Looking at psychological / psychiatric disabilities

In order to qualify for LTD benefits, your injury has to meet the definition of a disability.

But what if your injury is a psychological injury? Remember, your insurance company is typically looking for objective evidence relating to your condition.

One difficulty with establishing psychological disabilities in LTD cases is establishing evidence and credibility.

What types of psychological/psychiatric disabilities are covered under LTD disability benefits?

1. Depression (Major Depressive Disorder): Feelings of sadness, loss, anger, frustration, loss of self-esteem, motivation and decrease in overall quality of life. Depression affects the person as a whole, both physically and psychologically. Symptoms last for weeks or longer. For diagnostic purposes, a depressive episode must be experiences at a certain level of severity for a minimum duration of 2 weeks.  A study fromStatistics Canada conducted in 2002 demonstrated that around a half a million Canadian workers experience depression and most of them say the symptoms interfere with their ability to work. The article mentions that almost 4% of workers aged 25 to 64 had experienced depression in the 12 months before the 2002 survey was conducted. Workers who were most prone to depression were those who regularly worked evenings and night shifts and those who were employed in sales or service jobs. Depressed workers reported an average of 32 days in the previous year when their symptoms left them unable to carry out normal activities of daily living or totally unable to work.
2. Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depressive Illness): Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme highs and lows (mania and depression). In a manic or high state, the mind is racing, impulse control is poor, sleep is difficult and your are unable to concentrate or slow down. The lows will feel like extreme despair, depression or anxiety. Bipolar disorder is characterized by dramatic changes in mood, energy and behaviour. The  mood disturbances are severe enough to affect a person’s ability to function. These episodes can last from hours to months. According to the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, 3-5% of the adult population have bipolar disorder and it is equally distributed between women and men.
3. Anxiety: Anxiety is a natural response to a stressful or dangerous situation. A person with an anxiety disorder experiences this reaction in a more intense way and this reaction can last hours, even days.  There are different types of anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a type of anxiety that is experienced most days for at least 6 months, where a person feels uncontrollable anxiety, worry, irritability and difficulty sleeping. Social Anxiety: Also known as a social phobia, this is a type of anxiety related to social situations including work and school. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): OCD occurs when a person has constant obtrusive thoughts that cause distress and doubt. Compulsions are behaviours or rituals that try to reduce the obsessive thoughts e.g. checking your car over and over again to make sure it is locked.  The Mood Disorders Association of Ontario tells us that anxiety disorders affect 12% of the population, making it the most common mental illness in Canada.
4. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Associated with anxiety disorders, PTSD is characterized by flashbacks, persistent avoidance of people and places that remind them of the event, difficulty concentrating, anger, jumpiness in relation to the experience that physical harm occurred or the experience in which a threat was felt.
5. Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder that makes it difficult to think logically, tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, experience normal emotional responses, and behave normally in social situations. Symptoms include difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, flat affect, delusions, hallucinations, problems paying attention, social isolation

Here are some helpful links to provide you with further information:

Mood Disorders Association of Ontario

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Canadian Mental Health Association

Depression Hurts.ca