PTSD and abuse.

[Hear Again]

From the DSM-IV-TR? That's the most recent version of the DSM. And I would NEVER self diagnose.

neither would i.

by the way, the dsm 5 will be out in 2012.

 

[Hear Again]

one thing my therapist told me is that he was surprised i never mentioned my 4 traumas to him until a year and a half after seeing him (i never mentioned them due to issues i have with trust and the fact that 2 of my traumas are very difficult for me to talk about). even after my first appointment in which i outlined all of my traumas, he said he immediately suspected that i had ptsd.

 

[dreama]

That's pretty typical. PTSD doesn't result until after the trauma is passed. Jillio can back this up for me, but as I have come to understand, PTSD becomes a way of how a person re-integrates into the world after trauma? It's basically faulty "wiring", or how the person may perceive the world after they've experienced severe trauma.

Jillio, your thoughts?

Thanks for getting back to me and explaining more about this.

 

[Hear Again]

From the DSM-IV-TR? That's the most recent version of the DSM. And I would NEVER self diagnose.

yes. if you do an internet search for any diagnostic criteria in the dsm, most websites will indicate that the information cited comes from the dsm 4.

 

[dreama]

you were referring to yourself in your OP. hence, the reason i addressed my responses the way i did.

Yes. I was using my experiences as an example but I've deleted my experiences from the OP. So it makes things clearer that this is just a general query on PTSD and abuse.

 

[Hear Again]

Yes. I was using my experiences as an example but I've deleted my experiences from the OP. So it makes things clearer that this is just a general query on PTSD and abuse.

got it. <smile>

 

[jillio]

That's pretty typical. PTSD doesn't result until after the trauma is passed. Jillio can back this up for me, but as I have come to understand, PTSD becomes a way of how a person re-integrates into the world after trauma? It's basically faulty "wiring", or how the person may perceive the world after they've experienced severe trauma.

Jillio, your thoughts?

Yep, it is an attempt to reintegrate the trauma. Re: abuse: it can trigger PTSD as well as several other disorders. Some of the more severe disorders, such as the psychotic disorders that are often triggered by abuse, usually have a genetic predisposition involved. The anxiety disorders and depressive episodes found in abuse survivors often do not.

Actually, the development of many of these disorders are actually a testament to the sheer strength of human will to survive. Some trauma is so horrible that it is necessary to develop these coping mechanisms in order to survive it. While it may not be the heathiest way to get through it, quite often it is all the individual has to rely on. It most certainly should never be viewed as a sign of weakness. It takes a tremendous amount of strength to survive not just trauma, but the disturbances created by it.

 

[jillio]

From the DSM-IV-TR? That's the most recent version of the DSM. And I would NEVER self diagnose.

Good idea, Shawn. Diagnosis requires not just objective observation on the part of a trained professional, but interpretation of the DSM from a perspective that lay persons simply do not have.

 

[Hear Again]

Actually, the development of many of these disorders are actually a testament to the sheer strength of human will to survive. Some trauma is so horrible that it is necessary to develop these coping mechanisms in order to survive it. While it may not be the heathiest way to get through it, quite often it is all the individual has to rely on. It most certainly should never be viewed as a sign of weakness. It takes a tremendous amount of strength to survive not just trauma, but the disturbances created by it.

i couldn't agree more. part of the reason why i am not more open about my diagnosis of ptsd is because of the negative way people perceive the disorder. many people don't believe it exists and if someone has it, it's a sign of weakness because they (the person diagnosed with ptsd) don't have the emotional strength to cope with trauma. it's a shame the average layperson feels that way, but it's one of the reasons why i am not more forthcoming about my diagnosis.

 

[SFShawn13]

i couldn't agree more. part of the reason why i am not more open about my diagnosis of ptsd is because of the negative way people perceive the disorder. many people don't believe it exists and if someone has it, it's a sign of weakness because they (the person diagnosed with ptsd) don't have the emotional strength to cope with trauma. it's a shame the average layperson feels that way, but it's one of the reasons why i am not more forthcoming about my diagnosis.

