Illness Anxiety Disorder

DC 9425Mental Disorders38 CFR 4.130, DC 9425

Excessive worry about having or getting a serious illness, even when medical tests show nothing is wrong. This preoccupation causes significant distress and interferes with daily life. Rated under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.

Rating Levels

Your condition causes total impairment in your ability to work and function socially. You may be a persistent danger to yourself or others, disoriented, or have severe memory loss.

What the VA looks for

Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
Persistent delusions or hallucinations
Grossly inappropriate behavior
Persistent danger of hurting self or others
Inability to perform activities of daily living
Disorientation to time or place
Memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not distinguishing from somatic symptom disorder (DC 9422) — illness anxiety focuses on fear of illness while somatic symptom disorder focuses on distressing physical symptoms. Make sure your diagnosis is accurate.
⚠Not documenting the frequency and duration of health-related anxiety episodes — how often you check symptoms, seek medical reassurance, and avoid health triggers all support severity.
⚠Not showing how the preoccupation interferes with work and social functioning — missed work for medical appointments, inability to concentrate due to health fears, and social withdrawal are all relevant.
⚠Not connecting to military medical experiences or trauma that triggered health fears — exposure to illness, injury, or loss of fellow service members can be the nexus for this condition.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Mental Disorders (other than PTSD)

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

Rating Levels

Your condition causes total impairment in your ability to work and function socially. You may be a persistent danger to yourself or others, disoriented, or have severe memory loss.

What the VA looks for

Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
Persistent delusions or hallucinations
Grossly inappropriate behavior
Persistent danger of hurting self or others
Inability to perform activities of daily living
Disorientation to time or place
Memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not distinguishing from somatic symptom disorder (DC 9422) — illness anxiety focuses on fear of illness while somatic symptom disorder focuses on distressing physical symptoms. Make sure your diagnosis is accurate.

⚠Not documenting the frequency and duration of health-related anxiety episodes — how often you check symptoms, seek medical reassurance, and avoid health triggers all support severity.

⚠Not showing how the preoccupation interferes with work and social functioning — missed work for medical appointments, inability to concentrate due to health fears, and social withdrawal are all relevant.

⚠Not connecting to military medical experiences or trauma that triggered health fears — exposure to illness, injury, or loss of fellow service members can be the nexus for this condition.