I see that a Social Security claim cannot be approved based only on self-reported symptoms – that there must be medical evidence such as tests.

What happens in the case of depression, where there are no tests? I have been in therapy for 10 years and taking antidepressant medication, but my
symptoms are pretty much all still self-reported.
–Deborah

Jonathan Ginsberg responds:  Deborah, thank you for your throughful question.  Firstly, please recognize that there are tests that can be used to evaluate depression.  Psychologists regularly use these tests to evaluate the symptoms, the severity and the legitimacy of a depression complaint.

Along these lines, you will need support from one or more treating physicians, psychologists or therapists to help you win a disability case.  Impairments in Social Security cases must be "medically determinable" and SSA expects to see on-going treatment and reports from a treating source that are consistent with your complaints.

In the case of a mental health complaint, SSA will usually send you out for a consultative psychological exam, but I would want more than one consultative exam if I was representing a claimant suffering with depression.

[tags] depression and social security, mental health disability [/tags]