Sexual Addiction

[elliottme2]

Does anyone know if sexual addiction is rateable. Was diagnosed for it in the military. Still suffering from it. I was in inpatient clinic while in the miliatary for it. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[tssnave]

From a VA rating perspective, it doesn't matter if you have depression, OCD, or any number of other mental illnesses - they are all lumped together. IOW, you cannot be rated for OCD and depression, they will just say you have "OCD with depression" or some other VA speak and give you one rating based on your sx and how those sx line up with the rating schedule.

You do have major depressive disorder, which is ratable, so you should be rated based on your symptoms. Also, you have a low GAF score which indicates a severe mental illness.

Your thread does bring up an interesting question - if you requested evaluation based on OCD but got labeled Major Depression instead I assume the VA will rate your depression without your having to specifically apply for depression as opposed to having applied for OCD. Keep us posted on the outcome.

Here's the VA rating schedule on mental disorders in case you don't have it:

http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOO...ART4/S4_130.DOC

Also, and this is just a guess, but since you applied for OCD, the examiner was asked to give a medical opinion on OCD which would explain the remarks about OCD. A quick google search reveals the DSM states OCD "is in contrast to "addictive" behaviors which produce pleasure or gratification". If you complete the sex act during your sexual compulsions my guess is the examiner is assuming this gives you pleasure and gratification, hence, your sexual addiction is not clinically considered OCD.

You can check out the DSM criteria for OCD here:

http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/disorders/o-cd.htm

FRT, there apparently is debate among the shrinks as to whether or not sexual addiction is OCD or not. Quick google search will show you that there are two sides to this debate and apparently the treatment you got in service had the mindset that sexual addiction was OCD while the C&P examiner does not.

Since you have depression you still have a ratable claim even without a OCD dx for the sex addiction.

You mentioned you are married - do you have a Celebrate Recovery (CR) program at a church near you? It is a Christian 12-step program like the SA, AA, GA, etc 12-step programs only CR is not ambivilent about who the "higher power" is, they know God as their higher power. Because pornography is such a problem in and outside the church, CR has a sexual addiction break out group that you could benefit from. Your spouse could also attend a women's relationship group. CR has a big group teaching or testimony and then they break out in gender specific groups which IMHO makes things easier for a husband and wife to get the support they need from their peers. Something to consider.

Keep us posted on the outcome of your claim and hang in there while you wait.

Thanks,

TS Snave

[Pete53]

Elliot:

Don't worry wait and see what VA says.

[john999]

Your GAF scores and DX'es seem confused. Impulse control disorder is usually a Personality disorder and comes under Axis II. Depression comes under Axis I. However, it they SC you for depression that is compensable and that is what counts.

Many bi-polar people have sexual problems because their impulse controls are weak, but it is due to the bi-polar and not a PD. I guess you have to wait and see what the VA says. If they don't get it right then appeal it.

[Pete53]

I removed a post that if repeated will be dealt with appropriately. No personal attacks and by extension no attacks on gender. Please refrain from taking your issues out on a Hadit Member

[Teac]

When trying to get a condition that you were treated in the military for service connected there is always the problem that the military did not feel the condition was either sufficiently chronic or sufficiently disabling at the time of your discharge to rate the disability. In effect you are fighting a determination that the claim has already been denied.

The military for years and even now only rate medical issues that directly impact your performance. For example, I was medically retired in 1986 for asthma at 30% , Because I had a profile stating NO Field duty. Yet I had other more serious medical conditions that were not rated by the service and rated by the VA at 70%. If the Army had rated me honestly I would have receive a 70% rating on retirement not the 30% I did get.

In fact this is the very reason that congress created the review board that allows a veteran to request his medical discharge or retirement to be reviewed because the military and VA using the same rating guide, almost never agreed on the ratings. And the Iraq war veterans were being screwed out of compensation and retirement benefits.

So don't think that just because the military did not rate you when you were discharged that this was correct because it wasn't.

As far as a sexually addiction, The only time I have heard about this is Law & order, but I don't see how anyone could get a rating for it by the VA.Even if you want to call it by another name. What next compensation for Porn addiction?

Edited December 15, 2009 by Teac

[elliottme2]