PTSD and abuse.

[dreama]

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.

I think I can understand that. Because if people are expected to watch what they say and have people constantly giving their mental health problems as an excuse not to do things. I'm refering to the person I went out with before. Then he decides to end things and accuses me of seducing him. People like that are very difficult to understand or live with so everyone tends to be tarnished with the same brush.

 

[SFShawn13]

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.

Aw =(

That's how I deal with abuse and stuff. I talk about it. For me,when I talk about it, it isn't so scary. Though it makes others uncomfortable when I say "yeah, I saw my dad break my sisters arm" because lol, wtf do you say to that?

 

[jillio]

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.

Well, a child who experienced domestic violence could be diagnosed with PTSD, because to a child, if they or their parent is threatened in even a small way, it is perceived as severe. A child is much more suceptible than an adult because to threaten a parent is to threaten their very world. Much of the determining factor in the development of PTSD is how much control you believe you have over the situation. The less control perceived, the greater the likelihood of PTSD.

 

[jillio]

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.

Exactly. There are far too many variables. Also, in your case, as you were witnessing family members be abused and were too small to do anything about it, not only was the threat to you great, your feeling of control was non-existent. That would be a precipitating factor.

 

[Hear Again]

Aw =(

That's how I deal with abuse and stuff. I talk about it. For me,when I talk about it, it isn't so scary. Though it makes others uncomfortable when I say "yeah, I saw my dad break my sisters arm" because lol, wtf do you say to that?

that's true. my traumas involved sexual, physical and emotional abuse as a child as well as my life being threatened when i was 9 years old. i never tell people about my traumas, but instead just say that i had a "difficult" childhood.

 

[SFShawn13]

Exactly. There are far too many variables. Also, in your case, as you were witnessing family members be abused and were too small to do anything about it, not only was the threat to you great, your feeling of control was non-existent. That would be a precipitating factor.

Are you a psycholgist or therapist Jillio? If not, you should be!

 

[jillio]

Are you a psycholgist or therapist Jillio? If not, you should be!

Yep, I am. Just call me Dr.Jillio!

 

[Hear Again]

I think I can understand that. Because if people are expected to watch what they say and have people constantly giving their mental health problems as an excuse not to do things. I'm refering to the person I went out with before. Then he decides to end things and accuses me of seducing him. People like that are very difficult to understand or live with so everyone tends to be tarnished with the same brush.

i've been accused by others of using my bipolar as an excuse, but i really don't care. until those people walk a day in my shoes, i don't expect them to understand the realities of what rapid cycling, mania or depression entails. i can only hope that by being honest about my diagnosis, they will respect the fact that i do the very best i can and do not use my bipolar as a means of manipulating others.

 

[Hear Again]

Yep, I am. Just call me Dr.Jillio!

jillio is ad's resident psychologist.

 

[SFShawn13]

i've been accused by others of using my bipolar as an excuse, but i really don't care. until those people walk a day in my shoes, i don't expect them to understand the realities of what rapid cycling, mania or depression entails. i can only hope that by being honest about my diagnosis, they will respect the fact that i do the very best i can and do not use my bipolar as a means of manipulating others.

That's right, sister!

 

[dreama]

Oh dear. It seems I've started this thread all the wrong way.

So I get it that abuse and PTSD are not automatically connected?

I've known a few people who say they are abused. Some of these people I've were compulsive liars. Like the guy I was going out with. I think he did have mental health problems of some sort but he also told so many lies.

So what I'd like to know is how would a shrink tell the differance between someone who lies because that has become habit forming as a means to cover up for their abuser to someone who has personality defects and lies about being abused.

I've also heard about false memory syndrome where someone Thinks they were abused but the memories come from another disorder. How common is that?

 

[Hear Again]

dreama,

i'm not a therapist, but i believe one way to identify the difference between those who have been truly abused vs. those who are malingerers is how that individual describes their experience. do they show any emotion when recalling what happened? are the details they share cosistent with other information they've mentioned in the past? are they reluctant to discuss their traumas (this is one key component to identifying a malingerer as most people who experience a traumatic event do everything they can to avoid talking about it)?

