Effects of Drug and Alcohol Use on Claiming Social Security Benefits
The issues of substance abuse and alcoholism are a giant red flag for the Social Security Administration. In the present, it’s common for someone with chronic pain to self-medicate themselves with illegal or prescription drugs as well as alcohol. However, this is a major obstacle to receiving disability benefits.
People previously could be eligible for benefits because of alcoholism and substance abuse until Congress changed the law in 1996. Now if someone is applying for benefits and drug and alcohol abuse contributed to the person’s condition, the case will not win.
Social Security examiners and physicians will only take a look at a person’s physical and mental health before turning their focus to how substance abuse and alcoholism has affected the person’s condition. Regulations refer to this as the materiality standard. For example, if ceasing all drug and alcohol use would not help a medical condition, the abuse is not relevant to the case. However, if stopping all substance abuse will improve a condition, then the claim will be denied. Even if you are currently abusing drugs and alcohol and are disabled for a different reason, the Social Security examiners and physicians will still deem you as disabled.
All claimants who have used alcohol and substances in the past should carefully review all of their medical records before filing. If a doctor indicates “suspected use” anywhere in the medical treatment notes, this does not bode well for the claim. Furthermore, if a person is making a claim for a mental health disability such as anxiety or depression, the claim will likely be denied because of substance abuse. Most doctors would consider the mental health issue to be addiction related. A claimant would have to be examined after at least a month of sobriety before they could make a true diagnosis.
If you are currently abusing drugs and alcohol, you can still get help. Remember that being an alcoholic or being addicted to drugs is an illness, but it can be eliminated. However, it is not with the Social Security Administration.