Mental health is finally being taken seriously by many people, organizations and other bodies all over the world. It’s hard enough having a mental illness without having the powers that be make things even worse for you. A person with a mental illness may appear to look absolutely fine which may be why people may “roll their eyes” or say things behind their back.
The problem is that it cannot be “seen”, unlike someone in a wheelchair, yet it is very real and in some ways, it can be worse than a physical disability. Let’s take a closer look at some mental health issues for which you may be entitled to disability.
1. Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia
People who suffer from many panic attacks may eventually start avoiding going out. They develop a panic disorder and become more withdrawn and stay at home and are terrified to travel away from home for fear of having a panic attack. This is known as agoraphobia. They may be able to travel around the neighbourhood and the only way they may leave to go to a farther destination is if they are accompanied by a trusted companion.
For some people, it can be so bad that they cannot even leave their home. It is a terrible illness to go through and can even last a lifetime. Panic attacks are terrifying because the brain basically tricks a person into thinking there’s danger when there isn’t. Panic attacks basically cannot be stopped. It has to “do its thing” and subsides, leaving the person in shock.
2. Depression
Everyone knows what it’s like to be depressed and to go through periods of depression. This is normal. However, for most people, this will go away. For someone with clinical depression, it’s a totally different situation. They can go through weeks and months of depression. The depression that they go through is not the same as the depression that the rest of us go through. It can ruin your life and there can appear to be no end in sight. This is why some people with depression are suicidal and indeed attempt and succeed in taking their own life.
3. PTSD
Posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a mental disorder which can develop when someone goes through a traumatic event. This can be rape, experiencing war or other events that cause distress or a threat to one’s life. They can go through disturbing thoughts, feelings or dreams and nightmares. Avoidance of trauma-related cues is one way that they try to deal with it. They may also be suicidal and have been known to kill themselves. Not everyone who goes through a traumatic event will end up like this. It’s quite possible that certain people may be susceptible to it and when such trauma results, it could trigger it.
Having and dealing with mental illnesses can be harder than dealing with physical illnesses. If there’s something wrong with a kidney, you could take medication and have treatment in a specific way to heal yourself. With mental illnesses, it can be very much hit and miss. Some treatments can help while others may have no effect. It can be an ongoing battle. Insurance companies may deny claims because they may feel it’s not warranted. People kill themselves (literally) because of such conditions, so how can it not be warranted?
If you’ve been turned down, don’t give up. You can seek help from a long-term disability lawyer and turn it around. There will need to be medical proof to substantiate your claim, but with the help of a disability lawyer, you can be shown what’s needed to fight back and receive what is rightfully yours.
