Sufferer Or Shirker?

[Iwantout]

I hope it's okay to post this and it doesn't offend anyone.. I hope you all understand why I writing it.

15 years ago I was old I had fibromyalgia and at the time it wasn't much heard of in UK. I was told after 5 years of suffering symptoms.. At that time, you could not look up symptoms on the internet and the pain points were kept as professional knowledge. As it became easier to research publicly, more and more people were diagnosed and it soon became the new 'bad back', in other words, many said they had symptoms but could not be proved otherwise.

As it was, mine turned out to be Lymes disease.. I had a 'bullseye' tick bite on my leg all those years ago and was dismissed from the GPs room with "It's not ringworm, come back if it gets worse" ringing in my ears... Duh!

I have been told I have PTSD after a run of traumatic events such as watching and getting caught in severe domestic violence, family split, serious physical, emotional and *s* abuse until 19, witnessing graphic drug use from 6 to 9, bullying in home, school and on the streets, finding a lovely family friend dead from OD when 8, watching the family dog being beaten with a hammer at 6, being strangled near to death at 14.... When I left home I had been seriously attacked, broken in to several times, had a sawn off shot gun in the face, dragged down an alley with a knife to my throat, lived on the streets and saw too much there.. Really, just too much.. There is stuff I can't mention here, I haven't told anyone so my diagnosis is based on only some what I'm prepared to mention here...

Now, I was recently told that someone I know had also been DXed with PTSD so will 'know how I feel'...!?!.. His goes back to when a car was about to pull out of a space and knocked him. There was no fall, no serious harm, no threat to life, the driver called him an idiot for walking out behind his car... Anyhow, this bloke now 'has PTSD' and is claiming all he can for it... He is clever in that field, he even faked injury several years before and used a wheelchair until he thought no one was watching...

So, I'm wondering if we're not careful that PTSD might become the new 'fashion', the next 'bad back', the next illness that will soon be mocked and laughed at, which will be a major problem for us real sufferers because too many people are jumping on the bandwagon.. I'm concerned that soon, people, including doctors, will just roll their eyes and think "Oh god, another one..." when those four letters are mentioned.. I don't want to think that shirkers will do the same as they did with back problems and illnesses like ME, FMS etc... I hate to think that someone who had a bruised leg and a bit of a spat can now consider themselves in the same 'rank' as war veterans, survivors of earthquakes and mass murder, victims of rape, childhood traumas, tragic car accidents and severe assault...

I know that we all react differently to situations and can be damaged or can get through varying amounts of trauma, pain and heartbreak but am I being unfair when I consider that some, like the one I mentioned, are pulling a fast one and probably need help in other areas instead of being treated for PTSD?... It does, after all, stand for Post Traumatic...

I'm not yet fully knowledgeable as I was only DXed in May so maybe others can shed light or give an opinion but please note I'm only putting this on because of the case mentioned and I don't want to minimize anyone's suffering on here in any way, I'm just a bit puzzled by this man... I hope it's not a common feature elsewhere..

 

[Changing4Best]

I have had Lyme Disease since 1985 or so, diagnosed clinically in 1990 and proven positive in 1991 with a blood test. I have the fibromyalgia and the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to go with it too. I am in my early 60s now and have done quite well, but there have been times when I have cried over the fact that my life seemed to have been RUINED by all this. (Literal tears).

It has been a long rough road with many courses of antibiotics, including IV ones. I have seen Nutritionalists too. Currently I take Olive Leaf, which technically is an herb I guess. I don't know if it is helping yet, but so far, I am doing a bit better maybe. It was recommended by our local Health Food Store.

 

[Gs172003]

There has to be so many symptoms for PTSD to be diagnosed. Are you sure this dude isn't self diagnosed or didn't go to a quack?

 

[Abstract]

I vote for quack or self diagnosed. What he experienced doesn't fit Criterion A for PTSD.

