The anxiety formula draws one of the brightest lines in the mental health schedule: panic attacks weekly or less often sits at 30 percent, and more than once a week sits at 50. Almost no veteran keeps count, so the examiner hears sometimes and writes the lower level. A dated log of attacks is worth more to this claim than another exam.
Generalized anxiety disorder is rated under DC 9400 using the general rating formula for mental disorders in 38 CFR 4.130. The formula draws one of the clearest lines in the mental health schedule: panic attacks weekly or less often sits at 30 percent, and more than once a week sits at 50. Almost no veteran keeps count, so the examiner hears "sometimes" and writes the lower level. A dated log of attacks is worth more to this claim than another exam.
How VA rates anxiety
Generalized anxiety disorder is rated under diagnostic code 9400 in the mental disorders schedule (38 CFR 4.130). Social anxiety disorder and specific phobia use 9403, panic disorder and agoraphobia use 9412, and unspecified anxiety disorder uses 9413. All of them are rated under the same general rating formula for mental disorders, so the percentage turns on occupational and social impairment, not on which anxiety diagnosis appears in your chart.
The percentage levels
- 0 percent: a formal diagnosis exists, but symptoms do not interfere with occupational and social functioning and do not require continuous medication.
- 10 percent: mild or transient symptoms that decrease work efficiency only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.
- 30 percent: occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent inability to perform occupational tasks, with symptoms such as anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks weekly or less often, chronic sleep impairment, and mild memory loss.
- 50 percent: reduced reliability and productivity, with symptoms such as panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment and abstract thinking, disturbances of motivation and mood, and difficulty keeping effective work and social relationships.
- 70 percent: deficiencies in most areas, with symptoms such as near-continuous panic affecting the ability to function independently, obsessional rituals that interfere with routine activities, impaired impulse control, and difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances including work.
- 100 percent: total occupational and social impairment, with symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes or communication, persistent danger of hurting self or others, and disorientation to time or place.
Panic attack frequency is the 30 to 50 line
The formula draws an unusually clear line for anxiety: panic attacks weekly or less often appear at 30 percent, and panic attacks more than once a week appear at 50 percent. Few veterans keep a record of attack frequency, and an examiner who hears "sometimes" will often write the lower level. A simple dated log of attacks, kept over a few months, is some of the highest value evidence an anxiety claim can have.
One rating covers every mental health diagnosis
Anxiety rarely travels alone. If you also carry depression or PTSD, VA assigns a single rating for the combined impairment from all mental health conditions, because separate ratings would pay twice for overlapping symptoms (38 CFR 4.14). The single rating uses the diagnostic code that best fits the overall picture, and raters must weigh the frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms across the entire record (38 CFR 4.126).
Continuous medication and the 10 percent level
Symptoms "controlled by continuous medication" sit at 10 percent. If medication takes the edge off but you still avoid crowds, lose sleep before deadlines, or leave work during panic episodes, make sure the treatment record captures the remaining impairment rather than just the prescription.
Common rating details veterans overlook
- "Such symptoms as" means the lists are examples. Symptoms that are not listed still count toward the level they best match.
- 38 CFR 4.126 directs raters to weigh both occupational and social impairment together. A record that documents only one dimension is weaker, so capture effects on work, relationships, daily obligations, and community activities to give the rater the full picture the regulation requires.
- Anxiety secondary to a service-connected condition, such as chronic pain or a heart condition, can be service connected under 38 CFR 3.310.
- A 70 percent rating meets the TDIU threshold on its own, so if anxiety keeps you from substantially gainful work, individual unemployability pays at the 100 percent rate.
Related on this site
- How VA rates mental disorders (38 CFR 4.130)
- How VA rates depression (DC 9434)
- Mental health at 70 versus 100, and the TDIU bridge
- Lay evidence and personal statements that carry weight
Common questions
How does VA rate anxiety?
Generalized anxiety disorder is rated under diagnostic code 9400 using the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders at 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, or 100 percent. Social anxiety and phobias use 9403, panic disorder and agoraphobia 9412, and unspecified anxiety 9413, but all are rated under the same formula, so the percentage turns on occupational and social impairment rather than which anxiety diagnosis appears in your chart.
What separates a 30 percent from a 50 percent anxiety rating?
Panic attack frequency draws an unusually bright line: attacks weekly or less often appear at 30 percent, while attacks more than once a week appear at 50 percent. Few veterans keep a record of attack frequency, and an examiner who hears "sometimes" will often write the lower level, which makes a simple dated log of attacks kept over a few months some of the highest value evidence an anxiety claim can have.
I also have depression. Do I get two ratings?
No. VA assigns a single rating for the combined impairment from all mental health conditions, because separate ratings would pay twice for overlapping symptoms under 38 CFR 4.14. The rating uses the diagnostic code that best fits the overall picture.
Does controlled medication limit my anxiety rating?
Symptoms controlled by continuous medication sit at the 10 percent level. If medication takes the edge off but you still avoid crowds, lose sleep before deadlines, or leave work during panic episodes, make sure the treatment record captures the remaining impairment rather than just the prescription.
Can anxiety support TDIU?
Yes. A 70 percent rating meets the TDIU schedular threshold on its own, so if anxiety keeps you from substantially gainful work, individual unemployability pays at the 100 percent rate. Anxiety secondary to a service connected condition, such as chronic pain or a heart condition, can also be service connected under 38 CFR 3.310.