Social security disability benefits and SSI is a program for long term disability but you do not have to be disabled forever to get Social Security Disability Benefits but you do have to be disabled for at least twelve months. So if you are suffering from an injury or a medical condition that prevents you from working for twelve months you can get Social Security Disability Benefits even if you return to work say in Thirteen months so in many cases a person can get temporary Social Security Disability Benefits but only if there disability lasted for at least twelve months and they mean twelve months eleven months is not sufficient.