Do they really?? How awful! I didn't think I had PTSD for the longest time, but my therapist was like umm yeah, you do. LOL.

 

[jillio]

Do they really?? How awful! I didn't think I had PTSD for the longest time, but my therapist was like umm yeah, you do. LOL.

Pefect example of why you should never self diagnose!

 

[dreama]

one can also read the diagnostic criteria of ptsd on the internet. all they need to do is conduct a google search for "ptsd + dsm + diagnostic criteria."

Thanks for the information. I've done a search now. One thing I don't quite get though is this comment:

event that involves actual or threatened death

Because if actual death was caused you wouldn't be there to experience it. Do they mean death to someone else?

 

[jillio]

Thanks for the information. I've done a search now. One thing I don't quite get though is this comment:



Because if actual death was caused you wouldn't be there to experience it. Do they mean death to someone else?

Yes, they mean witnessing an event in which a death occurred.

Please keep in mind, too, Dreama, that several of the experiences you have listed as choices do not carry enough severity to cause a case of PTSD. PTSD is the result of extreme trauma.

 

[Hear Again]

Do they really?? How awful! I didn't think I had PTSD for the longest time, but my therapist was like umm yeah, you do. LOL.

LOL! yes. you'd be amazed at how many people discount a variety of mental illnesses and disorders. people do the same thing to me when it comes to my bipolar. they think it's a character flaw or something i caused on my own. :roll: having said that, i think people are more accepting of bipolar than they are ptsd -- or at least that's my impression.

 

[SFShawn13]

Thanks for the information. I've done a search now. One thing I don't quite get though is this comment:



Because if actual death was caused you wouldn't be there to experience it. Do they mean death to someone else?

Yes. What gave my therapist the clue that I had PTSD was when I told her I still had dreams about my dad beating up my mom and dragging her into a closet and yelling at him to stop. I was 3 years old when that happened, definately not normal!

 

[SFShawn13]

Pefect example of why you should never self diagnose!

haha, seriously!

 

[SFShawn13]

LOL! yes. you'd be amazed at how many people discount a variety of mental illnesses and disorders. people do the same thing to me when it comes to my bipolar. they think it's a character flaw or something i caused on my own. :roll: having said that, i think people are more accepting of bipolar than they are ptsd -- or at least that's my impression.

People are so annoying. I learned about why people may disregard mental illness in my social psychology class - an individual will blame a victim/survivor because they don't want to think that something may happen to them & they will develop PTSD.

 

[Hear Again]

People are so annoying. I learned about why people may disregard mental illness in my social psychology class - an individual will blame a victim/survivor because they don't want to think that something may happen to them & they will develop PTSD.

exactly.

no one is exempt from the possibility of developing ptsd and even if one does develop the disorder, it does not mean they are weak because of it.

what i find ironic is how i could care less what others think about my bipolar yet i can't seem to bring myself to talk openly about my ptsd. i'm not sure why that is, but it might be due to the fact that ptsd is a recent diagnosis for me. when i was diagnosed with bipolar in 2006, it took me a year to come to terms with my diagnosis.

 

[dreama]

Yes, they mean witnessing an event in which a death occurred.

Please keep in mind, too, Dreama, that several of the experiences you have listed as choices do not carry enough severity to cause a case of PTSD. PTSD is the result of extreme trauma.

Ok. I noticed the criteria didn't list domestic violence. I have no intention of self diagnoses as I've got enough labels attached to me already. Any more would just be overkill.

 

[SFShawn13]

Ok. I noticed the criteria didn't list domestic violence. I have no intention of self diagnoses as I've got enough labels attached to me already. Any more would just be overkill.

That's why it's good to see a professional. Someone who grew up surrounded by domestic violence may not develop PTSD, for whatever reason, but another individual in the same environment does.