VA Anxiety Ratings, When to Seek Care and Treatment Options

For those who have served or are serving in the military, anxiety is a common and serious challenge. Your service often means facing high-stress situations, trauma or the simple difficulty of transitioning back to civilian life. If you’re a veteran struggling with intense worry, fear or panic, please know that your struggles are real, recognized and treatable.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) understands how much anxiety can have on a veteran’s life. The VA offers disability ratings for anxiety disorders that are connected to or made worse by military service. These ratings range from 10%, 30%, 50%, 70% to 100%. The percentage shows how much your anxiety makes it hard for you to work and be part of social life. A higher percentage means your problems are more severe.

The VA recognizes many types of anxiety, including:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Panic disorder
Social anxiety disorder or social phobia
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (classified under anxiety by the VA)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (classified under anxiety by the VA)
Specific phobias
Other types of anxiety disorders: specified and unspecified

Anxiety is far from rare in the veteran community. Around 30% of veterans experience symptoms of anxiety, and about 8% are diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). If you’ve been living with anxiety, whether from combat stress, life transitions, traumatic experiences or chronic worry, it’s important to know that help is available.

Your VA rating is important for getting benefits, but it doesn’t tell the whole story of your life. Many veterans may start to think about treatment when their symptoms make it hard to work, keep relationships or even sleep. If you’re wondering if it’s time to try new treatment options, you’ve already taken a great step forward.

When anxiety is too much

It’s time to explore new treatment options when you notice any or multiple of these serious and lasting signs:

Frequent and intense panic attacks

If you have these attacks, where you feel sudden, strong fear, chest pain and like you’re losing control, more than once a week, it needs attention.

Difficulty concentrating and working

Does your anxiety make it impossible to focus on simple tasks, follow directions or stick to a work schedule? These symptoms make it difficult to stay productive.

Social and relationship strains

Anxiety often makes you want to hide from people. If you avoid friends and family, feel suspicious of others, or struggle to keep up family relations, the condition is significantly affecting your social life.

Physical symptoms won’t stop

Anxiety doesn’t just affect your mood. Physical signs like constant sleep problems, tight muscles, headaches or always feeling tired show that your body is constantly stressed.

Emotional and mood instability

If you have frequent mood swings, get easily irritated or have angry outbursts, these show that your feelings are hard to control. These are signs that you need stronger treatment.

Quality of daily life is impacted

If your anxiety stops you from doing the things you need and want to do, like shopping, going to appointments or enjoying a hobby, it’s definitely time to look for more effective help.

It’s important to remember that the real goal of treatment is to help you get your life back. You deserve to feel safe, calm and present.

Treatment options to help restore your well-being

The good news is that anxiety, even severe anxiety, can be treated. Veterans have access to excellent care through the VA system and often through community doctors and clinics that the VA works with.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is a powerful first line of defense. The VA strongly supports evidence-based therapies such as:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT helps you identify and change the negative thinking patterns and avoidance behaviors that feed anxiety. It can be highly effective for GAD, social anxiety and panic disorder.

Exposure therapy

Often used for specific phobias or PTSD, exposure therapy helps you gradually confront the things you fear in a safe, controlled way, so the anxiety loses its power.

Medication management

Anti-anxiety medicines and certain antidepressants are often used to help balance the chemicals in your brain. This makes it easier to handle the strong physical and mental symptoms of anxiety. Finding the right medicine or combination of medicines can be a process, but it can also provide significant relief.

Advanced treatments for complex cases

For those whose anxiety is mixed with depression, or for cases like severe OCD that haven’t gotten better with standard treatments, newer options are available:

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation has shown great promise for veterans dealing with anxious depression that is hard to treat. It’s also used for treating OCD. TMS can help lift depression and can greatly reduce anxiety without the side effects of traditional medicine. The VA is starting to use TMS more because of its effectiveness and minimal side effects.

Spravato® nasal spray

Primarily used for treatment-resistant depression, Spravato® is a rapid-acting option for veterans who need fast relief, which we currently offer in California. Because depression and anxiety often go hand in hand, treating the underlying depression can help lower anxiety symptoms.

Find the support you deserve with Psychiatry Treatment Centers

If you’re a veteran whose anxiety is controlling your life, you have more than earned the right to effective, compassionate care. You don’t have to navigate the transition back to civilian life or the challenges of mental health alone.

Psychiatry Treatment Centers understands the unique needs of service members and their families. We offer a full spectrum of care, including advanced, evidence-based treatments like TMS and Spravato®. We actively work with VA clinics to help ensure that veterans have access to our specialized services.

With locations in California and Georgia, including our Hinesville, Georgia, clinic supporting Fort Stewart families, we’re here to support people of all walks of life as you take the courageous step toward healing and reclaiming your peace of mind.

Reach out to our team by phone today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment. You can also book your initial appointment online now.