1-stop-shop for Veteran benefits: CivDivonline.com FedReg: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/15/2022-02051/schedule-for-rating-disabilities-mental-disorders Free Mental Health Nexus Letter: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/j6-XgKiXmNyllYE.html - Clay

Thank you so much for having me on, Clay! Grateful to be able to work with you, brother.

Just got rated 80%, 70 is ptsd, I definitely hope they do make these changes soon. I think that will bump me to that 100 alone. Anyway, this was my first claim out in 2013, a big thanks to you and what you do, I definitely benefited

CIVDIV I appreciate what YOU do! I learn a lot everyday about the VA! I am still working on my claims! Since 1998, I’ve been dealing with the VA Compensation Side! What a struggle! I’m at 90%, I started out 20% with 20 years of service! Got four claims in now, if I get mental health & sleep apnea I should get to 100%! All my injuries and my age I should get P&T. I’m also learning too, because when I retire from working I plan on volunteering time at the VA helping Veterans get the HELP they earned & deserve!

Doc Sharma is awesome, and the Veteran community is lucky to have him helping veterans.

I recommend this video for all of us with mental problems

Had posted this as a normal comment at first, but ill give my boy a tip for all the great things he does. Man so much of this really comes down to having a C&P with a thorough doc that gives a shit. Had my C&P earlier this year for PTSD and I truly lucked out. Doc was very detailed oriented, we spent about 2 hours together, she wanted me to say everything i had to say. Some of the things mentioned in thid video (attention, memory issues, getting stuck on ideas) i really thought would get attributed to my preexisting adhd and ocd, but she was very well versed in those as well, and went into a deep dive all the way to my childhood to be able to differentiate what was related to that and what was related to the PTSD. Took about 6 weeks for a decision. Looking at the rating scale myself i thought for sure i was going to get 70% and have to fight for TDIU, but it came back 100% P&T and when i read all the factors they listed on the decision it just really showed how thorough my C&P was (and also kinda reinforced to me how messed up i actually am lol). Not sure how much, if at all, they take into account, but ive already been on SSDI for the PTSD for about 6 years now, and moved my treatment from private doc to the VA about 2 years ago. I make a habit of checking notes in myhealthevet and my VA psych has also been keeping really good notes on my condition and treatment the whole time. (If only i could say the same for my VA primary care). Closing out my novel, to my brothers and sisters out there i pray you get an examiner just as good as mine was, and you get equally favorable results. Keep up the fight for what you deserve. Oh, and since the topic was also brought up, during my exam i was asked about carrying firearms, and i was honest. I still own quite a few, but i only leave the house once every 2 weeks or so to grocery shop. I dont bother carrying there and so havent overall in years but in my case its not because i have a fear of dissociating and using it improperly, but quite the opposite. Had a home invasion a few years back, dude had a weapon, had him at gunpoint and instead went hands on, i just didnt have it in me to take anymore lives, so thats pretty much why i dont carry now - i feel like any threatening situation would result in the same, so its basically a paperweight and so i just leave it at home.

I don’t know if anyone else has had this experience, but I’ve noticed that after years of heavy drinking and thinking I was mostly ok I cut my drinking way back and my symptoms seemed to get way worse. I used to always be out and social, now it’s exhausting to leave the house. Panic attacks,suicidal thoughts, everything got 100% worse.

For years I have battled this. Thought I was undisciplined and blamed myself. Thought I was alone in this. Avoided mental health care because of the stigma of combat vets. This gave me the courage to seek help. Thank you.

Wow I didn't realize how many of this fit to me I always thought it was normal or I was just dumb for not been able to concentrate in school or able to do certain tasks etc. Thank you for breaking down all this for us I really appreciate what you do for everyone 🙏🏽.

Your question about carrying while experiencing symptoms reminded me of a pretty eye-opening video about how ptsd can affect you in the moment. There's a video of a cop that people may have seen who's very on edge when questioning a suspect. There's a loud bang, and the officer snaps. Goes into a full-blown panic attack with the firearm and is actually disarmed by a paramedic responding to the scene. I believe this officer goes on to quit the force but it really gave me an eye into what it looks like from the outside looking in on someone having a ptsd disassociating moment.

I want to thank you both for the in-depth study into the new mental health ratings.I am currently service-connected at 50% for "Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate with anxious distress". I have filed for an increase as I fully believe I meet the criteria for 70%. That is primarily due to my suicidal ideations and other factors as well. I hate to admit this but I have a problem with not taking showers. From what you were saying, I am very embarrassed but I have not taken a shower in 2024 yet. I simply take a washcloth and water and wipe my face, underarms, genital and anal area. I honestly do not remember the last time I took a shower or bath. Mainly, I don't feel motivated or have the enrgy to deal with taking a shower and when I try, I start getting very anxious and feel vulnerable for some reason so I abort the attempt. Yeah, I guess I'm a nut job. I have on online C&P exam for my increase this coming Monday, June 10th. Should i also mention the showering issue? It is because of this very informative video that made me think about it. Thank you and I apologize for this being so long. Kep up the great work!

I wished all these questions were asked when I had my Telehealth C& P exam ☹

This video was great information! I fit a lot of this..I know exactly how my day is going to be. If I wake up feeling good and happy, with energy feeling right. Some days I wake up, I struggle, no energy, irritable, not wanting to feel that way. I somewhat Isolate, I struggle with my family, my spouse, my kids. And I feel guilty about it later! I do not want to feel this way, I do not want to be like this! But, PTSD is real and I struggle. I know how much needs to be done around the house, outside, I wake up knowing and wanting to do it but end up only doing very little. I often have nothing left to give my family when I get home from work as I feel very tired. Don’t even talk much. With things that need to get done around the house I feel worlds of anxiety and it over whelms me then exhaustion sets in. I try so hard!! I do sometimes not shower for a day at home. Because it feels like a huge task! And it’s not! Thanks to both of you doing this video.

