Social Security Disability with depression

How Social Security evaluates depression

Social Security first checks whether the condition meets a mental-disorders Listing, but most cases do not turn on the Listing. They turn on the severity shown in the medical evidence and are usually decided on residual functional capacity — what a person can still do despite the condition. For depression, that means whether a person can reliably attend, stay on task at an acceptable pace, tolerate supervision and coworkers, and adapt to routine changes, full time. Approval depends on more than a diagnosis — we must demonstrate the severity and duration of your symptoms, how they affect everyday activities, and your ability to work.

Evidence that matters

• Ongoing psychiatric and therapy records — the diagnosis, medication trials and side effects, and the response.
• Any hospitalizations, intensive outpatient care, or crisis contacts.
• A statement from the treating provider on concentration, pace, attendance, and the ability to handle workplace stress and interaction.
• Function reports and third-party statements describing the day-to-day narrowing.

Representation

Representation connects the treatment record to the functional areas the decision turns on and secures specific opinions from the treating providers, then answers the standard denial language — 'stable on medication,' 'no more than moderate limitations' — with the longitudinal record. A denial that misreads that record is a candidate for federal court.