Postpartum depression (PPD) can make it hard to do daily tasks and may affect your ability to work. Depending on your situation, PPD may qualify you for disability benefits.

People with postpartum depression may feel deep sadness, anxiety, fear, or hopelessness after a pregnancy. PPD is more than the “baby blues” — it’s a serious mental condition that can make it hard to take care of yourself and your baby. In rare cases, PPD can lead to postpartum psychosis, which includes symptoms such as hallucinations (seeing or hearing something that isn’t there), delusions (false beliefs), strong fears, obsessive thoughts, or even thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.

PPD most commonly affects the mother but can affect any parent, especially if they have a history of depression. PPD can also happen when a pregnancy ends due to miscarriage or stillbirth.

If you’ve had intense feelings of depression after a pregnancy and can’t keep up with your job, talk with your healthcare provider about support and treatment options. In some cases, people with PPD may be able to get disability benefits. Here’s what to know about disability benefits for postpartum depression.

What Are Disability Benefits?

Postpartum depression can last a year or longer. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes PPD as a serious mental health condition that can interfere with the ability to work. The SSA is a branch of the U.S. federal government and runs two programs to help people with eligible health conditions that cause disability.

Social Security Disability Insurance

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) gives monthly payments to people who have worked and paid into the system through payroll taxes. If you’ve had to stop working full time or need to limit how much you work because of a medical condition like PPD, you may be able to get these SSDI payments to replace lost income.

Supplemental Security Income

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is for people who have very little or no income, few financial resources, and an eligible disability. You don’t need to have worked to qualify. Most states add extra money to SSI payments through their own programs.

Private Disability Insurance

Disability insurance is available through some private insurance policies, either through your employer or bought on your own. What’s covered depends on the insurance company and plan. If you’re not sure if you have this kind of insurance at work, ask your human resources (HR) contact or your supervisor.

Some policies offer short-term disability insurance, which usually pays about 40 percent to 70 percent of your income for three to six months. Long-term disability insurance can replace 50 percent to 70 percent of your income for a longer time, but it usually requires more paperwork and proof of your ongoing condition.

Qualifying for Disability Benefits With Postpartum Depression

To be eligible for SSDI benefits, you generally must have a serious health condition that prevents you from working at least 12 months in a row.

Financial Requirements

To get SSDI benefits, you must have worked in a job or been self-employed and paid payroll taxes during the past 10 years. The Social Security Administration uses a system of work credits to decide if you qualify. You earn work credits based on how much money you make each year, and most people need 40 credits to qualify — 20 of those earned in the last 10 years. Younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.

The amount of money needed to earn a credit changes each year, so check the most current rules when applying. In 2025, you earn one credit for every $1,810 in wages or self-employment income, up to a maximum of four credits per year.

Your monthly SSDI payment depends on how much you’ve earned and paid into Social Security during your working years.

If your financial resources are limited, you may qualify for SSI benefits instead. To get SSI, you usually must earn less than $2,019 a month and have no more than $2,000 in savings or assets (such as extra cars, stocks, or bonds). The limit is $3,000 for couples. If you have children to support, these limits may be higher. Your primary home and most personal belongings don’t count toward this total.

Medical Requirements

The Social Security Administration uses the same medical rules for both SSDI and SSI. For postpartum depression to count as a disability, you need medical records that show your condition prevents you from working. Some of the symptoms that help qualify PPD as a disability include:

• Depressed mood (feeling very sad or low)
• Trouble sleeping
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly
• Thoughts of suicide

In addition, your symptoms must cause problems that directly affect your ability to work, including:

• Memory or thinking problems
• Difficulty interacting with other people
• Trouble handling stress, adapting to change, or managing your daily needs

Applying for Disability Benefits

Applying for a disability through the Social Security Administration can be a complicated process. Before you start, you’ll need to gather documents that show you have PPD, along with records of your work history or finances, depending on which program you’re applying to (SSDI or SSI).

Medical Documentation

Talk with your healthcare team about your symptoms and any treatment you’ve received for PPD. You’ll need medical records that show how PPD affects your daily life and ability to work. These might include:

• Doctor’s notes
• Medications you’ve taken
• Mental health evaluations
• Test results or hospital records
• Dates when your symptoms began

Your records must clearly show when your condition started and how long it’s lasted. If your medical paperwork isn’t detailed enough, the SSA might ask for more information or send you for a mental status examination with a doctor they choose.

Personal Information

You’ll also need to provide detailed information about yourself, such as your address, work history, and financial situation. Be sure all your paperwork is accurate and up to date.

You can apply for SSDI or SSI benefits online or at a local Social Security office. It’s common for a first-time application to be denied, but if that happens, you can appeal and ask that your case be reviewed again.

It can take six to eight months to get a decision. If your application is approved, there’s a waiting period of at least five months, starting from the date your disability began (based on your medical records), before payments begin. How long you receive benefits depends on how long your postpartum depression lasts and when you can return to work.

Getting Help With a Disability Application

The Social Security Administration offers a disability starter kit that explains how the application process works. It also includes tools to help you understand and organize your paperwork.

You can ask a family member or friend to help you with the forms. Some people choose to hire a disability lawyer, especially if they’re appealing a denied application. Some advocacy organizations also offer support and resources.

Before you start working with an attorney or organization, make sure you ask about fees. A lawyer might request payment up front and charge by the hour. Some advocacy organizations won’t charge you unless your application is approved. Anyone who officially represents you must sign an agreement with the SSA.

You can also contact your local Social Security office for help with your SSDI or SSI application.

Requesting Workplace Accommodations

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with mood disorders such as postpartum depression. If you have PPD and choose to keep working, you have the right to ask for reasonable accommodations — changes at work that can help you do your job more comfortably. These accommodations might include:

• Flexible or shorter work hours
• Extra breaks
• The option to work from home

If you feel you can keep working with PPD, talk with your HR contact or your supervisor. Depending on how much you work and how much you earn, you may still qualify for some disability benefits.

Taking Time Off

You may also be able to take more time off after having a baby, depending on your workplace and laws in your state. If you have PPD, this could mean extending your paid or unpaid maternity leave.

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you may be allowed to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave if you worked at least 1,250 hours in the past 12 months and your company has at least 50 employees within 75 miles. This time off can give you a chance to focus on your mental health without losing your job.

Find Your Team

On MyDepressionTeam, the social network for people living with all types of depression, including postpartum depression, and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, offer support and advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with PPD.

Have you sought out disability benefits for postpartum depression? Share your experience in a comment below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.