What Is A Normal Percentage For Major Depression?

[cowgirl]

Looking for a ballpark idea of compensation rating for major depression and/or MST. thanks cg

[foreveryoung]

My first rating was at 30% about 4-5 years ago, GAF was 60. I had that increased to 50% over a year ago GAF was 50. Hope this helps.

[Guest DON20906]

There is no "ballpark" evaluation for MDD/MST (Military Sexual Trauma??? is not a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis. It is a stressor.)

The rating schedule mental disorders is roughly inverse to the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale; that is the lower your GAF score, the higher your disability rating. Both scales consider the total functioning of an individual based on all the diagnoses of record, plus the GAF score considers general medical conditions and psychosocial environment. VA uses the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders for all mental evaluations except eating disorders, which have thier own schedule.

Compare:

General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders:

Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: 100

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 (including maintenance of

minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory

loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, 70

such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood,

due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which

interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or

irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting

the ability to function independently, appropriately andeffectively;

impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with

periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal

appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful

circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to

establish and maintain effective relationships

Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and 50

productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect;

circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks

more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands;

impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only

highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired

judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and

mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and

social relationships

Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work 30

efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform

occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily,

with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to

such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic

attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild

memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events)

Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms 10

which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational

tasks only during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms

controlled by continuous medication

A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not 0

severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social

functioning or to require continuous medication

Global Assessment of Functioning Scale.

Scale Consider psychological, social, and occupational functioning on a

hypothetical continuum of mental health-illness.

Do not include impairment in functioning due to physical or environmental limitations.

You do not need to know the numbers but rather what the GAF measures and is used for Code ( Note. Use intermediate codes when appropriate, e.g., 45, 68, 72.)

91-100 Superior functioning in a wide range of activities, life's problems never seem to get out of hand, is sought out by others because of his or her many positive qualities. No symptoms

81-90 Absent or minimal symptoms ( e.g., mild anxiety before an exam ), good functioning in all areas, interested and involved in a wide range of activities, socially effective, generally satisfied with life, no more than everyday problems or concerns ( e.g., an occasional argument with family members )

71-80 If symptoms are present, they are transient and expectable reactions to psychosocial. stressors ( e.g., difficulty concentrating after family argument ); no more than slight impairment in social occupational, or school functioning ( e.g., temporarily falling behind in schoolwork ).

61-70 Some mild symptoms ( e.g., depressed mood and mild insomnia ) OR some difficulty in social occupational, or school functioning ( e.g., occasional truancy or theft within the household ), but generally functioning pretty well, has some meaningful interpersonal relationships.

51-60 Moderate symptoms ( e.g., flat affect and circumstantial speech, occasional panic attacks ) OR moderate difficulty in social, occupational, or school functioning ( e.g., few friends, conflicts with peers or co-workers ).

41-50 Severe symptoms ( e.g., suicidal ideation, severe obsessional rituals, frequent shoplifting ) OR any serious impairment in social, occupational or school functioning ( e,g., no friends, unable to keep a job ).

31-40 Some impairment in reality testing or communication ( e.g., speech is at times illogical, obscure, or irrelevant ) OR major impairment in several areas, such as work or school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood ( e.g., depressed man avoids friends, neglects family, and is unable to work; child frequently beats up younger children, is defiant at home, and is failing at school ).

21-30 Behavior is considerably influenced by delusions or hallucinations OR serious impairment in communication or judgment ( e.g., sometimes incoherent, acts grossly inappropriately, suicidal preoccupation ) OR inability to function in almost all areas ( e.g., stays in bed all day, no job, home, or friends ).

11-20 Some danger of hurting self or others ( e .g., suicidal attempts without clear expectation of death; frequently violent; manic excitement ) OR occasionally fails to maintain minimal personal hygiene ( e.g., smears feces ) OR gross impairment in communication ( e.g., largely incoherent or mute ).

1-10 Persistent danger of severely hurting self or others ( e.g., recurrent violence ) OR persistent inability to maintain minimal personal hygiene OR serious suicidal act with clear expectation of death.0 Inadequate information.

Hope this helps.

My first rating was at 30% about 4-5 years ago, GAF was 60. I had that increased to 50% over a year ago GAF was 50. Hope this helps.

[john999]

Cowgirl

If your depression keeps you from working that will be a major factor in how high your rating will be.

If you are still able to work then it is hard to get above 50% with a mental/emotional disorder. That is where I think their is discrimination between physical and mental disabilities. A person with a 100% physical disability can still work and even become head of the VA or become a Senator. Nobody with 100% PTSD or Depression can do that and keep their VA money.

[john999]

Foreveryoung

I had a GAF of 50 and I got 70%. The GAF is a guide but not the only factor in a rating. Do you work? If you don't work or get SSDI for your disability then 50% is probably too low.

[Guest DON20906]

I said they are roughly inversely related. Other factors, especially the effect of a mental disorder on the ability to secure and maintain employment, play a larger role in the General Formula for Rating Mental Disorders than in the GAF Scale.

Foreveryoung

I had a GAF of 50 and I got 70%. The GAF is a guide but not the only factor in a rating. Do you work? If you don't work or get SSDI for your disability then 50% is probably too low.

[cowgirl]

Thanks, on VA website I saw 30 to 50% or so. Current gaf is 50 and because of worries, work is a few days here or there only. Not sure if SSDI is available to me, spouse works, kids in school..