Drug and Alcohol Use
Social Security is very strict about the impact of drug and alcohol abuse on a disability claim. Your disability application will be denied if your disability is a direct result of drug or alcohol abuse.
Drugs, Alcohol, and Huntington’s Disease
While drug and alcohol abuse cannot cause Huntington’s disease (HD), drugs and alcohol can worsen HD symptoms. In general, it is important to understand the relationship between drugs, alcohol, and HD. It is especially important to understand the relationship for a Social Security disability application.
For many individuals, drug and alcohol abuse is secondary to other underlying conditions. Drugs or alcohol use occurs among individuals impacted by HD. This can be a direct result from HD symptoms, including cognitive decline, reduced judgment, or impaired inhibitions. It is also common to see drug and alcohol use as a form of self-medication for HD since there is no cure. Understanding the reason for the drug use is relevant and necessary to the disability application and can help the application get approved.
Do I need to be honest about my drug or alcohol use?
Yes. Drug and alcohol abuse is often documented in medical evidence so you cannot hide it in your application. If you are open about your drug or alcohol struggles that can help show you are trying to make a good faith effort to manage your struggles. Additionally, Social Security cannot find you disabled if you are not getting treatment for your Huntington’s Disease.
How does Social Security decide if Drug and Alcohol abuse (DAA) is significant to the claim?
- Is DAA involved in the case?
- Is the DAA the only impairment?
- Are the medical conditions (physical or mental) disabling by themselves, or are they disabling because of the DAA?
- Does the DAA cause or affect the medical conditions?
- Would you be disabled if there was no DAA?
Will the HD symptoms improve without drug or alcohol abuse?
Unfortunately, No. But you may have to determine if the symptoms are actual HD symptoms or symptoms of the drug or alcohol abuse. If your neurologist is unsure and there is not a clear difference, then it is not the right time to apply for disability. Drug and alcohol use will need to be controlled.
Social Security does look to see if you have made a good faith effort to stop drug and alcohol abuse. This can include entering a treatment program or trying to stop on your own.
What if the drug and alcohol abuse caused the impairment?
While not applicable to HD, it will prevent someone with other drug or alcohol related conditions from being found disabled. The focus is not whether the drug and alcohol abuse created the impairment, but that the impairment remains when the drug and alcohol abuse is gone.
Is it harder for individuals with mental conditions to prove that drug and alcohol abuse is not significant to their case?
Yes. Most psychologists and psychiatrists believe that even moderate alcohol use contributes to depression, which is also common with HD. The symptoms of HD and drug and alcohol abuse are very similar: memory loss, difficult concentrating, irritability, depression, anxiety, etc. This makes it difficult for Social Security.
Can I get approved with drug or alcohol use?
Yes, especially with HD. Drug and alcohol use does not cause HD. Also, stopping drug and alcohol use will not eliminate HD symptoms. It is important to get regular medical care and for everything to be well documented.
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