Is ADHD Eligible for Disability Benefits?

Do you or a loved one struggle daily with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), finding it difficult to maintain focus and complete everyday tasks? ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects millions of children and adults worldwide. Despite its prevalence, many people underestimate the challenges it poses. From difficulty concentrating to impulsivity and emotional regulation issues, ADHD can significantly impact an individual’s ability to work and function in their daily life. Navigating these challenges often requires substantial resources, support, and, in some cases, financial assistance.

Understanding your eligibility for disability benefits can be a crucial step in alleviating some of the burdens associated with this condition. In this article, we’ll explore the criteria for receiving disability benefits and guide you through the process of securing the support you or your loved ones may need.

Understanding the Basics of ADHD

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is a developmental disorder marked by a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. Inattention may involve difficulty focusing, staying on task, or staying organized. Hyperactivity can include frequent movement or restlessness, even in inappropriate situations, as well as excessive talking. Impulsivity may show up as interrupting others, intruding on activities, or having trouble waiting for one’s turn.

Diagnosing ADHD involves several steps, as there is no single test that can confirm it. Diagnosing ADHD can also be complicated, as many other conditions, such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and certain learning disabilities, can produce symptoms similar to ADHD. To make an accurate diagnosis, healthcare providers follow the guidelines outlined in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

ADHD symptoms vary widely from person to person, both in type and in severity, and they can significantly affect daily functioning. These symptoms can also contribute to disorganization and challenges in the workplace.

Is ADHD a Disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) defines disability as the inability to work because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that is expected to result in death or has lasted, or is expected to last, for at least 12 months. To determine whether someone meets this definition, the SSA uses a five-step evaluation process.

Step 1: Are you working? 

If you are currently working, you may not qualify for benefits. The SSA considers you to be “working” if your job meets the criteria for substantial gainful activity (SGA), which is based on both work activity and earnings. Anyone earning more than the monthly SGA limit is considered to be working at this level. For non-blind individuals, the SGA limit is $1,620 per month in 2025 and is set to rise to $1,690 per month in 2026.

If you have been diagnosed with ADHD but continue to work at SGA levels, you may not qualify for disability benefits.

Step 2: Is your condition severe? 

For Social Security purposes, a disability requires a severe, medically determinable impairment. This means your condition must result from anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities that can be verified through accepted clinical or laboratory diagnostic methods. An impairment is considered severe if it substantially limits your ability to perform basic work activities, such as walking, sitting, seeing, or remembering.

If your ADHD affects your ability to concentrate, interact with others, or carry out other basic work activities, the SSA will proceed to the next step in the disability evaluation. However, this impact must be documented through medical records, which the SSA reviews to confirm the presence of a severe impairment.

Step 3: Does your condition meet or equal a Blue Book listing? 

The SSA maintains a list of impairments, organized by major body systems, that are considered severe enough to automatically qualify as disabilities. These listed impairments are so serious that anyone who meets the medical criteria for them is presumed to be unable to work. If your condition is not specifically listed, the SSA will assess whether it is medically equivalent in severity and impact to a listed impairment. This means they will compare your symptoms, limitations, and medical evidence to those of a listed condition. If your impairment is found to be of equal severity, your claim may still be approved, even though your condition is not explicitly on the list.

ADHD is not a listed impairment. However, there are other mental disorders that are listed in the Blue Book of impairments. To find all of the listed impairments to see if you have a mental impairment that meets or equals the severity of a Blue Book listing, you can find the listed impairments here.

Step 4: Can you perform your past relevant work? 

If your impairment does not meet or equal a listed impairment, the SSA will assess your residual functional capacity (RFC). The RFC determines your maximum ability to perform sustained work on a regular and continuous basis, despite the limitations caused by your medical condition. For example, if you have severe ADHD, the RFC evaluates what work activities you can still perform despite the restrictions imposed by your condition.

At step 4 of the disability evaluation process, the SSA uses your RFC to determine whether you can perform your past relevant work. This is the work you performed in the past five years. 

If your ADHD prevents you from performing your past work or you have no relevant past work, the SSA will go on to the next step of the disability determination.

Step 5: Can you perform other types of work? 

At step 5 of the sequential evaluation, the SSA will determine if there is any other work that exists that you can perform. When considering if you can perform any other work, the adjudicator will consider the limiting effects of ADHD as well as your age, education, and work experience.

To be found disabled, your ADHD has to be severe enough to prevent you from performing your past work or transferring your skills to any other full-time work.  

Building a Strong Case: Essential Evidence and Documentation for Your ADHD Claim

If you believe that your ADHD is severe enough to prevent you from performing your past work or any other full-time job, it is important to understand the SSA disability criteria. When starting a disability claim, you will need to gather the necessary documentation, including medical records, work history, and other relevant information.

The SSA will request and review your medical records to evaluate the symptoms of your ADHD and determine what you can and cannot do despite your condition. These records are crucial in supporting your disability claim.

Medical documentation of your ADHD 

Objective medical evidence is essential to demonstrate the severity of your impairments. For ADHD, this typically includes mental health treatment records from a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. Mental status exams can further document limitations in concentration, distractibility, and other cognitive functions. 

Neuropsychological testing, conducted by trained neuropsychologists, provides a detailed evaluation of cognitive abilities, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills, offering additional evidence of functional limitations caused by ADHD.

Nonmedical evidence

Statements from family, teachers, or coworkers can provide important supportive evidence of real-world functional limitations. These statements are most effective when they are specific and include concrete examples, such as forgetting tasks, struggling to follow instructions, becoming easily distracted, or interrupting others. Detailed accounts of how these behaviors affect daily life, school, or work, such as missed deadlines, incomplete assignments, or frequent redirection, help demonstrate the severity of ADHD beyond medical records.

If ADHD is affecting your ability to work, you deserve guidance you can trust. LaPorte Law Firm helps clients understand the disability process and build well-supported claims. Our attorneys know how to clearly present ADHD-related challenges to Social Security. Contact us today to get the knowledgeable, caring support you need.