Alcohol Use Disorder Secondary to PTSD or Depression: DVA Claims

Alcohol use disorder secondary to PTSD or depression is one of the most straightforward secondary DVA claims available. The Statement of Principles contains a direct, single-factor link between accepted mental health conditions and alcohol use disorder, with no intermediary steps and no clinical threshold beyond the diagnosis itself.

It is also one of the most under-lodged secondary claims, because many veterans are reluctant to formalise a relationship between their service, their mental health, and their alcohol use. That reluctance is understandable. It is also costly.

The SoP factor

The Alcohol Use Disorder SoP No. 85 of 2025 (Reasonable Hypothesis) contains factor 9(1):

“Having one of the following clinically significant disorders of mental health at the time of clinical onset or clinical worsening.”

Factor 9(1) of SoP No. 85 of 2025 lists the qualifying disorders itself, including posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and insomnia disorder, among others. If any of these conditions is accepted by DVA and was present at the time your alcohol use disorder developed clinically, factor 9(1) is potentially satisfied.

What counts as alcohol use disorder

DVA requires a formal diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) under DSM-5-TR criteria. AUD is defined as a problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, with at least two of eleven specified criteria met within a 12-month period. AUD is diagnosed as mild (2–3 criteria), moderate (4–5 criteria), or severe (6 or more criteria).

A formal psychiatric diagnosis or assessment from an addiction medicine specialist is required for the DVA liability stage. A GP noting that a patient drinks heavily is not sufficient — DVA needs a DSM-5-TR diagnosis that confirms the criteria are met.

Why this claim matters strategically

Alcohol use disorder is assessed under GARP M Chapter 4 (Emotional and Behavioural), the same chapter used for PTSD, depression, and anxiety. GARP M 2026 gives one final rating for any combination of psychiatric conditions, so accepted PTSD and alcohol use disorder are rated together, not as separate ratings that combine. Insomnia has no GARP M table at all; interference with sleep is counted in the lifestyle rating instead.

That does not make the claim pointless. Under Chapter 4, if problem drinking was not part of your psychiatric condition when it was first accepted, it can only be counted in your rating if alcohol use disorder is claimed and accepted. Getting it accepted makes sure your single psychiatric rating reflects all your symptoms. Just do not expect it to add a separate block of points.

Clinical sensitivity and how to approach it

This claim involves disclosing alcohol use to DVA. DVA assesses each claim on its legal and medical merits. A formally diagnosed and accepted AUD does not invalidate other accepted conditions, and DVA does not share claim information with the ADF chain of command as a matter of course.

The clinical framing matters. The claim is not “I drink too much.” The claim is “I have a clinically diagnosed condition under DSM-5-TR criteria that developed in the context of my accepted PTSD, and it is service-related through the SoP pathway.” That framing is accurate and appropriate, and it is how a well-prepared claim should be presented.

What evidence you need

GARP M assessment for alcohol use disorder

AUD is assessed under GARP M Chapter 4 (Emotional and Behavioural). It is rated together with your other accepted psychiatric conditions, using the same tables as PTSD and depression: subjective distress (Table 4.1), manifest distress (Table 4.2) and the three highest of Tables 4.3 to 4.8 (functional effects, occupation, domestic situation, social interaction, leisure activities and current therapy), added together.

Permanent impairment is assessed once the condition is permanent and stable. For a condition that fluctuates, the doctor describes your average level of impairment, not your worst period. Veterans who have undergone treatment and reduced their drinking may still have lasting functional impairment, and that is what gets rated.

Frequently asked questions

Will claiming alcohol use disorder affect my other DVA claims?

No. Each DVA claim is assessed on its own merits, and an accepted AUD does not reduce or invalidate any other accepted condition. For permanent impairment, it is rated together with your other accepted psychiatric conditions in one Chapter 4 rating.

My alcohol use has reduced since I got treatment. Can I still claim?

Yes. Past severity and treatment history are relevant to liability, because the question there is whether you have had the condition and whether it is linked to service. The impairment rating is different: it reflects your permanent and stable level of impairment now.

Can I claim AUD if my PTSD is still being assessed?

Both claims can be lodged simultaneously. The AUD claim is most straightforward once PTSD liability is accepted, because the accepted condition provides the primary nexus. If lodging concurrently, note in the AUD claim that it is dependent on the PTSD claim being accepted.

I've been sober for several years. Is this claim still relevant?

Yes. The claim is based on the existence and history of AUD as a clinical condition, not current drinking behaviour. A period of active AUD that has since been managed through sobriety remains a claimable condition. The impairment rating will reflect any lasting functional impact once the condition is permanent and stable, so it may be lower than during the active phase.

Does the BoP standard apply to peacetime veterans for this claim?

Yes. SoP No. 86 of 2025 (BoP version) contains the equivalent factor 9(1). Unlike the depression secondary claim, where the direct tinnitus pathway is absent from the BoP SoP, the mental health pathway to AUD is available under both standards.