Living with borderline personality disorder (BPD) can feel overwhelming and isolating. About 1.4% of adults in the United States live with BPD, and nearly 75% of those diagnosed are women.
The intense emotions, inner conflict, and fear of abandonment that often come with BPD can make it difficult to work, care for yourself, or maintain healthy relationships. As a result, many people living with this condition and struggling to work find themselves asking an important question: Is BPD considered a disability?
Don’t face Social Security alone.
In this article, we’ll discuss borderline personality disorder, how the Social Security Administration evaluates it, and how you can build a strong case for the benefits you deserve.
Key Takeaways
- BPD can qualify for disability, but only if it’s severe enough. Social Security recognizes BPD as a potentially disabling condition, but you must prove your symptoms prevent you from working.
- Meeting the SSA’s strict criteria is essential, and you will need documentation of symptoms showing that your condition seriously disrupts daily functioning.
- Strong medical evidence can make or break your claim. Providing detailed records, provider statements, and personal documentation of how BPD affects your daily life are critical.
Is BPD a disability? In this article, we discuss:
What is borderline personality disorder?
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition that makes it difficult to regulate emotions. People living with BPD often experience intense emotions that last longer than usual, and it can be hard for them to return to a stable emotional state after a triggering event or emotional episode.
A strong fear of abandonment is a core feature of BPD. Even though many people with BPD deeply want loving, long-term relationships, the fear of being rejected or left alone can lead to sudden and intense mood swings.
These emotional shifts can contribute to impulsive behavior, an unstable sense of self, and strained relationships.
As a result, many people with BPD also struggle with self-regulation, which can lead to harmful coping behaviors such as substance use or self-harm.
BPD affects how a person sees themselves, relates to others, and responds to the world around them. Common symptoms of borderline personality disorder include:
- Going to extreme lengths to avoid real or perceived rejection
- Unstable and intense relationships
- Rapid changes in self-image and how others are viewed, often described as “black-and-white thinking” or “splitting” (seeing someone as all good one moment and all bad the next)
- Periods of stress-related paranoia or losing touch with reality
- Impulsive or risky behaviors
- Extreme mood swings
- Ongoing feelings of emptiness or dissociation
- Threats of suicide or self-harm
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Is BPD a disability?
If you’ve been diagnosed with BPD, you may qualify for disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes BPD as a serious medical condition that can qualify you for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
Additionally, BPD is typically covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, neither of these facts guarantees you will receive disability benefits for the condition.
To be eligible for SSDI for BPD, your symptoms must make it impossible to continue working gainfully and interfere with your ability to support yourself. Your condition must also meet other medical requirements listed in the SSA’s Blue Book. We explain these requirements in more detail below.
How to qualify for SSDI with BPD
Borderline personality disorder is classified as a personality and impulse-control disorder in the SSA’s list of qualifying impairments, also called the Blue Book, and is listed under Section 12.08.
The SSA applies strict standards to all mental health conditions, including BPD. To qualify for disability benefits, you must show your condition is severe, long-lasting, and prevents you from doing any substantially gainful work.
Additionally, you must meet the criteria in Section 12.08A, plus the requirements in Section 12.08B.
Section 12.08A
Under Section 12.08A, you must have medical documentation of a pervasive pattern with one or more of the following:
- Distrust and suspiciousness of others
- Detachment from social relationships
- Disregard for and violation of the rights of others
- Instability of interpersonal relationships
- Excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behaviors
- Feelings of inadequacy
- Excessive need to be taken care of
- Preoccupation with perfectionism and orderliness
- Recurrent, impulsive, aggressive behavioral outbursts
Section 12.08B
Meanwhile, Section 12.08B requires you to have an extreme limitation of one, or a marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning:
- Understanding, remembering, or using information, such as following instructions or learning new things
- Interacting with others, like communicating, getting along with people, or handling social situations
- Focusing and staying on task
- Managing yourself and daily life, such as handling stress, controlling emotions, and taking care of everyday responsibilities
The SSA defines an extreme limitation as the inability to function independently, effectively, and consistently. A marked limitation means you can function, but your ability is significantly limited or inconsistent.
Your chances of approval for disability for borderline personality disorder may improve if you have additional qualifying conditions related to BPD, like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or if your condition stems from an event that also caused long-term injuries that limit your ability to work.
Submitting a complete and detailed application with all the necessary records can help prevent delays, as the approval process can take several months or longer.
What evidence can help your claim?
To build a strong case to support your borderline personality disorder disability application, you can start by reviewing the SSA’s specific criteria and directly linking your symptoms to the requirements listed in the Blue Book. Then you’ll want to gather medical evidence showing your symptoms meet the SSA’s criteria. The more evidence you can provide, the better.
Medical evidence can include:
- Medical history reports
- Clinical findings (such as the results of physical or mental status exams)
- Lab results or test results
- Emergency room visit summaries
- Diagnosis
- Treatment prescribed based on response and prognosis
- A statement from a medical professional on what work activities they believe you are capable of doing despite your condition
- Any treatment information
- Info about your daily activities and capabilities
Submitting thorough medical evidence to support your diagnosis and keeping a personal log detailing how your symptoms impact your daily life and ability to work can also help support your claim. These details add valuable context and make your claim more compelling.
How long does it take to get a disability decision?
When considering how long a disability claim can take, it’s important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
The time it takes to get a disability decision depends on several factors, like whether the SSA needs more information to process your claim. On average, the wait for an initial SSDI decision is about 6.3 months, or roughly 193 days.
According to the SSA’s 2023 Annual Report, about 20% of applications were approved at this stage, meaning nearly four out of five claims were denied.
Don’t get discouraged if you’re denied. You can appeal, but be aware that the appeals process can add another six months or more to your wait.
How do I appeal a decision if I was denied?
If your SSDI application is denied, you have the right to appeal the decision.
According to the SSA, approximately 80% of SSDI claims are rejected at the initial level, often due to insufficient medical evidence, limited work history, or other technical issues.
Because the appeals process can take time, it’s important to act quickly – you only have 60 days to file your appeal.
While appealing a denial is always worthwhile, it doesn’t guarantee approval, as many applicants are denied even after multiple appeals. However, working with an experienced disability lawyer can help strengthen your case and improve your chances of success.
How Woods & Woods can help
Having a disability shouldn’t mean losing your peace of mind. At Woods & Woods, we help individuals with disabilities connect with legal help. If you’re seeking SSDI benefits, call us today for a free case evaluation.
Claim what you worked for.
Frequently asked questions
Borderline personality disorder can qualify as a disability for Social Security, but a diagnosis alone isn’t enough. The SSA focuses on how severely your symptoms limit daily functioning and your ability to work, and whether those limits are supported by medical evidence.
Getting disability benefits for borderline personality disorder can be challenging, but it is possible. Success usually depends on having strong medical evidence showing that your symptoms are severe and significantly limit your ability to work and function on a daily basis.
Lori Underwood
Lori Underwood received her law degree from Northern Kentucky University. She previously practiced Social Security disability and personal injury law and was a juvenile court attorney.
She has been an attorney at
Woods & Woods since 2014.