TRUST NO ONE

I'm not a fan of long format talk videos. I am so glad I took the time to stick with it! Great video on the topic, thank you!

Thank you to both. An awesome conversation!

Your work is very much appreciated! Thanks for your thoughtfulness.

Thank you, my son is my payee representative. The mental health examiner stated on his assessment that his recommendation is for someone else to handle my finances.

Incredibly helpful video. Thanks for everything you're doing Clay! Keep it up!

Wow. What a great video. Really helpful to have a psychiatrist in the mix. Great job, and thank you!

Best video! Thanks to both of you! Saved.

Love Dr. Sharma. He truly is a great dude!

Self care, cooking for yourself and wearing clothes multiple days

Thank you CivDiv for videos & information like this! Thanks to y'all, I was introduced to Dr. Sharma and recently had an appointment with him. I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Sharma. Grateful for both CivDiv and Dr. Sharma for taking great care of me!

Great interview and very informative, thanks 👍

Thank you Clay for collaborating with a mental health dr. It hit the nail on the head on a lot of things for me. I'm rated 50% for other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder. Thanks Ms. B.🎉❤ 👍

Doc did my DBQ and IMO for mental health. This was the fastest grant I had with a turnaround of 5 days. This is probably not common, but there was no questions asked. Doc has done multiple DBQs and IMOs. I am currently waiting on ratings.

Awesome video and thank you Doc for the info! Aim High!

Thank you! Excellent

I want to say thank you for focusing on mental health and giving such understandable examples . Clay, your questions were well thought out and expressed. Doc, you explained things really well. I feel like I would be better able to answer questions now, rather than saying "I don't know." So again, thanks to you both.

Dr. Sharma is the best pschiatrist for va disability in the world. He helped me get my disability claim approved. I want from 10% to 100%.

Thanks!

I would like to hear you guys talk about hallucinations and delusions what’s the difference and if you know it was not real later would it still be considered the same

Some veterans that go through panic attacks or always on edge because we don’t carry or in some situation can’t because of how hard the process is in California.

This was so helpful!! I have been going through hell and finally decided to drop everyone or distance myself. Im tired of people not understanding... i need to isolate and tired of people thinking im a butthole. I dont trust anymore, think people are no sincere and bad thoughts of what id do to people. I have bad insomnia and anxiety. My husband gets pissed cause i cant remember to do simple stuff or he thinks i isolate to much now. I dont like grocery stores and yes, ive left the cart. I hate when someone is down the same aisle as me. Very bad road rage... so try to stay off the road now. Just tired of being here and have decided to embrace death sooner because its ok to not be hete anymore. I hate and regret joining and was a recruiter. I regret getting others to join in this mess cause now they will suffer as me. I guess its my karma huh.

My goodness…everything you are mentioning about absorbing information, having to reread policies at work multiple times so I can fully understand, searching for words when I speak happens to me all the time. I don’t feel motivated to become a supervisor (even though I commanded two companies in the Army and served as a Battalion S3) or a Field Training Officer because of this. 😡

What about the problems we go through when we found out that we were lied to about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

I have my mental health C&P on the 11th. I'm pretty anxious about it. Most of the symptoms you described I fit to a T. I don't know how much a wife's lay statement has she's the only one that I've managed to keep around long enough to write one. And even that has been a struggle sometimes

How do I get the opportunity to talk with dr?

Anyone would present as impaired if they were being constantly sabotaged by external barriers Or if the tasks would not be getting done in their own path because they are helping and cleaning up situations that the internal members of the government and companies are not doing because they are involved in causing the decline. If a person is slammed by company monopolizations and healthcare negligence, tasks that involve the person would not be presented in a documented environment. Government is about control.

Not gonna lie, this interview makes me think this new update will actually be harder to get a higher or 100% rating

I attempted college after getting out and need accommodations for longer time for test etc due to the inability to retain, concentrate is this a symptom on here?

When will the new criteria go into effect?

Hypothetically, would it be considered severe for interpersonal if the veterans service connected mental health got to the point of needing couples counseling and the couple temporarily separating?

MY PTSD claim status states, it's in the "RO Research Center review" for a month so far. I had my C&P exam for PTSD and the doctor diagnosis me with PTSD . can someone tell me what what all this means.. no rating yet...

Clay, what if you had dbqs and rated in 2023 but later after updates go through want to go for increase 2024-25 would you need new dbqs, going from community care back to va and worried if I'll have trouble down the road

If you're seeing a va mental dr do they fill out nexus letters and dbq's

Will this affect individuals with a static condition for PTSD?

So when would it take effect?

We gave you an electric wheelchair chair now you can move around faster than walking.Your missing legs are better .. 0 percent coming next?? There is a CBO report that made these recommendations!!!

Being stuck comes from the system being overregulated and stereotypical.

@TheCivDiv @ConcisePsych Would requesting to work remotely be considered an accommodation for someone with some of these mental health conditions?

I just got a 70% rating for mental health. When this comes in effect could I file an increase if this rating system matches me better without having to go to a new c&p exam?

Thanks!

Thanks!