Social Security claimants who abuse illegal drugs and alcohol risk losing their entitlement to benefits. Social Security laws can prevent you from receiving disability benefits if your alcohol or drug use is a major factor causing your disability.
You may have heard of people receiving disability benefits for alcohol use in the past. However, federal laws have changed. Drug addiction and alcoholism are no longer considered disabilities that may be compensated with Social Security benefits.
Proving that drug and alcohol use is not a material cause of your disability is very difficult. If you are not able to prove that you would be disabled even if you were not using drugs or alcohol, you will not be entitled to benefits. Although it is possible to prove disability even with on going substance abuse, drug, alcohol and tobacco use tends to harm your credibility as a witness.
