Can You Get Disability for ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, affects children and adults and their ability to focus or control hyperactivity and impulsivity. The disorder makes it very difficult for people to function daily, including in school or at work.
Adults with a sufficient work history can get Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, or SSDI, for ADHD. Children and low-income adults with ADHD may qualify for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, a needs-based disability program. The Social Security Administration has strict eligibility requirements, and even a technical error on your application can lead to a denial.
Does ADHD Qualify for Disability Benefits?
You can receive SSDI benefits for ADHD, but you must have more than just a doctor’s diagnosis for ADHD Social Security eligibility. The SSA’s Listing of Impairments, also known as the Blue Book, enumerates the conditions that qualify for disability benefits. While the Blue Book does not explicitly list ADHD as a qualifying condition, its symptoms are under Section 12.11 Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
You must meet all the medical criteria listed in the Blue Book, and the evidence submitted with your application must demonstrate that you have the listed symptoms and limitations of mental functioning.
Include evidence of other conditions you have that affect your ability to work. For example, many people with ADHD also suffer from anxiety disorder, which can be a disabling condition.
Meeting the Blue Book Criteria for ADHD
The Blue Book details several medical and mental functioning ADHD disability criteria. For an examiner to approve your disability claim using the Blue Book criteria, your evidence must meet the requirements of both Section A and Section B, as provided below:
Section A
Medical evidence of symptoms from paragraphs 1, 2, or 3 below:
- One or both of:
- Frequent distraction, difficulty sustaining attention, difficulty organizing your tasks; OR
- Hyperactive and impulsive behavior, such as difficulty staying seated, excessive talking, difficulty waiting, appearing restless, or acting as if being “driven by a motor”
- Significant difficulties in learning and applying academic skills, OR
- Recurring motor movement, talking, or making sounds
AND
Section B
You must exhibit extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning:
- Understanding, remembering, or applying information
- Interacting with others
- Concentrating, persisting, or maintaining pace
- Adapting or managing oneself
To qualify for SSDI, you generally must meet these and other SSDI eligibility criteria. For instance, you must have earned sufficient work credits, meaning you paid enough into the Social Security system through payroll deductions to be considered “fully insured” by the SSA.
Even if you meet these work credit requirements, you still must demonstrate that you can no longer earn a substantial income due to your disability. You must show you are incapable of performing jobs you’ve had in the past or any new type of job. The SSA determines your current ability to work based on factors such as age, training, and the effects of your disability.
Medical Vocational Allowances and ADHD
If you do not meet the Blue Book criteria, you may still receive ADHD disability benefits. If a claims examiner finds you don’t qualify, they look at your overall functioning and ability to work. They can grant you a Medical Vocational Allowance, entitling you to SSDI benefits, if the overall effects of your ADHD and other conditions leave you unable to engage in substantial gainful activity.
To determine if you qualify for an MVA, the examiner assesses your Mental Residual Functional Capacity, or RFC. This measures what you can do despite your impairment, given the totality of your circumstances. You may have to undergo a consultive exam during this process.
If you have significant limitations in daily life and an inability to work due to ADHD and other factors, such as anxiety, the examiner can grant you benefits.
If you don’t qualify for SSDI, you may be eligible for insurance and public benefits for ADHD, such as SSI.
The Application Process for ADHD SSDI
To apply for SSDI, you must complete the application and include medical evidence that shows that you meet medical and past work criteria. Your evidence must show that you cannot engage in substantial gainful activity due to your condition or conditions.
Complete your application very carefully. Technical issues such as incomplete applications were a large part of why the SSA only approved about 20 percent of SSDI claims between 2013 and 2022.
Provide evidence that you meet the previous work requirements for SSDI eligibility. Include a list of your previous employers and the dates you worked for them. Provide information about any other benefits you receive, as they may affect your SSDI benefits.
You can apply for SSDI online, in person, or by mail. If you wish to apply in person, use the SSA locator tool to find the regional office closest to you. To estimate how much a disability check is for ADHD, use our SSDI calculator.
It can be understandably challenging for someone with ADHD to collect the necessary documentation and complete an SSDI application. Reach out for help rather than risk a denial. Ask a trusted friend or relative to review your information, and contact Disability Advice for further assistance.
Importance of Medical Evidence
When you assemble your evidence, compare the Blue Book criteria for ADHD to your documentation. Missing documentation of even one qualifier or other supporting documentation could result in benefits denial. If you are missing medical documentation, talk to your doctor about assessing you for specific SSDI criteria.
Do not submit your application if you are missing evidence, as that could significantly delay benefits. As of 2025, the average decision time for an SSDI initial claim was six to eight months. The decision time for an appeal was close to one year.
Writing a Strong Application
You must have a strong application for SSDI benefits. to accompany your evidence. SSDI benefits are for people who have a minimal ability to work based on their disability. Your application must include a compelling case for why working is so difficult for you because of your ADHD. Detail your daily struggles as well.
If you are over 50 or don’t have an advanced degree, reiterate that in your application. Your age and lack of degree affect your ability to find work, which strengthens your disability case.
Pay particular attention to the Remarks section of the SSDI application. This is where you can explain in detail how your ADHD affects you. Be open, as this section gives your heartfelt perspective to a claims examiner who is otherwise primarily checking boxes and reading medical evaluations.
Challenges in Getting Approved for ADHD
Review your application several times before you submit it, and watch for the common reasons the SSA denies SSDI applications, including:
- Lack of medical evidence that you have ADHD or meet Blue Book criteria
- Evidence failing to show you've had ADHD for at least 12 months
- Lack of evidence that your ability to work is limited
- Filling out the application incorrectly
You must attend a medical evaluation if the SSA requires one to obtain further evidence. Keep up your ADHD treatment. If you’ve stopped, the SSA can deny your claim.
Disability Benefits for Adults vs. Children With ADHD
As an adult, you may qualify for SSDI or SSI for ADHD. SSI is a need-based program and does not have SSDI’s work requirements. You must have limited income and resources to qualify for SSI. In limited circumstances, you can get both SSI and SSDI.
SSI is also available to children with a physical or mental condition that seriously impedes their activities and is expected to last at least a year. The SSA provides a Child Disability Starter Kit to help with the application.
Because SSI is needs-based, your application must include information about your household income and resources.
What if My ADHD SSDI Claim Was Denied?
If the SSA denies your claim, Disability Advice can help you fight for your rights at an SSDI appeal. A skilled and knowledgeable professional can help you avoid mistakes and increase your chances of winning benefits.
You must file your appeal within 60 days, so contact Disability Advice immediately so we can help you build a strong claim.
- Free case evaluation
- Assist with denied claims
- Ensure you have all documents
- Make the process easy for you
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