I live in a small town of 3k people. The only psychiatrist here in town is nuts. It is seriously worth trying to find another psychiatrist outside of your area to see. You can ask for copies of your medical records (though you might have to pay copying fees or processing fees). I would get copies of your visits from your therapist, visits regarding CBT etc, not only so you have them, but so if you can make an appt with a psychiatrist that isn't directly in town, you can guarantee you will have them for he/she to read.
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Psych Says I Don't Have Ptsd Because I Don't Have Nightmares?
- Post starter Toadette
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- Post starter
- #14
I'm going to call them tomorrow, going to talk to the people with the EMDR fund and see if they can help me get an assessment
lostforgottensoul
VIP Member
Mine doesnt seem to most times. Mine i refer to as a script writer as my therapist does the remainder, as well as diagnosis.
This is what stood out to me.
You may have PTSD and you dont have to have nightmares to have PTSD. The only thing that is a must is Criteria A which speaks to the trauma and thats there. The remainder speaks to symptoms and theres a lot and all have different ones. Surely you may not be able to know what a solider feels as you were never a solider.
But not all with Criteria A trauma have PTSD.
You are first self diagnosing and second feel you lied because a PDoc says you dont have it? Why? Diagnosing a mental disorder is putting a name to a set of symptoms thats already there caused by a trauma that did happen.
Id most certianly find another PDoc as this one sounds like she doesnt handle trauma or any patients that undoubtly have PTSD (with nightmares per her) and she doesnt even know what EMDR is as that is the most well known therapy for PTSD. She may not be trained in it but you said she had never heard of it. That says to me that she doesnt work with patients with PTSD. Id find another PDoc thats specifically a trauma psychitrist that works with PTSD and other disorders resulting from trauma.
Again, you may have PTSD and you may not. Self diagnosing isnt good to do. But even if you end up not having it (for much bigger reasons than no nightmares) that doesnt mean your trauma didnt happen or wasnt "bad enough" and it doesnt mean the symptoms you do have are some how not a big deal as it is! :hug:
- Post starter
- #16
I just really feel alot of my problems stem from the bad things that happened, when does it cross the line from having symptoms from a trauma to ptsd? I didn't mean to disrespect anyone by self diagnosing and I know it's not good to do but I am so stuck with not knowing what is wrong in my head. You are right though perhaps I feel like I need to have the PTSD 'label' to have my experiences validated and my feelings on it taken seriously. I don't know.
lostforgottensoul
VIP Member
You have symptoms regardless of the label or if you have any label. I understand the need to name stuff that you are dealing with in your head but there are MANY mental disorders that have cross over symptoms with PTSD.
Im not saying you dont have it. Im saying dont try to pin it down to one thing and be open to any label or not having a label. My diagnosis changed nothing in my therapy. So you can work therapy with the symptoms without the label.
And in the mean time find a PDoc more familiar with trauma and PTSD.
Im sure they do. But thats due to trauma. Not because you have PTSD or any mental disorder.
That depends on the person really. You must have one Criteria A trauma (and you do) but not all with Criteria A trauma end up with PTSD. So that all depends on the person if we are already assuming Criteria A trauma happened.
Dont think of a hard line as there isnt one.
- Post starter
- #18
I'm really sorry I feel like I've been so ignorant just jumping on a PTSD diagnosis, I'm just really desperate to make some sense out of it all and I thought if my feelings were caused by trauma that it would most likely count as some form of PTSD. To be honest with you all I'm somewhat scared to be viewed as 'okay' even though I am getting better. I guess I just want to keep getting better. I feel like the fact I can talk about the things mentioned in my original post shows that progress. I worry that if there is no diagnosis then I will seem like an attention seeker for trying them all on if that makes sense. I just feel like an awful person all the time. I need to see another psych for sure just to check. Thank you for the help :hug:
Friday
Sponsor
You may have PTSD. You may not.
It doesn't mean everything is okay, if you don't.
