ptsd Confused??

[rwoods04]

Do you get a rating for unspecified depressive disorder?  I was asking because at my C&P I was diasnoged with that instead of PTSD.
Thanks

[Buck52]

Well I mean they either rate it Depression Disorders or PTSD  which is rated separate.depending on the systoms and bad how any

just my opinion

 

.......Buck

Edited February 4, 2016 by Buck52

[Buck52]

yes they do rate mental systomes separate.

[Buck52]

only one rating for a mental disorder  PTSD OR Depression  they rate on the systoms of each and decides what to call it.  only one rating for a mental disorder.  that is correct.

my computer is acting up 

[broncovet]

Whoa Hoss!   Last I knew Veterans are NOT competent to diagnose their own mental health disorders.  (An obvious exception is if the Veteran is a mental health professional) 

So, for example, maybe you think you have paranoid schizonphrenic disorder, but maybe you are not an expert in the DSM evaluation criteria, maybe they have doctors who do that instead.  The VA is going to require a doctors diagnosis, your own lay self diagnosis is insufficient anyway.   

Even tho Veterans are probably not experts at differentiating between paranoid schizophrenic disorder and say, major depressive disorder, this does not preclude them from being service connected for either/both.  

The VA benefits claims system is not supposed to be designed as a "trap" for the unwary, less than astute Veteran who may not be completely certain of his mental health disorder's precise diagnosis.    As such, an application for one mental health disorder should suffice as also an application for another mental health disorder as the Veteran with a mental disorder may never be able to sort out the differences.   He may also lack the skills needed to read somewhat complex medical reports and parse out his diagnosis.  

However, I recognize that VA LOVES to snare the unfortunate Veteran who may misdiagnose his own mental health disorder conflating it with a similar mental health disorder.  This said, I dont think a A Veteran misdiagnosing his own mental health disorder would "stick" at the CAVC resulting in a reduced or zero benefit rating as a result of his misdiagnosis.  

This said, if you feel better about it, and dont want to go to the CAVC because you were unsure of your mental health diagnosis, then the simple way is to modify your benefit application to include Any/all mental health disorder including PTSD, MDD, Bipolar or any of the other myriad of mental health disorders.   That should cover all your bases regardless of your diagnosis.   

    The CAVC has recognized that many Veterans lack the applicable skills to parse out their own diagnosis, and allow the Veteran to simply "point at the body part that hurts", in this case, the Veteran may be able to apply for any mental health disorder by saying, "there is somthing wrong with my head, and I wish to apply for Veterans benefits for it."  

    The big deal is that you are seeking BENEFITS, and not just treatment for the disorder, which VA calls an "intent to apply for one or more benefits".  

    If you look on the 21-526 benefit form, it requires you list the "nature" of the benefit, along with the date and where you were treated for it, as follows:

PLEASE PROVIDE NATURE OF SICKNESS, DISEASE, OR INJURIES FOR WHICH THIS CLAIM IS MADE; DATE EACH BEGAN; AND PLACE OF TREATMENT

end of 21-526 form quote.

Notice a "diagnosis" is not required to apply for benefits, just a "nature".  

Edited February 4, 2016 by broncovet

[Buck52]

I never said veteran diagnosed there own disorders

Basicly what I meant is  if a veteran is diagnosed by VA with PTSD and then gets his decision that it was rated a mental disorder and not PTSD (although both are mental disorders)  they rate the symtoms as to what precives what  either PTSD or Depression

[broncovet]

Watch out, tho!  You should "clarify" that you are seeking not JUST PTSD, but any mental health disorder diagnosed by a doctor you should so state, and not confuse VA into thinking you are applying for a NEW mental health disorder, AS this could hurt your effective date.