Ryan

I. BACKGROUND

A. The claimant’s medical history.

Prior to filing for disability, Ryan worked for several years as a cashier and attendant at a garbage transfer station. She was placed on administrative leave in October 1999 after fail- ing a random drug test and was ultimately terminated in late 1999. After she was fired, in December 1999 Ryan began to complain to her treating physician, family practitioner Dr. Neva Monigatti-Lake, that she was suffering “feelings of immobility, panic attacks, [and] crying spells.” Dr. Monigatti- Lake’s notes from that early December visit indicated an assessment of “anxiety disorder,” and she increased Ryan’s dosage of anti-depressants. When Ryan visited Dr. Monigatti- Lake a week later, she continued to assess her with “anxiety disorder, improving” and “depression, improving.” On Ryan’s next visit to Dr. Monigatti-Lake on March 1, 2000, the diag- nosis was still “anxiety disorder,” with no indication that Ryan had improved. Dr. Monigatti-Lake’s observation notes indicated that during the March 1 visit Ryan was “coherent but very agitated. Rapid speaking and hand movements.” Those symptoms persisted. When Ryan visited Dr. Monigatti- Lake on…