At Andalman & Flynn, we fight for and defend the rights of individuals with mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder. If you have bipolar disorder and are unable to work, let us help! We have a team of skilled and experienced attorneys with a record of success obtaining bipolar disability benefits for clients nationwide. To get started with your claim, contact us today—301-563-6685.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric condition that includes rapid changes in mood, ranging from depression to elation with manic behavior, that represents a marked change from the person’s usual behavior and functioning. Psychotic behavior, including hallucinations, delusions, and paranoid thinking, sometimes occurs.

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms and Diagnosis

The condition includes a wide range of symptoms. Examples of manic symptoms may include:

• Hyperactivity
• Flight of ideas
• Inflated self-esteem
• Decreased need for sleep
• Easy distractibility
• Involvement in activities that have a high probability of painful consequences which are not recognized

Examples of depressive symptoms may include:

• Loss of interest in almost all activities
• Appetite disturbance with change in weight
• Sleep disturbance
• Decreased energy
• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Difficulty concentrating or thinking
• Thoughts of suicide

Bipolar disorder is generally diagnosed in a person’s late teens or early twenties and is generally a life-long condition. Medication and therapy may help manage symptoms, but some individuals’ illness is so severe that it creates difficulties performing basic daily activities and maintaining social functioning, concentration, persistence, or pace.

When Bipolar Disability Prevents You from Working

The illness can be so severe that the symptoms prevent you from successfully working. In this case, you may be eligible to receive bipolar disability benefits. For example, because of inability to concentrate, hyperactivity, or easy distractibility, an individual may be unable to focus or stay on task to satisfactorily perform work; because of paranoid thinking, an individual may not be able to maintain satisfactory relationships with co-workers or supervisors; and because of decreased energy and sleep disturbance, one may be too fatigued to go to work, get to work on time, or work eight hours a day.

Bipolar Disability Benefits

Individuals with bipolar disorder whose condition prevents them from working may be eligible for bipolar disability benefits of varying kinds, including:

• Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits
• Short/Long Term Disability (LTD) Retirement benefits
• Maryland State and Teacher Disability Retirement benefits
• Federal Disability Retirement (FDR) benefits

At Andalman & Flynn, an attorney will work with you to prepare your application for bipolar disability benefits and collect medical records, reports, and other evidence to help you maximize your chances of winning your claims. Each area of disability benefits has a different process, and we can help you through all of them so that you can get the benefits that you deserve! Give yourself the best chance of success with disability attorneys you can count on—contact us to schedule your initial consult today.