Pop icon Lady Gaga’s candid disclosure about her struggle with psychosis has reignited conversations about mental health and its impact on work capacity. Her experience underscores the challenges many of our clients face when severe mental health conditions disrupt their careers—and the importance of understanding how to secure long-term disability (LTD) benefits for mental illness. At Mulqueen Disability Law, we recognize the complexities of proving mental health-related disabilities and advocate for clients navigating this often-daunting process. 

In this article we will discuss how mental illness, including psychosis impairs work function and how to prove mental illness Long-Term Disability claims to insurance companies.

The Intersection of Mental Health and Work Function

Psychosis, characterized by a disconnection from reality through hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thinking, can devastate a person’s ability to function, let alone, work. Lady Gaga described her experience as leaving her “not deeply in touch with reality,” a state that rendered her unable to function in daily life, let alone maintain a high-pressure career. 

While the duties and responsibilities of Lady Gaga’s occupation as a world renowned popstar may require an entirely different set of skills and functional capabilities than most of us, the fact is that mental illness such as psychosis, can severely impair anyone’s ability to perform any type of occupation–whether it be a sedentary, cognitively demanding job or a highly skilled physical job. Below we have set out some examples of how psychosis impairs functioning at work.

How Psychosis Impacts Work Functionality

There are a multitude of ways that psychosis can impact a person’s ability to work. Depending on the nature and severity of the condition, it may be that a person has limited impairment and may still be able to perform job duties under certain conditions, but more often than not, the functional impairments of psychosis cause serious impairment in all areas of functioning, resulting in a complete inability to work. Below is a list of the various ways a person can be impacted at work, with real life examples from our experience with our clients.

1. Cognitive Impairments:
   • Reduced concentration, memory gaps, and impaired decision-making hinder tasks requiring focus or critical thinking.
   • Example: A Teacher with psychosis may struggle to plan lessons or manage a classroom, ensuring a safe and productive environment for students.
2. Social and Communication Barriers:
   • Disorganized speech or paranoia can damage workplace relationships and collaboration, as well as result in poor communication with clients and others.
   • Example: An Investment Advisor with psychosis will not be able to clearly communicate important and relevant information to their team or to clients who rely on them to explain important financial matters.
3. Physical and Emotional Exhaustion:
   • The stress of managing symptoms often leads to chronic fatigue, absenteeism, or inability to maintain consistent performance.
   • Example: A Government Employee with serious mental illness, will struggle with attending the office as required on a consistent basis and then sustaining a level of cognitive function throughout the day, preventing them from completing their duties.
4. Safety Risks:
   • Hallucinations or delusions may create unsafe work environments for the individual, co-workers and the public, depending on the occupation.
   • Example: An Electrician with psychosis may fail to recognize hazards on the job site or may make mistakes with wiring or electrical fittings that result in serious injury or death.

Mental Health Conditions Eligible for LTD Benefits in Canada

Under Canadian law, mental health conditions are a valid basis for claiming Long-Term Disability benefits if they prevent individuals from performing their job duties. There are many types of mental illnesses that may prevent someone from working. In our disability law practice, we represent clients with many of these mental health conditions. 

Often our clients have a combination of mental and physical conditions, in which cases, we often see an interplay between the two–when symptoms from one type of condition worsens, so too do the symptoms of the other. 

When our clients come to us, usually their Long-Term Disability benefits have been denied. They will tell us that they were struggling to prove to the insurance company that they are too unwell to work. While it may be obvious why Lady Gaga would be unable to do her job while suffering psychosis, insurance companies are not easily convinced as to why claimants with mental illness are unable to do their jobs.

Below we have compiled a chart detailing the most common covered mental illness and the types of supporting evidence required to prove long-term disability. 

Proving LTD Eligibility for Mental Health Conditions

The key to proving a claim for Long-Term Disability for mental illness is to provide as much corroborative evidence as possible to support subjective symptom reports. In other words, if a person is struggling with memory, concentration, focus, fatigue, then those symptoms should be reported throughout their medical records. Similarly, the insurance company will expect to see that their doctors are providing them with treatment that would be appropriate for someone with a severe mental illness–whether it be therapy, medication or even hospitalization. 

That said, it’s important to remember that a person does not need to be so severely impaired that they are hospitalized in order to be eligible for Long-Term Disability benefits. The test of disability under most policies is whether a person has the functional ability to perform the essential (or main) duties of your own occupation or any gainful occupation. If you are able to function and do some normal activities but are unable to work, then you would still be entitled to Long-Term Disability benefits.

