Chronic Illness Is a Disability
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2009/01/09 - Updated: 2025/12/15
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Social Security - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This information addresses a critical gap in how Social Security disability benefits are structured, explaining why people living with chronic illnesses often find themselves excluded from meaningful support despite genuine disabilities. The piece provides valuable insight by directly comparing the Social Security Administration's rigid definition of disability - which requires continuous inability to work for at least 12 months - with the fluctuating reality of chronic conditions where symptoms vary unpredictably from day to day. This analysis proves particularly useful for individuals navigating the benefits system, healthcare advocates, and policymakers because it clearly identifies the structural mismatch between static disability frameworks and the dynamic nature of chronic illness. People with conditions like lupus, fibromyalgia, or multiple sclerosis will find this especially relevant, as it validates their experiences of being caught between periods of capability and incapacity, neither fully able to maintain employment nor qualifying for the support they need during debilitating flare-ups - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Many people who are disabled due to a chronic illness feel that the social security definition of disability does not cover them and point out that the definition of disability found in most dictionaries state it is "the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness".
Main Content
Disability is defined by the Social Security administration as the "inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months".
While it seems that definition would cover most disabilities, many who are disabled due to a chronic illness feel that this definition of disability does not cover them.
They are quick to point out that the definition of disability found in most dictionaries state it is "the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness".
The largest problem those with chronic illness seem to have with the Social Security administration's definition of disability is that it is set up to take care of those with a 'static', unchanging disability, such as blindness, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and those with serious disabilities, such as being a quadriplegic. Those with chronic illness are disabled, yet it is not static. Some days they can work, while others they cannot, and there is no way to predict when they will be healthy or sick. Chronic illness is a disability that oftentimes prevents one from working, performing normal daily tasks and socializing, albeit not one that is static and unchanging.
This 'ever changing' form of disability poses problems within the system. Once a person has obtained disability benefits, they are unable to work at all. If they do decide to try and exhaust the nine month trial period of work and then continue to perform 'substantial gainful employment', they lose their benefits. For those with chronic illness it is not this cut and dry. They may be able to work easily for months or years, only to be struck with symptoms of their illness and be bedridden for weeks. While there is a 36-month extension period that allows them to obtain benefits when they need to, three years can come and go, leaving them without benefits after the extension period.
The system does not have any specific guidelines that cater to those with ever-changing chronic illness. The best those with chronic illness can do is apply for benefits and not work, which leaves them with a very small income. Hopefully this will change in the future.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The disconnect between how disability benefits are administered and how chronic illness actually manifests in people's lives represents more than just bureaucratic oversight - it reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what disability means for millions of Americans. Until the system acknowledges that disability isn't always permanent and unchanging, countless individuals will continue falling through the cracks, forced to choose between attempting work that may worsen their condition or accepting poverty-level benefits that don't account for their intermittent capacity. The question isn't whether these individuals are truly disabled, but whether our institutions are willing to adapt to the complex realities of modern chronic health conditions - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.