Springsteen Opens Up About Depression In New Autobiography

Last week, Bruce Springsteen's long-awaited autobiography "Born to Run" hit bookshelves across the country. Fans of Springsteen may think of the rock and roll legend as immortal. Writing, recording, and churning out music for over 40 years, Springsteen or "The Boss" as he is affectionately called, is known for his legendary live shows, which can last as long as four hours. But Springsteen is human, and humans are flawed. Springsteen recently opened up about his decades-long battle with depression, which he said affected him like "a freight train bearing down."

Springsteen also opens up about his strained relationship with his father, who also suffered from mental conditions, including agoraphobia and hair-pulling disorders, which were neither diagnosed nor discussed. As a child, Springsteen reflects that his father's condition was ordinary and embarrassing. In the midst of his own depression, Bruce feared he was becoming too much like his father.

Depression is one of the qualifying mental conditions for victims applying for Social Security disability benefits. A victim must prove that his or her condition has lasted or is expected to last at least a year and that the condition is severe enough that it prohibits the victim from maintaining gainful employment.

This may not be easy to prove, especially for a mental condition, which does not have easily recognizable or constant symptoms like an injury or disease. Proving your case may be tricky, requiring proof from medical professionals and doctors, prescriptions, and other documents to prove your condition. It may be helpful to seek advice from Terry Katz & Associates to navigate through the process.

Source: The Guardian, "Bruce Springsteen says years of depression left him 'crushed',", Nadia Khomami, Accessed on Sept. 27, 2016