Below we have provided our Top Three Tips for proving mental illness disability for Long-Term Disability claims.

1. Medical Documentation

• Diagnosis: A formal diagnosis from a psychiatrist or psychologist is very helpful. In some cases an initial diagnosis by your family doctor with a referral to a specialist like a psychiatrist is sufficient. In Canada, there are long wait times to see a psychiatrist therefore insurance companies can not expect a specialist diagnosis/treatment early on in a claim.
• Treatment Compliance: Insurers require proof of ongoing therapy, medication adherence, or hospitalizations. Gaps in treatment often lead to claim denials on the basis that the person is not as unwell as they claim to be or because they are not complying with treatment requirements in their insurance policy. The insurer will want to also see that the person is doing everything possible to get better and return to work. Providing reports and records from various treatment providers or from the pharmacy can be helpful in proving entitlement to disability benefits.

2. Functional Limitations Evidence

• Employer’s Statement: Employer records of performance decline, accommodations attempted, or absenteeism. Insurance companies will often ask employers if their disabled employee had any workplace issues before going off work. They will ask about whether there were any accommodations in place and if the employee was meeting performance and attendance expectations. The insurance company will want to know why the person stopped working when they did–was there a single incident or was the employee’s function slowly deteriorating. 
• Cognitive Testing: Neuropsychological evaluations and psychometric testing is often used to quantify memory, attention, or problem-solving deficits. The insurance company may send a person for this sort of testing or a person might be referred for this testing by their own treatment providers. Psychological testing can sometimes help a claimant prove they have impaired function. However, like with most disabilities, mental illness is variable, with good and bad days and good and bad moments within a day. Often this testing may not provide a true reflection of how the person is functioning on a consistent basis.

3. Persistence and Severity

• Medical records and reports, as well as a person’s own record keeping of their symptoms and daily activities can help prove impaired function over a longer period of time.  Medical records and reports that provide consistent reporting over a longer term can be helpful. Some people will also keep a journal or log of their symptoms and daily activities to help them understand patterns and triggers in their symptoms, as well as their response to treatment. This can also provide a contemporaneous record of functioning that will help treatment providers and the insurance company understand why the person is unable to work.

Secure the Benefits You Deserve

Lady Gaga’s story reminds us that mental health disabilities are as valid as physical ones. With the right legal support, you can secure the benefits needed to focus on recovery—not financial stress. Let Mulqueen Disability Law be your advocate in this critical journey.

Navigating LTD claims for mental health conditions requires expertise and persistence. At Mulqueen Disability Law, we:

• Analyze Policies: Identify policy provisions that may be helpful to our clients or those that our clients must be aware of as they pursue their Long-Term Disability claims.
• Gather Evidence: Collaborate with medical experts to build compelling cases by knowing what information to ask for and from whom.
• Fight Denials: Advocate through appeals or litigation, while also assisting our clients with their CPP Disability claims.

Don’t face this battle alone.

If psychosis, depression, or another mental health condition has derailed your career:

1. 📞 Call us at 1-416-900-0368 for a free case review.
2. 📧 Email your policy and denial letter to [email protected].

💼 Visit our Markham office or Contact Us for a free virtual or in-person confidential consultation.

Contact us for a Free Consultation

At Mulqueen Disability Law, we prioritise staying informed. While psilocybin therapy is not yet widely available, its potential to alleviate suffering for those with mental health conditions is significant. As the landscape of mental health treatment evolves, we remain committed to advocating for our clients’ rights to access effective and appropriate care.

Mulqueen Disability Law specializes in hard-to-prove long-term disability claims for “Invisible Conditions” such as mental illness (depression, anxiety, PTSD) and chronic conditions (pain, neurological, immunological, concussion, post-COVID)  Contact us for a free confidential consultation.

Mulqueen Disability Law is a boutique law firm, focused on litigating long-term disability insurance benefit claims. Courtney Mulqueen and her team of legal professionals are Trauma-Informed Certified and have over two decades of experience exclusively in the area of long-term disability law. She and her team draw on their “insider” experience working for the insurance companies (including, Canada Life, Sun Life, Manulife, and OTIP), that they now sue for their clients.  

The preceding is not intended to be legal advice. This blog is made available for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By using this blog, you understand that there is no solicitor client relationship between you and the blog publisher. The blog should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed lawyer in your jurisdiction. If your disability claim has been denied and you require legal advice, please contact a lawyer specializing in disability law.