California workers like you may have heard of SSDI benefits applying to mental health issues. Social Security benefits often go toward people with physical disabilities or handicaps. But the Social Security Administration recognizes mental conditions that qualify for benefits, too.
Among these categories are neurocognitive disorders. These disorders must meet certain qualifications in order for SSA to consider them viable for benefits.
What is a neurocognitive disorder?
The Social Security Administration discusses what classifies as a neurocognitive disorder. A neurocognitive disorder involves “a clinically significant decline in cognitive function”. Examples of disorders that fall in this category include:
• Alzheimer’s
• Vascular malformation
• Different types of dementia, including vascular dementia or dementia brought on by a medical condition
• Neurological disease (Huntington disease, Parkinsonian sydrome, multiple sclerosis)
• Traumatic brain injury or substance-induced cognitive disorders
• Progressive brain tumors
What are the symptoms of these disorders?
Many of the illnesses in these disorders share symptoms. Some people may have trouble with their memory. They may struggle with language and speech, or visual-spatial functioning. Issues with insight, perception and judgment are not uncommon. Insensitivity to any social standards also occurs. Finally, they may struggle with executive function. These are high-level cognitive processes. They include inhibiting responses, planning, attention regulation and decision-making.
Certain disorders get excluded from this category. This includes intellectual disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders or autism spectrum disorders. The SSA evaluates these disorders under a different set of criteria.
Symptoms can progress to the point where the victim is severely hindered in their social interactions and daily life. It often becomes hard for these individuals to hold a job down, making SSDI benefits invaluable.