It doesn't mean that you don't have a different -similar- diagnosis, if you don't.
It doesn't mean that what's going on isn't caused by trauma, if you don't.
It doesn't mean you're attention seeking, if you don't.
It doesn't mean you're lying, making a fuss, or should stop seeking help, if you don't.
Your psych cracks me up, however. But idiots amuse me. Since that was my total understanding of PTSD back when I was first diagnosed. (PTSD? That's nightmares and shit, right?) :rolleyes: (Um. No. Sorry, honey, bit more to it than that! >.< ). One might think that Psychs would be well acquainted with every diagnosis... But I've never met a single one who is, and most I've known are very up front about that. (The ones who aren't, I classify as idiots). It's impossible to specialize in everything. They specialize in a few areas, have a lot of knowledge about a few score -but will refer you to a different specialist if you're in one of those / they can diagnose it but not treat it- and virtually no knowledge of a few score extra. But still, one would hope they would have at least a little more knowledge than some 18yo kid off the street!
It's just like any other area of medicine. GPs know a little about a whole lot, but beyond the day to day things, refer people to specialists. And then those specialists often refer, again. Like my GP (Doc1) referred me to Sports Medicine / aka an orthopedic surgeon (Doc2), who referred me to the "Knee & Shoulder Guy", also an orthopedic surgeon, (Doc3) in their group. Just because Doc2 & Doc3 are both orthopedic surgeons? Doesn't mean that they're both equally skilled, or specialize in the same part of the body. Doc2 wasn't a knee-guy, so he referred me to the man who was. ((For the record, I've dealt with GPs who told me my knees were fine. I knew they were wrong, because All they did were xrays, and my problem is connective tissue, not bone. It's impossible to diagnose what's wrong with my knees with an X-ray. Throw my knee into an MRI? Whoooooo boy! Different story! My knees light up like Xmas trees. One has over 40 rips, tears, and other injuries. Completely. Invisible. To. X-ray. If I'd listen to the idiots who didn't refer me to someone who knew what they were doing? I'd never have gotten proper treatment. Psych is the exact same way.))
Idiots, however? Don't refer people to people more expert than themselves. When you're dealing with idiots, you have to do that leg work yourself. And not take what they say to heart.
Not having nightmares isn't an exclusion for PTSD. You know this. Your psych, apparently, doesn't. ((Just like I knew X-rays couldn't tell anyone what was going on with my knees.)) So it's time to do some legwork. Be open to other diagnosis, but find someone who specializes in trauma to tell you. It can be a bit quirky in the UK, since one registers with surgeries & going outside the chain can be daunting. But it can be done. :) My recommendation (which might not be the best option, since I was an ex-Pat, not a British citizen) is to find a specialist, and call them, and ask them the best way for you to be evaluated for possible PTSD or trauma related disorder, since your local guy is a twat.
It doesn't mean everything is okay, if you don't.
It doesn't mean that you don't have a different -similar- diagnosis, if you don't.
It doesn't mean that what's going on isn't caused by trauma, if you don't.
It doesn't mean you're attention seeking, if you don't.
It doesn't mean you're lying, making a fuss, or should stop seeking help, if you don't.
Your psych cracks me up, however. But idiots amuse me. Since that was my total understanding of PTSD back when I was first diagnosed. (PTSD? That's nightmares and shit, right?) :rolleyes: (Um. No. Sorry, honey, bit more to it than that! >.< ). One might think that Psychs would be well acquainted with every diagnosis... But I've never met a single one who is, and most I've known are very up front about that. (The ones who aren't, I classify as idiots). It's impossible to specialize in everything. They specialize in a few areas, have a lot of knowledge about a few score -but will refer you to a different specialist if you're in one of those / they can diagnose it but not treat it- and virtually no knowledge of a few score extra. But still, one would hope they would have at least a little more knowledge than some 18yo kid off the street!
