Drug addiction is often seen as a self-imposed disability. It is the user’s choice to continue abusing drugs to the point of disability and it is the user’s choice when he or she wants to quit. Because of misconceptions and misunderstandings about drug abuse and recovery, the quest for disability benefits for chemical dependency can be a tough battle to fight.
But it is a winnable battle. Drug use and abuse can cause a breakdown of the central nervous system that may limit an individual’s ability to hold a job; for purposes of Social Security Disability, the breakdown may be considered a disability that prevents the user from working and allows the award of benefits. In other instances, drug abuse or drug addiction can be an outward manifestation of an underlying mental condition or disorder or the cause of a disabling mental condition.
Disability benefits for those who have are unable to work because of the consequences of their addiction often require substantial documentation of any attempts at treatment and any resulting medical conditions. It’s important to establish a complete medical record of the addiction and the physical effects of the addiction to include with your disability application.
Obtaining disability benefits for an individual with a documented addiction can help ease the burden placed on those who are serving as primary caregiver to the disabled individual. If you are trying to help a person disabled by addiction, securing Social Security Disability benefits for him or her may help ease the financial strain created by the caregiver relationship.
For tips from a top disability lawyer about applying for SSD based on drug addiction or chemical dependency, please see “Expert Advice On Receiving Disability Benefits Due To Drug Addiction.” For questions or assistance with a claim for disability based on drug abuse, please contact our firm online or at 800-898-7299 for a free consultation.