We often talk about how difficult it is for us to accept that we suffer from a serious psychological disorder such as depression. This can cause us to delay diagnosis and find ourselves at a point where depression treatments are not working.
In this way we are faced with a major depression, a chronic depression or a depression complicated by other emotional disorders such as neurosis, mania or psychosis. In any case, there may come a time when this depression makes us unable to work, so it will be time to apply for disability due to depression.
Reasons for disability due to depression
- As depression is an emotional disorder that, as we have already seen, can be cured, there are few cases in which disability or permanent disability is achieved due to depression. By the way, the truth is that few are those who want to receive a life pension for a reason like this.
- If depression is one of the most frequent causes of sick leave, it is not so much as a reason for disability or permanent incapacity, since it is an emotional disorder that, in principle, is temporary. The truth is that most cases of depression can be treated, but there are specific circumstances that may lead you to request permanent disability for depression.
- The cases of major depression, chronic depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are psychological disorders that can end in a situation of work disability. We already know the crippling consequences of depression, consequences that can increase if the cause of depression is the work environment itself.
Types of disability due to depression
- The time taken to take leave from work due to depression will depend on each situation, but if the leave lasts more than 18 months, it is necessary to pass the test of a medical court that determines the situation. In some cases, when there is no improvement in the state of health, permanent disability may be recommended.
- There are different degrees of permanent disability that go from partial disability to the so-called great disability that occurs in cases in which the sick person cannot fend for himself and needs help to perform the most basic tasks such as eating, dressing or toileting.
- Partial permanent disability is granted when the person with depression sees their ability to carry out their usual work reduced by 33%. Although the most common is total permanent disability, a situation in which the person with depression is unable to carry out their usual work but can perform any other job. Finally, it may happen that what is granted is an absolute permanent disability, with a life pension and with the impossibility of working for yourself or for someone else.