It may seem antithetical to talk about the psychiatric condition of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in filing for Federal Disability Retirements benefits under CSRS or FERS, especially during the Holidays — but, in fact, the analogy with the high stress which many Federal and Postal workers feel because of Christmas, New Years & other holidays is especially relevant.
Let me elaborate. Such a time period as “The Holidays” in fact often brings greater stresses in a person’s life — for it is precisely a time when one is “supposed” to feel joyous, when in fact an individual’s internal, personal turmoil may contradict the outward appearance which one manifests. Such a combination — of the high level of stress one is experiencing, at a particular time (the Holidays), may be considered a “situational” psychiatric condition, because (hopefully) it will subside once the time-period passes.
This is a good way to understand what distinguishes between a “situational disability” (which is disallowed in Federal Disability Retirement applications under either FERS or CSRS) and “non-situational disabilities” (which are viable medical conditions pervading all aspects of one’s life, regardless of time or situation).
The Office of Personnel Management will often attempt to characterize the psychiatric condition of Generalize Anxiety Disorder as one of merely “situational occurrence” — i.e., of being particularized and categorized as occurring only within the confines of a particular department, a particular workplace situation, or a period of time when a specific supervisor or coworker is present (sort of like occurring during the Holidays). But Generalized Anxiety Disorder, properly diagnosed by a treating physician, is rarely, if ever, situational, and in fact is a serious psychiatric condition which qualifies for Federal Disability Retirement benefits under FERS or CSRS.
Do not let the Office of Personnel Management fool you; Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a viable psychiatric medical condition, especially if it pervades all aspects of your life, and it prevents you from performing one or more of the essential elements of your job as a Federal or Postal employee under either CSRS or FERS.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
Filed under: Mental/Nervous Condition, Specific Medical Conditions | Tagged: a process of anxiety for disabled federal workers, anxiety and depression among postal workers, anxiety and the dangers of situational disability, attorney representing federal workers for disability throughout the united states, cases where the opm claims situational disability, civil service disability retirement for mental disorders, considering federal disability retirement during these holidays, coping with disabilities during the holidays, coping with uncertainty and illness after an injury during federal employment, disability for anxiety disorder opm, disability retirement at the USPS, emotional distress at the Post Office, federal disability attorney, federal employees and coping with fear and anxiety, federal employees with severe anxiety disorder, FERS disability lawyer, FERS disability retirement, gad and federal disability retirement, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), how the opm and the postal service can defeat an owcp claim for anxiety, injury on the job concept: situational disability for postal and fed workers, law firm representing clients in opm disability law all across america, legal services for federal and postal workers all across america, level of stress, nationwide representation of federal employees, opm disability for stress is possible just don't make it situational, OPM disability retirement, OPM psychiatric and physical conditions, owcp disability retirement, postal service disability retirement, postal workers disability psychiatric disability in OPM disability retirement, psychiatric conditions, psychiatric disability in OPM Disability Retirement, psychiatry and opm disability retirement, reality checking during these holidays, representing federal employees from any us government agency, return to full duty after workers comp and holidays, situational federal disability, stress leave usps, surviving anxiety and depression in the postal service, the holiday-blues effect on the already depressed federal worker, the holidays and depression mix for the disabled federal employee, USPS disability retirement, warning to federal employees about situational disability |
OPM Disability Retirement 
How do I speak with for more info regarding federal retirement due to panic attack’s & GAD condition? I am eligible to retire in 3 years.