When dealing with VA claims regarding mental disorders, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs uses a certain specialized language. In order to more effectively argue mental disorder claims, a veteran and the VA disability attorney who represents them should make themselves familiar with some of these special terms.
Here are some common terms that anyone involved with VA claims should learn:
Amnestic: Causing loss of memory.
Axis: One of the 5 different types of problems a person making VA claims for a mental disorder may have.
Axis I: Clinical disorders.
Axis II: Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation.
Axis III: General Medical Conditions.
Axis IV: Psychological and Environmental Problems.
Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning.
Bipolar Disorder: A mood disorder where both excitable (manic) and depressed (depressive) episodes take place.
Cognitive: The process of thinking.
Dementia: A disorder that causes general loss of intellectual abilities and impairment of judgment, memory, and abstract thinking.
Dissociative Disorders: Mental disorders such as multiple personality disorder which cause sudden, temporary changes in memory, identity, or consciousness.
DSM (III, III-R, or IV): The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This is a book that classifies known mental illnesses and their symptoms.
Dysthymic Disorder: A mood disorder that results in depressed feelings and lack of interest in usual activities, but isn’t severe enough to be Major Depression.
Personality Disorder: A pattern of behavior that departs from normal cultural expectations. This usually begins during adolescence or early adulthood.
Psychotic Disorders: Disorders such as Schizophrenia that result in the afflicted individual having regular delusions or hallucinations that put them out of touch with reality.
Psychoneurotic Disorders: A disorder that results in phobias, obsessions, and anxiety attacks. One example of this is Posttraumatic stress disorder.
PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder): A disorder in which the afflicted person re-experiences an extremely traumatic event. This usually results in nightmares, difficulty sleeping, anxiety attacks, and increased arousal.
Schizoaffective Disorder: A mental disorder characterized by the presence of both schizophrenia and mood disturbances such as depression.
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Schizophrenia: A disorder where the afflicted are out of touch with reality most of the time. They suffer from grossly disorganized behavior, disorganized speech, delusions, hallucinations, and inappropriate affect.
Somatoform Disorders: A disorder where a person has certain physical symptoms of a medical condition, but tests do not reveal that they actually have that condition.
Superimpose: To lay or place something on or over something else.
When dealing with cases involving VA claims, it is imperative that your VA disability attorney knows and comprehends the proceeding list of terms so that he or she can effectively represent you when dealing with the VA.
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