Anxiety Secondary to Tinnitus: DVA Claims Explained

Yes, you can claim anxiety secondary to tinnitus with DVA. The Anxiety Disorder SoP contains a specific factor for severe and permanent tinnitus — the same tinnitus that DVA has already accepted as service-related.

This is one of the tinnitus cascade claims: a group of mental health conditions that can each be claimed separately through their own SoP factors, all linking back to a single accepted condition. Veterans with accepted tinnitus who also have anxiety, depression, and insomnia can have all three assessed as separate conditions, each contributing its own impairment points.

The SoP factor

The Anxiety Disorder SoP No. 100 of 2023 (Reasonable Hypothesis version) contains factor 9(15):

“Having severe and permanent tinnitus at the time of clinical onset of anxiety disorder.”

The definition of “severe and permanent tinnitus” is the same as in the depressive disorder SoP: tinnitus that requires the use of a tinnitus masking device, or tinnitus that causes loss of concentration. The tinnitus must have persisted continuously or with intermittent recurrence without an external stimulus for at least three consecutive months.

How this differs from the depression secondary claim

The anxiety secondary claim has one significant advantage over the depression secondary claim: the Balance of Probabilities version of the Anxiety Disorder SoP also provides a viable pathway for peacetime veterans, which the BoP depressive disorder SoP does not.

This means the anxiety secondary claim is viable for a broader range of veterans than the depression secondary claim.

What qualifies as an anxiety disorder under the SoP

The SoP covers a range of anxiety disorder diagnoses under DSM-5-TR. Relevant diagnoses include generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, specific phobia, and separation anxiety disorder.

The most common presentation in veterans with tinnitus-related anxiety is generalised anxiety disorder: persistent and excessive worry across multiple domains, difficulty controlling the worry, and physical symptoms including muscle tension, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and sleep disturbance.

A diagnosis of “anxiety” or “anxiety symptoms” from a GP is not sufficient. DVA requires a formal diagnosis meeting DSM-5-TR criteria for a specific anxiety disorder from a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist.

The relationship between tinnitus and anxiety

The clinical link between tinnitus and anxiety is well-documented. Persistent, intrusive tinnitus creates a threat response: the brain interprets the constant noise as a signal requiring attention and vigilance. Over time, this sustained hypervigilance produces the same physiological patterns as generalised anxiety disorder.

When building the evidence for this claim, the psychiatric report should describe the nature of the anxiety, how the tinnitus specifically contributes to the symptom picture, and how the anxiety developed in the context of the tinnitus. The more clearly the treating clinician documents the relationship, the stronger the evidence for the SoP factor.

What clinical evidence you need

GARP M assessment for anxiety

Anxiety disorders are assessed under GARP M Chapter 5 (Psychiatric Impairment). The six functional areas assessed are the same as for PTSD and depression. The possible impairment ratings are 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 points.

A moderate generalised anxiety disorder with significant occupational and social impairment can produce a rating of 20 to 30 points. Added to an existing tinnitus rating of 10 to 15 points, and potentially a depression rating, the combined score increases meaningfully.

Claiming anxiety and depression together

Many veterans with tinnitus will have presentations that include both anxiety and depression. These are separate conditions with separate SoPs and separate impairment assessments under GARP M Chapter 5.

If your psychiatrist or clinical psychologist diagnoses both generalised anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder as distinct conditions, both can be claimed. DVA does not treat them as the same condition. Each has its own liability assessment and, once accepted, its own permanent impairment rating.

The full tinnitus cascade

If your tinnitus is accepted, the following secondary conditions may all be claimable through separate SoP factors:

Each of these conditions, if accepted, contributes impairment points to your combined score. A veteran with accepted tinnitus, anxiety, depression, and insomnia may reach a combined score that crosses both the 60-point Gold Card threshold and the 50-point SRDP threshold.

Frequently asked questions

Can I claim anxiety secondary to tinnitus if my service is peacetime only?

Yes, with conditions. The direct tinnitus factor (9(15)) is in the RH SoP. But the BoP version contains factor 9(13), which allows a pathway through tinnitus as a severe, chronic medical condition present for at least two years before clinical onset.

My tinnitus was accepted years ago. Can I still lodge the anxiety claim now?

Yes. There is no time limit on secondary claims. What matters is that the tinnitus was present at the time of clinical onset of the anxiety disorder, not when the tinnitus was accepted.

Do I need a new audiologist report if I already have one from a depression claim?

Not necessarily. If your existing report confirms that your tinnitus requires a masking device or causes loss of concentration, and it is reasonably current, it can support the anxiety claim as well. DVA accepts audiologist reports up to three years old, provided they address the relevant severity criteria.

I've been told I have anxiety but haven't seen a psychiatrist. Is a GP diagnosis enough?

No. DVA requires a formal diagnosis from a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist for the liability stage. Ask your GP for a referral. A Mental Health Care Plan under Medicare can facilitate that referral.

Can DVA accept anxiety and PTSD as separate conditions?

Yes. PTSD and anxiety disorders are distinct diagnoses under DSM-5-TR. A veteran can have both, and if a psychiatrist confirms separate diagnoses, both can be claimed and both contribute impairment points.