Fibromyalgia can leave you feeling constantly tired and achy. It can leave you struggling to think clearly and struggling to sleep. If you suffer from it, you know just how devastating that combination of symptoms can be. It can make holding down a job impossible.
Yet, for many who do not suffer from it, including some medical professionals, fibromyalgia does not exist. If you tell them about your symptoms, they’ll tell you that everyone has days where they feel like that, or that you just need to do more exercise, change your diet or some other unhelpful and insensitive suggestion. Others might tell you that it is all in your head and there is nothing wrong with you.
But what about the Social Security Administration (SSA)? Does it believe in fibromyalgia? Could it award you Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits if you apply?
It can do
Thankfully, the SSA does believe in fibromyalgia, though that does not mean it’ll necessarily believe you have fibromyalgia or that having it will qualify you for payments.
The SSA has a detailed set of policy guidelines that help its employees determine whether or not an applicant should qualify for SSD benefits. There are specific guidelines for fibromyalgia, which should be read in conjunction with the more general guidelines that apply to all applicants, such as the condition preventing you from working for at least 12 months, and you having earned sufficient work credits.
If you live with fibromyalgia, completing the application could feel overwhelming, and the brain fog that is common among sufferers could increase the likelihood that you make mistakes. Seeking legal guidance to build and submit your application could make a lot of sense.