Depression, anxiety and PTSD —
recognition and rights at the NII

One of the most mistaken and most damaging beliefs is that only a physical injury “counts”. Many people living with depression, anxiety or PTSD are convinced they are not entitled to anything — because their injury “cannot be seen”. The truth is exactly the opposite: a psychological injury is recognised by the National Insurance Institute as a disability in every sense, just like a physical one.

Since the events of the war and the terror attacks, thousands of Israelis have been living with psychological injuries — anxiety, nightmares, constant hypervigilance, difficulty functioning. Many of them are entitled to significant rights and do not know it. In this article we explain which psychological conditions are recognised, how psychological disability is determined, and what matters most on the way to claiming your rights.

A psychological injury is not “less serious” than a physical one — it is simply different in character. Someone with severe anxiety or deep depression may struggle to leave the house, to function at work or to run an ordinary family life, exactly like someone with a physical injury — and sometimes more so. The law and the system recognise that, and many rights are available to people injured psychologically. The only problem is that many are unaware of it, or are afraid to apply.

Which psychological conditions are recognised?

A wide range of mental health disorders is recognised within the disability percentage system. Among the most common:

• PTSD — following a single traumatic event or prolonged trauma
• Depression — clinical, prolonged or recurrent
• Anxiety disorders — generalised anxiety, panic attacks, phobias
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Mood disorders
• Psychological conditions that developed following a physical illness or injury

It is worth emphasising: no parallel physical injury is required. Someone injured psychologically alone — for example through exposure to a terror incident, to sirens or to evacuation — may be recognised and receive full entitlements.

Why do so many people with a psychological injury never apply?

Although the rights exist, a high proportion of people injured psychologically never claim them. The reasons are familiar and very human:

• Stigma and shame — difficulty admitting the psychological difficulty, both to themselves and to an official body.
• A sense that “it does not count” — the mistaken belief that only a physical injury entitles you to anything.
• The psychological difficulty itself — depression and anxiety damage the ability to take initiative, fill in forms and cope with bureaucracy.
• Simply not knowing — nobody ever pointed it out.

The result is a sad one: people who genuinely need support and entitlements carry on alone, while their eligibility sits waiting. The first step is simply knowing that it is possible — and that it is legitimate to ask for help.

How is psychological disability determined?

Like any disability, psychological disability is determined by a medical committee, under a dedicated section of the official Schedule of Impairments. The section grades the severity of the disorder and its effect on functioning — and that is how the disability percentage is set.

The assessment relates, among other things, to: the severity of the symptoms, the degree of effect on daily functioning, the ability to work and earn a living, social and family functioning, and the need for treatment and medication. The greater the effect on your life, the higher the percentage.

Why is documentation especially critical in mental health?

With a physical injury there is sometimes an image, a test or a visible finding. With a psychological injury, the medical documentation is everything. The committee cannot “see” the depression or the anxiety; it relies on the documents put before it. Which is why the quality of the documentation is often the difference between recognition and refusal.

The key documentation to collect:

• A professional psychiatric or psychological assessment
• Treatment summaries and continuity of treatment over time
• Prescriptions and documentation of medication taken
• A detailed description of the impact on functioning — at work, in the family and in daily life
• Sick notes and relevant medical records

What matters in proving it?

Three central components strengthen a claim for a psychological injury:

• That the disorder exists — a clear, unambiguous professional assessment.
• Continuity — that the condition is not a one-off but has persisted over time, with documented treatment.
• Functional impact — how the disorder actually damages your ability to function, to work and to run an ordinary life.

The third component is often the decisive one. It is not enough to say “I have anxiety” — you have to show how it changes your life: difficulty leaving the house, a decline in functioning at work, social avoidance, sleep disturbance. The more detailed and better supported the picture, the more convincing it is.

A psychological injury following an event — hostile actions and accidents

Where the psychological injury was caused by a defined event — a hostile action, a work accident or a war event — the relevant route may not be general disability but a dedicated route (hostile-action casualties or work injury), on which the benefits and entitlements may be broader.

In those cases it is particularly important to prove the connection between the event and the psychological injury. An assessment documenting that connection — and showing how the injury developed following the event — is critical to recognition on the right route.

Sometimes the psychological injury does not appear immediately after the event but develops months or even years later. This is very common in PTSD, where symptoms may “erupt” long after the original event. It is important to know that a claim can still be filed and the connection proved in that situation too — a delay in the appearance of symptoms does not rule out entitlement, but it does require medical documentation explaining the sequence of development.

How do you prepare for a committee on a psychological condition?

Appearing before a medical committee in the mental health field is particularly sensitive. Here are some important principles:

• Describe your condition on the difficult day, not the good one — the committee needs to understand the maximum impact, not the moments when you do manage to function.
• Do not “hold it in” and do not play it down — many people, out of pride or embarrassment, understate the difficulties. That directly damages the outcome.
• Bring all the documentation — organised and in chronological order.
• Describe concrete examples — not “I am anxious” but “I cannot get on a bus”, “I wake up every night”, “I have stopped leaving the house”.

Common mistakes in psychological claims

• Arriving at the committee without an orderly psychiatric assessment
• Playing down the condition or trying to “look fine”
• Insufficient documentation of continuity of treatment
• Failing to describe the actual functional impact
• Giving up after a refusal, without exercising the right of appeal

What entitlements may be available?

Recognition of a psychological injury may bring a range of entitlements, depending on the route and the severity:

• Psychological disability percentages and a monthly allowance
• Psychological treatment and medication
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Accompanying benefits and discounts
• On the hostile-action casualty route — dedicated benefits and entitlements

Beyond the allowance itself, recognition opens the door to a series of accompanying entitlements — reimbursement of medical expenses, help with rehabilitation, and in some cases discounts and concessions in various areas. In other words, recognition is not just “a number” — it is a whole system of support designed to allow you to cope and to recover.

A psychological injury is not “less” than a physical one — it is simply not visible. What you are going through is real, and there are rights that go with it.

In summary

Depression, anxiety and PTSD are real, recognised injuries, and the National Insurance Institute treats them as a disability in every sense. The key to claiming your rights is orderly medical documentation, a professional assessment, and an honest, detailed account of the effect on your life. If you are living with a psychological injury, do not assume in advance that you are not entitled. Check your eligibility, gather the documents, and do not give up what is yours.

And most importantly — remember that you are not alone in this. Thousands of people are experiencing exactly what you are experiencing, and many of them have already claimed their rights and received support that made a real difference. Applying to claim your rights is not a sign of weakness — it is a responsible, grown-up step by someone looking after themselves and their family. You deserve to receive what the law has set out for you, and you deserve to do it with support, rather than alone against the system.