 

[jillio]

Oh dear. It seems I've started this thread all the wrong way.

So I get it that abuse and PTSD are not automatically connected?

I've known a few people who say they are abused. Some of these people I've were compulsive liars. Like the guy I was going out with. I think he did have mental health problems of some sort but he also told so many lies.

So what I'd like to know is how would a shrink tell the differance between someone who lies because that has become habit forming as a means to cover up for their abuser to someone who has personality defects and lies about being abused.

I've also heard about false memory syndrome where someone Thinks they were abused but the memories come from another disorder. How common is that?

Let's see....no, PTSD and abuse are not automatically connected. Many people experience abuse that do not go on to develop PTSD.

There are several ways to distinguish between the two that you describe, but it would take a text book to list and describe them all. The short answer would be assessment, history, and professional expertise.

False memories are actually fairly common. It is one of the reasons that you want to use a qualified therapist with the proper credentials and licensure, not to mention training. They can be induced in a variety of ways, and some are more vulnerable than others to the syndrome.

 

[SFShawn13]

So what I'd like to know is how would a shrink tell the differance between someone who lies because that has become habit forming as a means to cover up for their abuser to someone who has personality defects and lies about being abused.

There will always be human error, and psychologists will make mistakes. However, this is why psychologists/therapists go to school for MANY years - they are trained professionals.

 

[jillio]

There will always be human error, and psychologists will make mistakes. However, this is why psychologists/therapists go to school for MANY years - they are trained professionals.

You are certainly right there...we will all make errors. Hopefully, though 8 years of school and 2 years of supervised internship reduces that rate. Plus the willingness to consult with a colleague if you are unsure.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

dreama,

i'm not a therapist, but i believe one way to identify the difference between those who have been truly abused vs. those who are malingerers is how that individual describes their experience. do they show any emotion when recalling what happened? are the details they share cosistent with other information they've mentioned in the past? are they reluctant to discuss their traumas (this is one key component to identifying a malingerer as most people who experience a traumatic event do everything they can to avoid talking about it)?

Even then, it's difficult. Many people who truly been abused won't show any emotion when describing the event. Having said that, I also struggle to verbalize what happened to me. When I do, I have great difficulty looking the person in the eye. I'll look everywhere but that person. I'll fidget. I have also been known to have anxiety attacks when describing the things that took place. In short, I cannot do it easily. I can do it NON verbally, or I can do it when the person isn't looking right at me, but to do it sitting with someone is very difficult for me.

 

[SFShawn13]

Even then, it's difficult. Many people who truly been abused won't show any emotion when describing the event. Having said that, I also struggle to verbalize what happened to me. When I do, I have great difficulty looking the person in the eye. I'll look everywhere but that person. I'll fidget. I have also been known to have anxiety attacks when describing the things that took place. In short, I cannot do it easily. I can do it NON verbally, or I can do it when the person isn't looking right at me, but to do it sitting with someone is very difficult for me.

^ ^ good example at how people differ in dealing with abuse.

 

[jillio]

Even then, it's difficult. Many people who truly been abused won't show any emotion when describing the event. Having said that, I also struggle to verbalize what happened to me. When I do, I have great difficulty looking the person in the eye. I'll look everywhere but that person. I'll fidget. I have also been known to have anxiety attacks when describing the things that took place. In short, I cannot do it easily. I can do it NON verbally, or I can do it when the person isn't looking right at me, but to do it sitting with someone is very difficult for me.

That is very true. Many victims describe horrific abuse as if they were talking about tying their shoes. That detachment is a protective mechanism.

 

[SFShawn13]

That's so interesting! How is it protective?

 

[Oceanbreeze]

That's so interesting! How is it protective?

This is going to sound deliberate, but it's not. I can say it's probably a way to shield ourselves from the emotions. In my case, fear, humiliation, terror, shame.....among others.