The Veteran's dysthymic disorder has been manifested by anger, depression, dysphoria, irritability, impaired impulse control, including anger outbursts and crying spells, verbally abusive behavior, mood swings, poor concentration, sleep impairment, some memory impairment, feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness, social withdrawal and isolation, inability to interact with others, distrust, fearfulness, paranoia, poor motivation, inability to sustain interest in goal-directed activities, and impaired thinking and judgment. The disability results in significant but not total social and occupational impairment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's dysthymic disorder has been manifested by symptoms consistent with a 70 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (General Rating Formula), including deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.
- Claimed conditions
- dysthymic disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- May 23, 2012
- Citation
- 1218251
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1218251.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Granted
The Veteran's dysthymic disorder disability was productive of total social and occupational impairment throughout the claim period, warranting a 100 percent disability rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for fibromyalgia and psychiatric disabilities, as well as his entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder, anxiety disorder, borderline intellectual functioning, and dyslexia have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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