How Drug and Alcohol Issues Affect Eligibility

When Using Drugs or Alcohol Can Keep You From Getting Disability Benefits

Social Security can deny you disability benefits when your impairments would go away if you quit drinking or using drugs.

Can You Get Social Security Disability Benefits if You Have Drug Addiction or Alcoholism?

A disability applicant recently asked "Why did Social Security deny me for using drugs/alcohol – I have relatives who got disability benefits for drug addiction/alcoholism." This question shows a misunderstanding of Social Security's stance on drug addiction and alcoholism on two counts. How Social

How Drug or Alcohol Abuse Will Affect a Mental Disability Claim

Can disability applicants with mental disorders who abuse medication, drugs, or alcohol still get disability benefits? It depends.

How Does an Addiction to Prescribed Narcotics Affect Disability Benefits?

Dependency on prescribed narcotics won't keep you from getting disability, assuming you have a severe medical impairment other than drug addiction.

Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability

Nolo's disability book, written by a psychiatrist and former chief medical consultant for Social Security, explains how Social Security makes drug and alcohol determinations.