Tawny, concerns like these are a common theme here. Many are concerned about its "popularity" and a lot are personally offended. We get a constant stream of people join who are convinced they have PTSD whenever something in life effects them. A break up, a partner cheating, etc. I try to take it slow as a normal life event can act as a trigger bringing up old trauma but it can be hard. The person becomes obsessed with the stressor/trigger and it can take time for the full picture to show itself.

There is a long description of the criteria on the site if you want to have a look.

I don't think I will ever understand people using the term trauma or PTSD for all these things. It didn't even occur to me to use them in regards to things like rape for myself. Its an extraordinary frame of mind that jumps to these conclusions if you ask me. Almost better if its a con than if someone really believes it.

 

[EveHarrington]

I don't think you're being unfair. People do self diagnose, they get diagnosed by health professionals who don't understand the proper way to diagnose PTSD. (It's quite easy to "diagnose" someone if you treat the Dsm as a checklist. True diagnosing is a bit more involved and requires deeper understanding.)

The guy you refer to sounds like a faker based on the fact that he's done this before.

Nobody really wants this disorder. If anything they want the name alone so they can get sympathy/pity or milk the system for all its worth. Or, they want a name for their suffering because they fail to realize that 99% of suffering is part of the normal human experience and not because you actually have a disorder.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I agree with self diagnosis as Criteria A trauma is required (at least one).

I faught PTSD for a long time. In my head, my trauma couldnt possibly be as bad as going to war and my dad is a retired vet and stories of 'Nam is what I grew up with.

It took months of going through Criteria A and others, one by one symptom (and there are many), and agreeing together with my therapist which ones i had. This took a while. Finally it came rather clear that I had PTSD.

No one wants something uncureable (but not unmanageable) unless they are looking for sympathy. My dad tried to fake PTSD at the VA when its clear he has no sympthoms and didnt even bother reading the sourcebook I have before hand.

That threw me for a loop but eventually i came to the realization that i cant let his actions, something I cant control, throw me like that.

 

[Iwantout]

No, this bloke wasn't self diagnosed and on the NHS we have GPs that are definitely not quacks.. I know him well... He must have told the GPs something, he told me he had nightmares, flashbacks and that it must have brought up memories of another trauma... He really is playing the game... Just like some others I knew when working in a complementary center, who played the fibro card...

This post wasn't about FMS or Lymes, I just wanted to give an example of a condition (fibromyalgia) that has been over diagnosed and used as a 'Get out of work free' card for shirkers who have researched the symptoms. I have read the criteria for PTSD so know what it is, I'm just a bit worried that it will be seen as a popular illness as has been mentioned in some replies, for attention/sympathy seekers or those who want to 'milk the system'...

@EveHarrington I absolutely agree, a large amount of suffering is normal but some do seem to forget that..

 

[digger]

He must have told the GPs something, he told me he had nightmares, flashbacks and that it must have brought up memories of another trauma

Do you know that he doesn't have other trauma in his life predating the incident with the car?

 

[Gs172003]

There is suffering and then there is PTSD. Normal suffering you get through, PTSD, not so much ( not without help, anyway)

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Normal suffering you get through, PTSD, not so much

Depends on the suffering. There are many other mental illness that is caused by trauma that would cause "suffering" and need a therapist.

My other mental illness is Borderline Personality Disorder that causes a lot of extreme emotions (personally need medication), emotional disregualtion (need therapy using DBT), distress intolerance (need therapy using DBT), self injury (need therapy), suicidal thoughts (needs therapy), black & white thinking & other distorted thinking...needs therapy using CBT)...just to name a few.

There are many types of "suffering" and PTSD (which I discribe as suffering personally) is just one of those that need therapy. There are some that dont but PTSD isnt the only one.

 

[Gs172003]

Yes but that's not what this site is about. The other types are vast. And when I say suffering in that context I mean the usual "that's life" kind

 

[Nessa7]

I was actually reading about this recently. Based on your description, the technical term for what your friend is doing is malingering. It is really hard for doctors to prove and diagnose it, because they have to determine that there is no illness whatsoever and that the patient isn't behaving this way due to another mental illness. After reading about it, I can see why a doctor might decide that it isn't worth the waste in time and resources to prove that their patient isn't ill.