Most people experience sadness or feeling on edge without it affecting their ability to do daily activities, including those required to work and earn a living. However, millions of people rely on disability benefits for depression and anxiety through the Social Security Administration (SSA) when their conditions prevent them from working.
Someone diagnosed with anxiety or depression severe enough to keep them from doing regular work activities may be eligible for disability benefits. How much they’ll receive in mental health disability pay depends on the source of the benefits.
Sackett and Associates, the Northern California disability professionals who have been assisting people with their disability claims for 45 years, presents this explanation of disability benefits for depression and anxiety. It focuses on the amount of mental health benefits payable through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income, two programs managed by the SSA.
Disability Benefits For Mental Health Conditions
To qualify for disability benefits through the SSDI or SSI program, a person must have a disability as defined by federal regulations and used by the SSA. A person must be unable to do substantial gainful work activities because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to result in death or to last for at least 12 months.
As with other mental health conditions, the types and severity of symptoms of depression and anxiety may differ from person to person. How each person responds to treatment for their disorder also affects whether a mental disorder meets the standards of the disability definition used by the SSA to determine eligibility for SSI and SSDI.
Overview Of Depression And Anxiety
Persistent feelings of sadness accompanied by a loss of interest in the activities and things you enjoyed before may be signs of depression. Other common symptoms may include the following:
- Restlessness, irritability, and frustration.
- Appetite disturbance and weight change.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating.
- Thoughts of death or suicide.
It’s normal for people to respond to stressful encounters by feeling anxious and nervous or even fearful when exposed to danger. An anxiety disorder takes normal feels to another level.
People with anxiety disorder experience persistent and intense emotional overreactions that prevent them from functioning. It can prevent a person from doing common everyday activities, including those associated with working.
Common Symptoms Of Anxiety Disorders Include:
- Fatigue
- Sleep disturbance
- Rapid heart rate
- Shortness of breath
- Restlessness and feeling on edge
- Sense of impending doom
- Memory impairment
Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health conditions. Approximately 31% of adults in the United States will be diagnosed with anxiety and 29% with depression at some time during their lives.
Disability Benefit Programs For Anxiety And Depression
The SSDI and SSI programs pay benefits for anxiety and depression when the conditions are long-term and prevent a person from working. The SSA has a definition of disability that it uses when evaluating claims for benefits through SSDI and SSI.
For a person to be disabled and eligible for disability benefits, they must be unable to do substantial gainful work activity because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.
The definition excludes medical conditions causing only partial or short-term disability. SSDI or SSI benefits for mental illness, including anxiety and depression, would not be available for anyone currently capable of being gainfully employed now or within 12 months based on the standard used by the SSA.
How Much Do SSDI And SSI Pay For Anxiety And Depression Disability?
The SSI program pays a maximum monthly federal benefit in 2025 of $967 for individuals and $1,450 for eligible couples. Maximum benefit amounts are subject to increasing annually because of cost-of-living adjustments based on the inflation rate.
SSI is a need-based program. Income and resource limits apply when determining eligibility. If you have other income besides the SSI benefits, it may reduce your monthly benefits below the maximum, depending on the amount received. Some exclusions may be available to you, so discuss your particular situation with one of the disability professionals at Sackett Law to determine how income affects how much you receive in SSI.
The depression or anxiety SSDI amount that you receive each month is based on the average lifetime earnings you had working at jobs subject to Social Security taxes. The maximum monthly SSDI disability payment is $4,018 in 2025, but the average payment is only $1,580 per month. As with the SSI program, the depression or anxiety SSDI amount is subject to change each year based on a cost-of-living adjustment.
Get Help With Mental Health Disability Pay
Sackett and Associates has devoted the past 45 years to helping people in Northern California and nationwide resolve their disability benefits issues. Learn more about how they can help you by contacting Sackett Law for a free initial consultation.
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