What you have to prove
Medical documentation of the disorder with at least three required symptoms, AND marked limitation of two (or extreme of one) of the four Paragraph B areas, OR serious-and-persistent with marginal adjustment for 2+ years.
Medical evidence SSA expects
Records from a psychiatrist, psychologist, or LCSW; medication history; therapy notes; panic-attack logs; and statements documenting real-world functional impact (e.g. inability to leave the house, obsessive routines consuming hours daily).
Common misconceptions
Treated anxiety with manageable symptoms rarely qualifies. OCD cases where rituals genuinely prevent work — multiple hours per day — often do qualify.
Didn't meet the listing? You can still qualify via a Medical-Vocational
Allowance — SSA's determination that your residual functional capacity, combined with
your age, education, and work history, leaves no jobs you can do. See our
appeals guide for what to do after an initial denial.