ptsd C&p Exam For Ptsd

[Navalaircrewman]

I had a C&P exam in May for PTSD. Prior to that I have been seeing the VA mental health for almost a year for PTSD. They diagnosed me with PTSD. At the C&P in May, the psychologist stated that I did not meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis, but did have anxiety and depression. The report states that I do have symptoms associated with PTSD, but DO NOT meet the DSM IV criteria for PTSD. He stated that the anxiety and depression are MORE LIKELY THAN NOT related to military service. he stated combat service-Yes. I have no axis II diagnosis, and a GAF of 51. What are my next steps, if any? Am I screwed, since the claim was for PTSD, not anxiety and depression?

[john999]

I think the word has gone out not to DX PTSD. You can still get SC'ed for the anxiety and depression which is what PTSD often is anyway. PTSD is another type of anxiety disorder. GAD, Panic disorder, phobias and dissociative disorder are all reactions to stress and have anxiety as a symptom.

[carlie]

Carlie,

In my explaining to the examiner about an aircraft I was a crewmwmber on flying into Somalia, getting shot at while we were on approach, I explained to him that it wasn't until we were on the ground that I realized we were so close to death, and I felt frightened.

In his report, he stated that since I didn't exhibit an immediate fear for my life, that that is a requirement for a PTSD diagnosis.

He did state that I do exhibit symptoms of, including sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, difficulty holding jobs, and relationships. So in the axis I, he put anxiety and depression as the diagnosis, axis II-None, Axis V- GAF 51....combat service-YES. "exhibit sym,ptoms of PTSD..meet the criteria for a PTSD Diagnosis-NO...and of course the "more likley than not" for the anxiety and depression. Do you think that they'll deny my claim because the claim was for PTSD, not anxiety and depression? Or, will they possibly rate the anxiety and depression for service connection? THanks!

Naval,

You could shoot this exam down if you wanted to because if the C&P examiner actually

wrote that in his report - he doesn't not know what PTSD is and how to diagnosis it.

You can stick with the anxiety/depression, that'd be up to you and the VBA should go ahead and rate it.

What a sham job that was.

Notice the highlighted color below:

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/pages/dsm-iv-tr-ptsd.asp

"DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD

In 2000, the American Psychiatric Association revised the PTSD diagnostic criteria in the fourth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR)(1). The diagnostic criteria (A-F) are specified below.

Diagnostic criteria for PTSD include a history of exposure to a traumatic event meeting two criteria and symptoms from each of three symptom clusters: intrusive recollections, avoidant/numbing symptoms, and hyper-arousal symptoms. A fifth criterion concerns duration of symptoms and a sixth assesses functioning.

Criterion A: stressor

The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following have been present:

1. The person has experienced, witnessed, or been confronted with an event or events that involve actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others.
2. The person's response involved intense fear,helplessness, or horror. Note: in children, it may be expressed instead by disorganized or agitated behavior.

Criterion B: intrusive recollection

The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in at least one of the following ways:

1. Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions. Note: in young children, repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed.
2. Recurrent distressing dreams of the event. Note: in children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content
3. Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes,including those that occur upon awakening or when intoxicated). Note: in children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur.
4. Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.
5. Physiologic reactivity upon exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event

Criterion C: avoidant/numbing

Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by at least three of the following:

1. Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the trauma
2. Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the trauma
3. Inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma
4. Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities
5. Feeling of detachment or estrangement from others
6. Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings)
7. Sense of foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a normal life span)

Criterion D: hyper-arousal

Persistent symptoms of increasing arousal (not present before the trauma), indicated by at least two of the following:

1. Difficulty falling or staying asleep
2. Irritability or outbursts of anger
3. Difficulty concentrating
4. Hyper-vigilance
5. Exaggerated startle response

Criterion E: duration

Duration of the disturbance (symptoms in B, C, and D) is more than one month.

Criterion F: functional significance

The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Specify if:

Acute: if duration of symptoms is less than three months

Chronic: if duration of symptoms is three months or more

*** Specify if:

With or Without delay onset: Onset of symptoms at least six months after the stressor

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Revised 4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author."

[Navalaircrewman]

Carlie,

Thanks for the reply.I'll take my chances and hope and pray they rate my C&P for anxiety and depression....

[cooter]

carlie

Please correct me if I'm mistaken, I am thinking the difference between being granted PTSD verses anxiety/depression is its easier to get awarded P&T. It seems "future exam" is mentioned alot with anxiety and depression ratings. Please let me know.