Approximately 25 percent of American adults experience some form of mental illness in a given year — in fact, recent data suggests about 23.4 percent of U.S. adults report any mental illness (AMI) in the past year. Mental Health America Mental disorders can be just as disabling as physical impairments, yet many people don’t realize that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are available not only for physical conditions but also for those whose mental disorders prevent them from working. The attorneys at Peña & Bromberg have successfully helped many clients secure benefits based on mental impairments.
The steps for applying for SSDI (or SSI) due to a mental disorder are essentially the same as for physical impairments:
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Submit an initial application supported by relevant medical and clinical evidence.
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The Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews your medical records and assesses how your mental condition affects your daily functioning (e.g. your ability to concentrate, interact, persist at tasks, adapt to change). Social Security
To obtain SSDI or SSI, a claimant must show that their mental disorder prevents them from engaging in any substantial gainful activity — in other words, that they cannot sustain work at a minimal earnings level. The claimant must demonstrate that their disorder meets (or equals) one of the mental disorder “listings” as defined by the SSA, or otherwise that their functional limitations are severe enough to preclude work even if they don’t exactly match a listing.
Some of the mental disorder categories recognized by SSA include:
- Neurocognitive Disorders
- Schizophrenic Paranoid or Other Psychotic Disorders
- Depressive, Bipolar, and Related Disorders
- Intellectual Disorders
- Anxiety & Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
- Somatic Symptom & Related Disorders
- Personality & Impulse-Control Disorders
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders
- Substance Addiction Disorders
In addition, some newer or less commonly cited categories include:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
- Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Borderline Intellectual Functioning
- Eating Disorders (e.g. Anorexia, Bulimia)
- Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders (e.g. adjustment disorders)
- Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
If your specific mental condition does not precisely match a listing, you may still qualify by showing that your functional impairments are equivalent to or exceed the severity of a listed impairment. The SSA will analyze how your condition affects your ability to understand, remember, apply information; interact with others; maintain concentration, persistence or pace; and adapt or manage yourself. Social Security+1
If your claim is denied, there is an appeals process. The stages include:
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A Request for Reconsideration
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A Request for Hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ)
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A Request for Review of the hearing decision
Our attorneys at Peña & Bromberg assist clients at every stage—initial application, reconsideration, hearing, and post-hearing review.
2025-Relevant Developments & Data
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Globally, more than 1 billion people are estimated to be living with mental health conditions — anxiety and depression impose massive human and economic costs. World Health Organization
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In the U.S., the prevalence of mental health concerns among adults has remained relatively stable from 2021 to 2024, with about 23.4 percent reporting any mental illness in the past year (over 60 million people) in 2024. Mental Health America
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Access to qualified mental health professionals remains a challenge. For example, in early 2025, data from Texas showed that the available mental health workforce met only about 31 percent of demand. Public Health Watch
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In SSDI usage, mood, psychiatric, and other mental disabilities already account for a significant share of beneficiaries: historically, over one in five SSDI recipients receive benefits due to a mental or psychiatric disability. NAMI
These trends underscore both the growing recognition of mental health as central to disability claims, and the practical challenges claimants face in securing a fully-supported record of medical evidence.
If you are coping with a mental disorder and worried about supporting yourself or your family, you do not have to navigate this process alone. The attorneys at Peña & Bromberg bring over 30 years of experience in disability matters. They work on a contingency basis, meaning they do not get paid unless you win.
If you have not yet applied for SSDI/SSI—or were denied and want help with appeal—please contact Peña & Bromberg today at (559) 439-9700. Phone consultations are available.