It's just like any other area of medicine. GPs know a little about a whole lot, but beyond the day to day things, refer people to specialists. And then those specialists often refer, again. Like my GP (Doc1) referred me to Sports Medicine / aka an orthopedic surgeon (Doc2), who referred me to the "Knee & Shoulder Guy", also an orthopedic surgeon, (Doc3) in their group. Just because Doc2 & Doc3 are both orthopedic surgeons? Doesn't mean that they're both equally skilled, or specialize in the same part of the body. Doc2 wasn't a knee-guy, so he referred me to the man who was. ((For the record, I've dealt with GPs who told me my knees were fine. I knew they were wrong, because All they did were xrays, and my problem is connective tissue, not bone. It's impossible to diagnose what's wrong with my knees with an X-ray. Throw my knee into an MRI? Whoooooo boy! Different story! My knees light up like Xmas trees. One has over 40 rips, tears, and other injuries. Completely. Invisible. To. X-ray. If I'd listen to the idiots who didn't refer me to someone who knew what they were doing? I'd never have gotten proper treatment. Psych is the exact same way.))
Idiots, however? Don't refer people to people more expert than themselves. When you're dealing with idiots, you have to do that leg work yourself. And not take what they say to heart.
Not having nightmares isn't an exclusion for PTSD. You know this. Your psych, apparently, doesn't. ((Just like I knew X-rays couldn't tell anyone what was going on with my knees.)) So it's time to do some legwork. Be open to other diagnosis, but find someone who specializes in trauma to tell you. It can be a bit quirky in the UK, since one registers with surgeries & going outside the chain can be daunting. But it can be done. :) My recommendation (which might not be the best option, since I was an ex-Pat, not a British citizen) is to find a specialist, and call them, and ask them the best way for you to be evaluated for possible PTSD or trauma related disorder, since your local guy is a twat.
scout86
VIP Member
Always remember, 50% of them were in the bottom half of their class.
- Post starter
- #21
Thank you so much, you're right I think it's the best thing to do because regardless of any diagnosis I think talking to someone who specialises in trauma will definitely be good for me. I just really want to make sure that there is going to be some benefit to talking about the things I mentioned because right now I feel really insecure about it. I'm sure that's wrongly placed shame for the most part. Whatever is happening to me, I am getting better all the time. Thank you again and to everyone else too because today has been TOUGH
- Post starter
- #22
Gs172003
Diamond Member
Your psych is an idiot. Find a new one. Up to 20% of people with PTSD don't have nightmares. I don't remember where I saw that number.
Gs172003
Diamond Member
Criterion b is
Presence of one (or more) of the following intrusion symptoms associated with the traumatic event( s), beginning
after the traumatic event( s) occurred: 1. Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event( s). • Note: In children older than 6 years, repetitive play may occur in which themes of aspects of the traumatic event( s) are expressed. 2. Recurrent distressing dreams in which the content and/ or affect of the dream are related to the traumatic event( s). • Note: In children there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content. 3. Dissociative reactions (e.g.,flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event( s) were recurring. (Such reactions may occur on a continuum, with the most extreme expression being a complete loss of awareness of present surroundings.) • Note: In children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur in play 4. Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event( s) 5. Marked physiological reactions to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event( s).
It said one of. Not all of.
Presence of one (or more) of the following intrusion symptoms associated with the traumatic event( s), beginning
after the traumatic event( s) occurred: 1. Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event( s). • Note: In children older than 6 years, repetitive play may occur in which themes of aspects of the traumatic event( s) are expressed. 2. Recurrent distressing dreams in which the content and/ or affect of the dream are related to the traumatic event( s). • Note: In children there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content. 3. Dissociative reactions (e.g.,flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event( s) were recurring. (Such reactions may occur on a continuum, with the most extreme expression being a complete loss of awareness of present surroundings.) • Note: In children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur in play 4. Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event( s) 5. Marked physiological reactions to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event( s).
It said one of. Not all of.
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