Chronic Stress and Long-Term Disability Benefits in Canada

In today’s fast-paced world, chronic stress has become a prevalent concern affecting individuals’ mental and physical well-being. Nearly a quarter of all Canadians reported to Statistics Canada that they experienced high or very high levels of work-related stress. The most common causes of which included a heavy workload and a lack of work-life balance.

When chronic stress leads to severe impairment in daily functioning and work performance, understanding how your condition may be eligible for long-term disability benefits from your insurance provider is key.

Understanding Chronic Stress

Chronic stress is a prolonged state of mental or emotional strain resulting from demanding circumstances such as work pressure, financial worries, relationship issues, or caregiving responsibilities. Unlike acute stress that is temporary and manageable, chronic stress persists over an extended period, potentially leading to serious health consequences. Symptoms of chronic stress may include anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, and difficulty concentrating.

Prolonged Stress and “Burnout”

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress and overwhelming work demands. When individuals experience chronic stress without adequate coping mechanisms or support, it can lead to feelings of exhaustion, detachment from work, reduced productivity, and a sense of cynicism or negativity towards tasks. Over time, these symptoms can escalate into burnout, impacting overall well-being and work performance. Recognizing and addressing chronic stress early through stress management techniques, work-life balance strategies, and seeking support can help prevent burnout and promote healthier outcomes. Sometimes, getting the adequate help and resources takes time, allowing burnout to take root.

Pursuing short or long-term disability benefits can be an important aspect of care to consider for those facing chronic stress for a few key reasons:

Financial Stability:

Chronic stress can lead to significant challenges in maintaining employment due to mental and physical health limitations. Disability benefits provide crucial financial support, replacing lost income and helping individuals meet essential expenses such as medical bills, housing costs, and daily living needs.

Access to Treatment:

Disability benefits can enable individuals to access necessary medical and mental health treatments without financial strain. This includes therapy sessions, medication management, specialist consultations, and other interventions essential for managing chronic stress and related conditions effectively.

Focus on Recovery:

By relieving financial pressures, disability benefits allow individuals to prioritize their health and well-being without the added stress of work-related responsibilities. This focus on self-care and recovery can contribute to improved overall health outcomes and better long-term prognosis.

Chronic Stress and Long-Term Disability

While stress is a common experience, chronic stress can significantly impact an individual’s ability to function effectively in daily life, including the ability to work. Severe and persistent chronic stress can lead to mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among others.

Anxiety Disorders:

Chronic stress can dysregulate the body’s stress response system, leading to persistent activation of the sympathetic nervous system and release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This ongoing stress response can contribute to heightened anxiety levels, increased arousal, and hypervigilance.

Individuals experiencing chronic stress often engage in excessive worry, rumination, and catastrophic thinking patterns about potential threats, uncertainties, or future events. This cognitive pattern is common in anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and specific phobias.

Coping with chronic stress by avoiding stressors or situations perceived as threatening can reinforce anxiety-related behaviors and contribute to the development of avoidance behaviors seen in conditions like agoraphobia or social anxiety disorder.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD):

Chronic stress can disrupt neurotransmitter systems in the brain, particularly serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which play crucial roles in mood regulation and emotional well-being. Imbalances in these neurotransmitters are implicated in MDD and depressive symptoms.

Prolonged exposure to stressors can lead to negative cognitive distortions, self-critical thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, and pessimistic outlooks about the future—common features of major depressive disorder.

Chronic stress can contribute to social withdrawal, reduced interest or pleasure in previously enjoyable activities (anhedonia), fatigue, and psychomotor changes—all characteristic symptoms of MDD.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

Chronic exposure to traumatic events, especially without adequate resolution or coping mechanisms, increases the risk of developing PTSD. Traumatic experiences may include accidents, abuse, combat exposure, natural disasters, or witnessing traumatic events.

Chronic stress sensitizes the brain’s stress response systems, making individuals more susceptible to heightened reactivity to stressors, triggers, or reminders of traumatic experiences. This heightened reactivity is a core feature of PTSD, leading to intrusive memories, flashbacks, hypervigilance, and emotional dysregulation.

Chronic stress can contribute to avoidance behaviors aimed at avoiding trauma-related triggers or reminders, along with intrusive re-experiencing symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, or distressing memories associated with the traumatic event.

When chronic stress results in debilitating symptoms that interfere with work duties, individuals may be eligible for LTD benefits to support their financial needs during recovery.

Does Long-Term Disability Cover Chronic Stress?

LTD insurance policies in Canada may cover disabilities resulting from chronic stress if the condition meets specific criteria outlined in the policy. It’s essential to review policy details regarding mental health coverage, eligibility requirements, waiting periods, and benefit duration. While chronic stress itself may not be listed, resulting mental health conditions may qualify for benefits if they meet the policy’s definition of disability.

Chronic Stress Disability Benefits

To support a disability insurance claim for chronic stress, comprehensive medical documentation and evidence are essential. This support may include psychiatric evaluations, treatment records, therapy notes, medication history, functional assessments, and statements from healthcare providers detailing the impact of chronic stress on work-related activities and daily functioning.

Can My Disability Benefits Be Denied?

Many mental health claims are denied by insurance companies because they are less visible than other disabilities. On average, women are more likely than men to report experiencing high levels of stress, and so the gendered nature of the condition also plays a factor in accessing care as well as the level of scrutiny around receiving benefits.

Insurance companies may also deny disability benefits for chronic stress-related conditions due to various reasons such as insufficient medical evidence, policy exclusions, individuals not following through with physician or psychologist recommended treatments, or even administrative errors. If benefits are denied, individuals have the right to appeal the decision and provide additional supportive evidence to strengthen their case.

What To Do If My LTD Benefits Have Been Denied?

If LTD benefits for chronic stress-related conditions are denied, seeking legal assistance from an LTD disability lawyer is advisable. Experienced lawyers can review the case, guide individuals through the appeals process, gather necessary evidence, challenge denials based on policy violations or unfair practices, and advocate for the benefits they deserve.

Contact an LTD Disability Lawyer Today

Navigating LTD claims for chronic stress-related conditions can be complex, especially when facing denials or challenges from insurance companies. Our disability lawyers at Preszler Injury Lawyers understand the legal nuances, care about protecting individuals’ rights, advocate for fair treatment, and can help secure the disability benefits needed for financial stability during challenging times of chronic stress and related conditions.