Opinion ID: 221232
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Severity of Mental Impairments

Text: Buckner first contends that the ALJ's finding that his mental impairmentsspecifically, his depression and anxietywere not severe was not supported by substantial evidence on the record as a whole. In particular, Buckner asserts that the ALJ ignored evidence of Buckner's treatment for depression, Buckner's complaints that the treatment was not effective, and Buckner's testimony that he sometimes isolated himself due to the depression. Moreover, Buckner notes that Dr. Sutton's psychological evaluation concluded that [Buckner] would have mild difficulties maintaining social functioning and concentration, persistence, and pace. Because these symptoms have more than a minimal impact on Buckner's ability to do basic work activities, Buckner maintains that the ALJ was compelled to find that his mental impairments were severe. We disagree and hold that substantial evidence on the record as a whole supports the ALJ's finding that Buckner's mental impairments were not severe. First, in determining whether a claimant's mental impairments are severe, the regulations require the ALJ to consider four broad functional areas in which [the ALJ] will rate the degree of [the claimant's] functional limitation: Activities of daily living; social functioning; concentration, persistence, or pace; and episodes of decompensation. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520a(c)(3), 416.920a(c)(3). The regulations further provide: If we rate the degree of your limitation in the first three functional areas as none or mild and none in the fourth area, we will generally conclude that your impairment(s) is not severe, unless the evidence otherwise indicates that there is more than a minimal limitation in your ability to do basic work activities. Id. §§ 404.1520a(d)(1), 416.920a(d)(1). Here, Dr. Sutton, a licensed psychologist, concluded in his report that Buckner's depression and anxiety did not impair his activities of daily living; mildly limited his ability to maintain social functioning; mildly limited his ability to maintain concentration, persistence, and pace; and did not result in any episodes of decompensation. As a result, the ALJ found that Buckner's depression and anxiety causes no more than `mild' limitation in any of the first 3 functional areas and `no' limitation in the fourth area. Thus, pursuant to the regulations, the ALJ had substantial evidence supporting a conclusion that Buckner's depression and anxiety were not severe. Buckner does not challenge either Dr. Sutton's or the ALJ's findings in these four functional areas. Instead, he argues that, despite these findings, the evidence showed that his depression and anxiety had more than a minimal impact on his ability to do basic work activities. To the contrary, the evidence in the administrative record shows that Buckner's depression and anxiety resulted in very few limitations. Although Buckner did complain to the advanced practice nurse on two occasions in 2005 and 2006 that his medication was not helping with his depression, he had several normal psychological evaluations throughout this same time period. He also had several visits to the advanced practice nurse where he did not raise any concerns about his depression or the ineffectiveness of his medication. Likewise, Dr. Hwang noted that Buckner could effectively manage his depression and anxiety without medication or other assistance. While Buckner testified at the first administrative hearing that his anxiety sometimes forced him to isolate himself in his bedroom, he also attributed those incidents to headaches caused by his hypertension. In any case, as discussed infra, the ALJ properly discounted Buckner's credibility regarding his claims of severe impairments. In sum, although Buckner was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, substantial evidence on the record supports the ALJ's finding that his depression and anxiety was not severe. See Trenary v. Bowen, 898 F.2d 1361, 1364 (8th Cir. 1990) (Depression ... is not necessarily disabling.).