Can a Person Receive Social Security Disability or SSI due to Alcoholism or Drug Addiction?
The answer is complicated. In the 1990’s the regulations were changed and uncontrollable severe alcoholism or drug abuse by itself was no longer a grounds to receive benefits, though of course, such a condition is disabling and causes many to be unable to work. Now the standard provides that the person must be disabled even if they could refrain from abusing drugs or alcohol. Abuse of alcohol or drugs complicates a social security or disability case, but every day many cases are approved in which the claimant is still addicted to alcohol or such common street drugs as cocaine, meth amphetamines or marijuana. The question whether the person would still be disabled if they stopped abusing these substances is especially hard to determine if the disabling condition is a mental disorder. Certainly many mentally disabled folks with such conditions as schizophrenia and severe bi-polar who are substance abusers would still be unable to hold full time employment even if they stopped the abuse.
