Anxiety / Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorders are rated under the same General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders as PTSD and depression (38 CFR § 4.130). The criteria are identical — the VA rates the level of functional impairment, not the specific diagnosis.
VA Rating Levels
Diagnosed, but symptoms are well-controlled and don't affect daily functioning.
Mild symptoms controlled with continuous medication. Slight effect on work efficiency during stress.
Depressed mood, anxiety, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss. Occasional decrease in work efficiency.
Panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty with relationships and work reliability. Impaired judgment or thinking.
Near-continuous panic or depression, suicidal ideation, inability to maintain relationships. Obsessional rituals, impaired impulse control.
Total impairment in work and social functioning. Persistent delusions, danger to self or others, can't perform basic self-care.
Exam Tips & Key Evidence
- →Panic attacks are a key differentiator: frequency and severity matter a lot
- →Track how anxiety affects specific daily activities — driving, grocery shopping, social events, work meetings
- →If you're rated for PTSD already, anxiety is usually combined into the same rating
- →Secondary to many conditions: chronic pain, TBI, tinnitus
Commonly Related Conditions
38 CFR Reference
38 CFR § 4.130, Diagnostic Code 9400