Disability Benefits for Borderline Personality Disorder
For some people, borderline personality disorder (BPD) can leave them incapacitated and unable to hold a job. Anyone who has this diagnosis should know what kinds of options might be available to them through the Social Security Administration, which uses the Blue Book to determine who is eligible for disability benefits according to the certain criteria for their disability.
The listing in the Blue Book for borderline personality disorder is actually the same one that’s used for all personality disorders, including intermittent explosive disorder, avoidant personality disorder, and schizoid personality disorder.
To qualify for disability benefits, the applicant must have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and have at least one of several other symptoms of a personality disorder. For instance, a distrust and suspiciousness of others that isn’t warranted is one potential symptom that someone might show. Some others include feelings of inadequacy, an inordinately large need to be taken care of by others, lack of regard for the rights of other people, excessive emotionality that results in behavior that’s aimed at seeking attention, relationships that are unstable and damaging, and a particular detachment from social relationships, outbursts that are recurrent, aggressive, and impulsive, or a lot of need to be orderly and particularly clean.
Additionally, someone who is applying for benefits will need to have severe limitations in one of the following areas or what is called marked limitations in at least two of the following areas. These categories include an inability to concentrate on tasks, an inability to adapt and manage themselves, difficulties interacting with others, and learning new information along with understanding and remembering it.
If a person doesn’t meet the listing for a personality disorder, they might still qualify under the residual-functional capacity test if they’re able to show that there’s no suitable job available for them to do.
Osterhout Berger Disability Law has experience in claims related to BPD and understands the vocational challenges the condition can cause. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help secure benefits for you or a loved one!