one traumatic event. Examples of the occurrences that can precede the onset of PTSD include:
- Physical attacks
- Sexual assaults
- Abuse or neglect during childhood
- Severe harassment (online and/or in person)
- Serious illnesses
- Automobile accidents
- Violent weather such as tornadoes or hurricanes
- Military combat
- Acts of terrorism
- Kidnapping
Generally speaking, the defining feature of most events that lead to PTSD is that they can cause a person to fear for their life or the life of someone else.
A person may develop PTSD after directly experiencing one or more of these types of events, witnessing a traumatic event, or even learning of the details of a loved one’s traumatic experience.
Also, people who are frequently exposed to the aftermath of traumatic occurrences, such as firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs), also have an elevated risk of PTSD.
Symptoms
Someone who has developed PTSD may experience or exhibit symptoms such as:
- Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories or dreams related to the traumatic event(s)
- Dissociative reactions (flashbacks) during which the person feels like they are re-experiencing the traumatic event
- Intense physical and/or psychological distress when they encounter reminders of the traumatic event
- Behavioral changes to avoid reminders of the traumatic event, which can include people, places, situations, conversations, and activities
- Inability to remember all or part of the traumatic experience
- Distorted beliefs about themselves or others, such as that they are inherently flawed or that no one else can ever be trusted
- Negative feelings such as extreme fear, inappropriate guilt, or excessive shame
- Anhedonia, or extreme difficulty experiencing joy
- Acting with uncharacteristic anger, recklessness, or aggression
- Hypervigilance, or the sense that they are constantly in danger
- Exaggerated startle response, such as reacting with intense fear or hostility when surprised
- Difficulty focusing, concentrating, and maintaining attention
- Sense of detachment or estrangement from others
- Problems falling asleep and staying asleep
Is PTSD a Disability?
The symptoms listed in the previous section can clearly be highly disruptive, and can negatively impact both the substance and quality of a person’s life. But is the impact of this condition enough to for someone to be considered disabled under U.S. law?
“Is PTSD a disability?” sounds like a simple yes or no question. But from a legal perspective, it’s a bit more complex.
This is due in part to the fact that disability is defined differently in different situations. Also, the process for accessing certain disability-related services or protections can be quite challenging.
Here’s a quick look at PTSD’s status as a disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and for two benefits that are managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA):
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA, which was signed into law in 1990, outlaws discrimination on the basis of disability in many areas, including employment, public transportation, access to businesses that are open to the public, and participation in state and local government.
The legislation considers someone to have a disability if they meet any of the following criteria:
- Having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
- Having a history or record of an activity-limiting impairment, such as cancer that is in remission
- Being perceived by others as having such an impairment, such as having scars from a severe burn
The ADA intentionally does not include a list of disorders that qualify for disability protections. Through the years, though, a more detailed understanding of what is and isn’t covered by this law has emerged.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions (EEOC), the answer to the question, “Is PTSD a disability?” is yes, it is.
In terms of employment protection, this means that a worker with PTSD cannot be denied a job, fired, demoted, or passed over for promotion on the basis of their condition, as long as they can perform all the responsibilities of the job with reasonable accommodations.
Social Security Administration (SSA)
The SSA manages two types of financial support programs for people with qualifying disabilities, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
- SSDI provides monthly payments to people with a disability that has stopped or limited their ability to work. In addition to having a qualifying disability, you must have worked for at least five of the previous 10 years to receive SSDI funds.
- SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities that prevent them from working, and who also have little to no income or resources (which the program defines as no more than $2,000 for individuals or $3,000 for couples).
Is PTSD a disability for purposes of qualifying for SSDI or SSI? Yes it can be, but it depends on your ability to prove that your symptoms prevent you from working for at least a year. Also, the application process for these benefits can take a considerable amount of time.
In addition to providing documentation about the severity of your PTSD symptoms, you must also meet other requirements, such as having enough prior work history (for SSDI) or not exceeding the resource limits (for SSI).
Learn More About Treatment for PTSD in Atlanta
Untreated PTSD can have a devastating impact on your life. But when you get the care you need from a reputable treatment provider, you can learn to manage your symptoms and make sustained progress toward a much healthier and more hopeful future.
Valor Behavioral Health is a premier source of personalized outpatient care for adults and adolescents who have PTSD, other mental health conditions, and substance use disorders (addictions).
To learn more about how we can help you or a member of your family, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.
