This tool provides estimates for educational purposes only. We are not accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs and do not file claims, provide legal advice, or represent veterans before the VA (38 U.S.C. § 5904). For official assistance, contact a VSO, CVSO, or VA-accredited attorney.
Anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and related)
- Anxiety conditions are rated under 38 CFR 4.130 using the same 0/10/30/50/70/100 General Rating Formula as PTSD and depression.
- Under 38 CFR 4.125, the diagnosis must come from a qualified mental health provider and conform to DSM-5 criteria.
- A veteran with documented anxiety plus PTSD or depression receives a single combined mental health rating, not separate ratings (pyramiding rule).
- Anxiety conditions may be filed as secondary to service-connected chronic pain, TBI, tinnitus, or alongside PTSD under 38 CFR 3.304(f).
- The VA evaluates occupational and social impairment, so evidence of functional impact — missed work, avoided situations, relationship strain — often matters more than the specific diagnostic label.
- Crisis support is always available at 988 press 1, text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net. Mental health care information is at mentalhealth.va.gov. This page is informational only; for care, contact the VA or your provider. Content reviewed against VA public guidance as of 2026-04-19. Rating descriptions simplify 38 CFR 4.130 for plain-language use; refer to the full regulation or consult a CVSO for case-specific questions.
Based on VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities (38 CFR Part 4) and related service-connection regulations. This page is a free community resource. We are not VA-accredited and do not file claims or provide legal advice (per 38 U.S.C. § 5904).
Last reviewed: April 2026 · Next review: October 2026
Maintained by: Veterans Benefits Navigator editorial team. Every citation links to a primary federal or state source. See editorial standards and our privacy posture.
Primary sources: 38 CFR Part 4 (Schedule for Rating Disabilities), VA.gov disability compensation, 38 CFR § 3.310 (secondary service connection)
Overview
Anxiety disorders are among the more commonly service-connected mental health conditions. This category covers generalized anxiety disorder (Diagnostic Code 9400), specific phobia and social phobia (DC 9403), obsessive-compulsive disorder (DC 9404), unspecified anxiety disorder (DC 9410), and panic disorder (DC 9412). The VA rates anxiety conditions under 38 CFR 4.130, using the same General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders that applies to PTSD and depression, with ratings of 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, or 100 percent.
Because all mental health conditions under 38 CFR 4.130 share the same rating formula, a veteran with a documented anxiety diagnosis plus PTSD or depression receives a single combined mental health rating rather than separate ratings. The VA evaluates the overall level of occupational and social impairment, not the specific diagnosis, so documenting how symptoms affect work and daily functioning is often more important than the label itself.
Under 38 CFR 4.125, the VA requires that mental-disorder diagnoses conform to DSM-5 and be made by a qualified provider — a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinician licensed to diagnose mental disorders. Anxiety conditions are frequently claimed as secondary to chronic pain, tinnitus, TBI, or alongside PTSD under 38 CFR 3.304(f).
Crisis resources are always available: call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net.
Rating Criteria
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 0% | A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but the documented symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication. |
| 10% | Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms that decrease work efficiency and ability to perform tasks only during periods of significant stress, or when symptoms are controlled by continuous medication. |
| 30% | Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, due to symptoms such as depressed mood, documented anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, or mild memory loss. |
| 50% | Reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, circumstantial speech, panic attacks more than once per week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, or difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. |
| 70% | Deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, illogical speech, near-continuous panic or depression, impaired impulse control, spatial disorientation, neglect of personal appearance, or inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. |
| 100% | Total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes or communication, persistent delusions or hallucinations, grossly inappropriate behavior, persistent danger of hurting self or others, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living, disorientation, or memory loss for names of close relatives or the veteran’s own name. |
- 0%
A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but the documented symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.
- 10%
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms that decrease work efficiency and ability to perform tasks only during periods of significant stress, or when symptoms are controlled by continuous medication.
- 30%
Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, due to symptoms such as depressed mood, documented anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, or mild memory loss.
- 50%
Reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, circumstantial speech, panic attacks more than once per week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, or difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.
- 70%
Deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, illogical speech, near-continuous panic or depression, impaired impulse control, spatial disorientation, neglect of personal appearance, or inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.
- 100%
Total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as gross impairment in thought processes or communication, persistent delusions or hallucinations, grossly inappropriate behavior, persistent danger of hurting self or others, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living, disorientation, or memory loss for names of close relatives or the veteran’s own name.
These criteria describe how a VA Compensation & Pension examiner evaluates the condition during a rating exam. They are not a self-test. For mental health conditions under 38 CFR 4.130, a diagnosis must be made by a qualified clinician under DSM-5. Actual ratings depend on the totality of evidence reviewed by the VA.
Evidence Checklist
Required
Current diagnosis from a qualified provider
A current diagnosis from a psychiatrist, psychologist, or licensed clinician authorized to diagnose mental disorders, made in accordance with DSM-5 criteria as required by 38 CFR 4.125.
Evidence of in-service event, injury, or stressor
Service treatment records, personnel records, or lay statements documenting an in-service event or ongoing stressor that may support service connection. If claiming alongside PTSD, stressor documentation should meet 38 CFR 3.304(f) standards.
Recommended
Mental health treatment records
Records from VA or private providers showing frequency and severity of documented symptoms, medication history, therapy notes, and progression over time. These records directly address the occupational and social impairment criteria in 38 CFR 4.130.
Buddy statements
Statements from family, friends, fellow service members, or coworkers describing observed behavioral changes, functional limitations, or differences compared to pre-service baseline.
C&P exam preparation
Before the Compensation and Pension exam, review the General Rating Formula so you can describe the frequency, duration, and functional impact of documented symptoms in concrete terms (missed work, avoided situations, relationship strain).
Helpful
Personal statement on functional impact
A written account of how documented symptoms affect work, school, sleep, and relationships. Concrete examples carry more weight than general descriptions.
Nexus opinion for secondary claims
If filed as secondary to a service-connected condition (chronic pain, TBI, tinnitus, PTSD), a medical opinion linking the documented anxiety condition to the primary condition under 38 CFR 3.310.
Secondary Conditions
These conditions may be claimed as secondary to Anxiety Disorders. A nexus is the medical link between a service-connected condition and a related condition. Nexus strength indicates the level of established medical evidence supporting that connection.
Sleep Apnea
DC 6847, Typical range: 0%, 30%, 50%, 100%
Hypertension
DC 7101, Typical range: 0%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%
GERD
DC 7346, Typical range: 10%, 30%, 60%
Migraines
DC 8100, Typical range: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%
Erectile Dysfunction
DC 7522, Typical range: 0%, 20%
Substance Use Disorder
DC 9431, Typical range: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 100%
Explore all secondary conditions in the Secondary Condition Mapper tool.
Related DBQs
Mental Disorders (Other Than PTSD)
Form 21-0960P-2
Search all DBQ forms in the DBQ Finder tool.
Next Steps
This information is for educational purposes only. We are not accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs and do not file claims, provide legal advice, or represent veterans before the VA (38 U.S.C. § 5904). For official assistance, contact a VSO, CVSO, or VA-accredited attorney.