Can Drug Addicts Collect Social Security Disability

The ssa will not grant disability benefits based on an addiction.

Can drug addicts collect social security disability.

Currently drug or alcohol addiction alone is not enough to warrant disability benefits. Drug addiction is usually chronic and the danger of relapse is high without ongoing medical and psychological support. Since 1996 you can no longer get social security disability insurance ssdi or ssi benefits for alcoholism or drug addiction alone. You want the ssa to deem your drug addiction as immaterial to your disability claim so you can be approved for benefits.

First in 1996 the social security act was amended to eliminate eligibility for disability benefits based on drug addiction and or alcoholism. For example drug addiction could lead to heart disease. Social security no longer has a disability listing for drug addiction. Social security disability insurance ssdi and supplemental security income ssi disability benefits are not available to those that have a disabling condition that stems from addiction if the condition is considered to be reversible.

Filing for social security disability with a drug addiction diagnosis. You can t receive social security disability benefits based on drug addiction even if your dependence on drugs makes it impossible for you to work. Even though addiction can be disabling people have often lost their jobs as a result of alcoholism or drug addiction the social security administration does not grant disability benefits to people who have disabilities where alcohol or drug addiction caused the condition or made the condition worse. However your drug usage could have led to another medical condition that warrants disability benefits.

Until 2017 there was a listing for substance addiction disorders that you could meet if you had suffered specific changes in your behavior or physical health due to regular abuse of any prescription or illegal drug that affected your central nervous system. So if drug addiction is your only impairment you don t qualify for disability benefits. It is not possible at this point in time to receive social security disability benefits based solely on drug addiction. If you are wondering whether or not a drug addiction is a qualifying disability for social security benefits the following information can help you understand what a drug addiction is and how the social security administration ssa views disability claims based on an addiction to drugs or alcohol.

You can however get disability benefits for damage caused by the alcohol or drug abuse such as liver damage emotional problems cardiovascular disease or cancer.