EATING DISORDERS & ANOREXIA CAN BE DISABLING

DO EATING DISORDERS QUALIFY FOR SSD BENEFITS?

Eating disorders fall under SSA’s Blue Book of listed medical conditions.  Therefore, if you have an eating disorder that impacts you physically or mentally, then it is possible that you could win SSDI or SSI benefits. However, your eating disorder must prevent you from working for over one year.

For example, if you have Anorexia, then you may have problems with your memory or getting along with others. If you can’t concentrate or remember instructions, then you will make mistakes at work. Likewise, if you can’t get along with other workers or the public, then you might be fired. All of the symptoms of an eating disorder could make you unable to work.

However, you must have medical evidence to present to the SSA about your condition. In the case of eating disorders, this evidence should be from your treating doctor. For example, you may have evidence from your psychologist that would help. Likewise, you may have records from a mental health counselor. These records would document anxiety. Or, they may document other mental issues. Additionally, your primary care doctor should record your weight over a 12 month period.

SEEK TREATMENT FOR EATING DISORDERS LIKE ANOREXIA

If you have anorexia or bulimia, the same advice applies. The most important thing you can do for yourself is seek treatment. You will need a record of any times you were in the hospital for the disorder. You will also need record of any visit to your doctor.  Also, get the records if you have treatment from a clinic or a hospital stay.

The SSA will ask you to provide the names and addresses of your treating doctors. Additionally, you will need to provide a list of your medications. It is possible that your eating disorder is a life long problem. Therefore, it is smart to start getting copies of your medical records now. Because you will want to submit all of it to the SSA.

It is also important for you to understand how the SSA will evaluate your medical condition. They will use their listings. The listing is a “list” of the medical conditions that the SSA considers to be disabling. Most physical and mental conditions are part of the SSA listing. Below please find the criteria for eating disorders.

ANOREXIA NERVOSA

Anorexia is a serious eating disorder. People with anorexia have very low body weight and an intense fear of gaining weight. They may also have a distorted perception of their weight or the way they look. People with anorexia limit their calories in order to control their weight and shape.

When you have anorexia, you excessively limit the food you eat every day. Or, you use other methods to lose weight. For example, you may exercise too much. Likewise, you may use laxatives, diet aids, or vomit after eating. Efforts to reduce your weight can cause severe health problems. Some people with anorexia die from starvation.

BULIMIA NERVOSA 

Bulimia can be an eating disorder that threatens your life. When you have bulimia, you binge and purge the food that you eat. Many people with bulimia also restrict their eating during the day. This can lead to a cycle of more binge eating and purging.

During these binge eating and purging episodes, you eat a large amount of food in a short time, and then try to rid yourself of the extra calories by vomiting. Because of the intense fear of gaining weight, a person with bulimia may force themselves to vomit. Or, they may exercise too much to burn calories.

ATYPICAL ANOREXIA NERVOSA

In the 2013 version of the DSM, a new diagnosis appeared — atypical anorexia nervosa. The reason for the new term was that doctors noticed more patients showing up for treatment with all the symptoms of anorexia nervosa except one: a very low weight. Those with atypical anorexia, suffer the same mental and physical symptoms as people with anorexia nervosa. These people even had life threatening heart issues and electrolyte imbalances.

People with atypical anorexia restrict calories. They also obsess about food, eating, and their body image. They often skip meals, eat in secret, and adhere to rules about what foods they allow themselves to consume. Also, they create unusual habits like chewing and spitting out food. Others exercise to the point of exhaustion. Some people abuse laxatives or purge their meals. But unlike those with anorexia nervosa, people with atypical anorexia can lose significant amounts of weight but still have a medium or large body size. Others hardly lose any weight at all. To the outside world, they appear “overweight.”

The New York Magazine states that starting in the last 10 years, the number of people seeking treatment for the disorder rose sharply. Whether more people are developing atypical anorexia or seeking treatment is unknown. However, this group now makes up to half of all patients who are in eating disorder programs.

Studies suggest that the same number of people, even as many as three times as many, will develop atypical anorexia or traditional anorexia during their lifetime. One high estimate suggests that as much as 4.9 percent of the female population will have the disorder. The number is lower for boys. For men, it is likely even lower, though little research exists. The number jumps to as high as 7.5 percent, for nonbinary people.

PATTERNS THAT MAY SHOW SEVERE EATING DISORDERS

Eating patterns that may show eating disorders or even unhealthy eating behavior are listed below. Teenagers are more susceptible to peer pressure and that may trigger an eating disorder. Eating disorder patterns may include:

• Skipping meals or making excuses for not eating
• Adopting an overly restrictive diet
• Making own meals rather than eating what the family eats
• Persistent worry or complaining about being fat and talk of losing weight
• Frequent checking in the mirror for flaws in your body
• Repeatedly eating large amounts of sweets or high fat foods
• Use of diet pills for weight loss
• Excessive exercise
• Problems with loss of tooth enamel that may be a sign of repeated vomiting
• Leaving during meals to use the toilet
• Expressing disgust or shame about eating habits
• Eating in secret at odd hours

If you have any of these behaviors, then you may need treatment for an eating disorder.

LISTING 12.13 FOR EATING DISORDERS

In order to qualify for SSD & SSI benefits, you must have all of the criteria below. If you have all of the elements of the listing, then you meet the SSA’s listing. Likewise, if you have all of the elements of the listing and you have other physical or mental conditions, you may equal the listing.

12.13 Eating disorders, satisfied by A and B:

1. Medical documentation of a persistent alteration in eating or eating behavior that results in a change in consumption or absorption of food and that significantly impairs physical or mental health.

AND

2. Extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental function:

1. 1. Understand, remember, or apply information.
   2. Interact with others.
   3. Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace.
   4. Adapt or manage oneself.

The trouble in meeting the listing occurs when you need to prove the Part B criteria. You can learn more here about how to prove the Part B criteria. Having a marked limitation in two areas or an extreme limitation in one area must be shown with your medical records. You will need your treating doctor to document the elements of the listing.

WE CAN WIN SSD BENEFITS FOR EATING DISORDERS