Many people who are currently applying for disability benefits wonder if their past alcohol and drug use or addiction may affect their current application. Does being an alcoholic in the past, and thus suffering liver problems in the present, render one disabled according to the Social Security Administration? Or will the fact that alcohol use was involved in the disabling condition mean that the applicant is automatically denied disability insurance?
The real answer to these questions is that it depends on the relationship of alcohol or drug use in the applicant’s current life. If at one point in your life you were an alcoholic but have since stopped drinking and are now suffering from health issues related to your prior alcoholism, you are still eligible for disability insurance. Of course, this is contingent on a licensed medical professional signing a statement that you do not currently drink or use drugs. In the event that you are suffering medical problems that are disabling due to current alcohol and drug use, you will not be eligible for disability insurance. In this case, you must first stop consuming alcohol and drugs, report to a licensed medical professional who will then vouch for the fact that you no longer use drugs, and then you will be eligible for disability insurance.
Grounds For Denial
This is true both for Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. The fact that you were either an alcoholic or addicted to drugs in the past does not automatically preclude you from receiving disability benefits, due to negative health conditions attained by prior addictions. It is more about the state of your current life and the role that alcohol and drugs play in it.
It is very important to meet with licensed medical professionals throughout the disability insurance application process. Even if you do not have insurance, it is wise to either attend a free clinic or visit the emergency room in order to keep constant medical records. This is particularly true if you were an alcoholic or addicted to drugs in the past. You will need licensed medical professionals to tell the Social Security Administration that you are no longer drinking or using drugs. Assuming that this is the case, your past alcohol or drug use will have no effect on your disability insurance application.
Alcoholism and drug abuse is a disease. But in order for any disease to qualify an individual for disability insurance, that individual must comply with the appropriate medical regulations for their particular situation. This means that if you are an alcoholic or current drug user and this lifestyle is negatively affecting your health to the point where you require disability insurance, you will need to follow the advice of a doctor and get sober. This is the first step to receiving both disability insurance and better health.
