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What is your threshold for writing disability letters for patients with personality disorders?

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Have you supported a disability application for a patient who's primary psychiatric diagnosis is a personality disorder?

30 physicians have voted

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4 Answers
Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Psychiatry · Private Pratice
Answered on

I don't believe it's appropriate to have a threshold. Patients with personality disorders are often stigmatized and assumed to be manipulative or malingering.

The criteria for writing a disability letter should be "Is the patient's disorder such that they are unable to work?" Assessing their recent ...

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Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Psychiatry · Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
Answered on

I don't think this should be controversial. Personality disorders can certainly render people unable to hold a job. To work, you need to be able to follow instructions, carry out tasks reliably, manage a relationship with your supervisor, and probably get along with peers as well. It's not difficult...

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Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Psychiatry · Shifa Health
Answered on

We have a binary disability system: can a person work or not, not: how can a person work. Many folks on disability can work sometimes, but the work system is too inflexible to meet individual needs. Disability is like a medicine that allows the disabled person, regardless of the reason, not to have ...

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Mednet Member
Mednet MemberInvited Expert
Psychiatry · Emory University School of Medicine
Answered on

It is exactly the same as for any other patient. If you believe they are not able to work due to their psychiatric illness, and would benefit from short-term or long-term disability. Why should it be any different?

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