Is anxiety a disability? Understanding Anxiety Disorders with DSM-5-TR

Anxiety and depression are common mental health problems in today’s world. Many people wonder that is anxiety a disability or a common mental health issue. There is no specific and clear answer for this question. The nature of anxiety depends upon the severity of symptoms and how they affect daily life. You can recover from these symptoms if have a proper medical and therapeutically treatment.

In DSM-5-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text Revision) all anxiety and related disorders are grouped in the category of Anxiety Disorders. These are common cause of worry, fear, and changes in behavior. The severity of anxiety disorders is different. To know better about is anxiety a disability? You have to understand all symptoms of anxiety.

According to DSM 5 TR the Anxiety Disorders are:

 

1. Separation Anxiety Disorder

 

In separation anxiety disorder individual have inappropriate and excessive fear of being separated from loved ones.

 

2. Selective Mutism

 

Selective mutism is a disorder that make hard for a person to talk in some social situation.

 

3. Specific Phobia

 

Specific phobias are phobias of certain things like phobia of close places called claustrophobia.

 

4. Social Anxiety Disorder

 

If we talk about social anxiety disorder people are afraid of being judge or embarrassed in society.

 

5. Panic Disorder

 

If we talk about panic disorder, individual have panic attacks over and over again. These panic attacks are scary episodes that cause physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain and dizziness.

 

6. Generalized Anxiety Disorder

 

In Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) people feel too much worry about everyday things.
Specific phobias are fears of certain things or situations.

All anxiety disorders are specified on the basis of nature of symptoms present and duration of symptoms. The severity of all anxiety conditions vary widely. Individual can control symptoms of anxiety by medicines, therapy and customized plans.

Why Anxiety is a Disability?

Anxiety is a mental issue which many individual face in many phases of their life. To understand is anxiety a disability? You have to know how anxiety effect daily life and how you can treat it. Anxiety is considered as mental disorder and is considered in DSM 5 because it:

(i) Cause difficulty in retaining and utilizing information.

(ii) Concentrating or focusing on a task.

(iii) Talking to others.

(iv) Managing daily life tasks

(v) Changing oneself

If you are facing any issues and struggling with these issues this condition will considered as anxiety disorder.

 

Medical Evidence for Anxiety Disorder

For diagnosis of anxiety disorder there are many diagnostic tests. Qualified mental health professionals used diagnostic tools like tests and subjective techniques to diagnose anxiety disorder. The diagnosis of Anxiety disorder can be made on the basis of:

1. Medical records of anxiety disorder diagnosis

2. Treatment history of individual
3. Proof of ongoing symptoms
4. Track record of medication
5. Psychological assessments

 

The SSA Blue Book and Anxiety Disorders

The SSA Blue Book lists medical conditions that qualify for disability benefits. You can read it to find out how the SSA decides if anxiety is a disability. Section 12.06 talks about anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

If you meet any of the following criteria, the Blue Book says you may be able to get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI):

1. You have very few options in one or two of the following areas:

2. Comprehending, retaining, and utilizing information

3. Talk to other people.

4. Focusing, sticking with it, or keeping up

5. Adjusting and taking care of oneself

Your anxiety disorder has been documented by a doctor and has been going on for at least a year, making it hard for you to do your daily tasks or work.

If your symptoms fit these criteria, you might be able to get disability benefits from the SSA.

How anxiety can affect work and daily life?

Having an anxiety disorder can have a big effect on almost every part of your daily life. People with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder often have symptoms that make even simple tasks seem impossible.

(a) Anxiety can change the way you work in many ways, such as:

(b) Hard to concentrate and make choices

(c) Tiredness or trouble sleeping.

(d) Staying away from social or work situations

(e) Panic attacks that are very bad when things are stressful.

(f) Not able to keep up with work attendance or performance.

When anxiety makes it so hard to do things, it becomes almost impossible to keep a full-time job.

How to Deal with Anxiety Disorder?

As we have discussed about anxiety disorder is brief. If it is important to know about anxiety is it a mental disability or not? It is also very important to focus on treatment required for anxiety.

Having an anxiety disorder can be hard, but there are treatments that work.

Evidence-based treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), medication, and mindfulness-based practices can help with symptoms and make life better. If you get professional help from mental health professionals you will learn to deal your problems, to solve your problems and to deal with negative thoughts causing anxiety.
It also gives you new medical records, which will help your case if your disability claim is looked at again in the future.

Is anxiety a disability?

the answer of this question depends on the presence of symptoms, severity of symptoms and duration of present symptoms. Is anxiety a disability? It is a disability but it depends on the intensity of conditions effecting daily life. The DSM-5-TR and SSA say that anxiety can be a disability if it causes severe limitations, is medically documented, and meets the Blue Book criteria.

If your anxiety is making it hard for you to do things, you might want to talk to a mental health professional. If you decide to apply for disability benefits through SSDI or SSI, they can help you deal with your symptoms and give you the medical proof you need.

Don’t think that admitting you have a problem makes you weak. If you have recognition of problem it is first step for getting better life. By proper treatment, medication, social support you can live with put anxiety disorder.