Returning To Veteran Only Community

[gibrokedown]

Hey Elise, just to clear it up, Complex PTSD is not Combat PTSD. The events connected to Complex PTSD are similar to those of what we call Combat PTSD. Combat PTSD actually does not exist in the medical world, its just PTSD.

We are different though. PTSD usually relates to one off events such as natural disasters. rape. car accidents etc, where Complex PTSD is diagnosed for those who have been exposed to long term trauma. Yes, us as veterans are exposed to periods of trauma over a sustained time, however, it is more referring to someone held captive with sustained abuse. Here are some examples:

• Concentration Camps
• POW camps
• Long Term Domestic Violence
• Long Term severe physical abuse
• Child sexual abuse, and
• Organized child exploitation rings.

The psych's are working on branching Combat PTSD into its own entity as we fall under a total different set of circumstances. For starters we are conditioned by training (brainwashed) to some extent prior to us being deployed.
When we are deployed we often remain on that heightened state of alert for the full deployment; however, generally our traumas are not sustained every minute of every day for months or years on end like some of the people in the above list.
We are exposed to multiple traumas over a long period of time though. For example, going on patrol daily and having incoming and rounds whizzing around your head. Most of the time though you return to a compound or safe base. Whether you sleep or not is another story, but unless you are on a long range patrol into the badlands, you generally only patrol for up to a week or so, then return.
I am not trying to put you down, I just want to make it clear to everyone so the wrong information is not given.
This is also why Anthony broke us away from the other two forums. There is a forum for general PTSD, a forum for sexual abuse and our forum for those who have been in combat.
Hope I have explained it well enough.

thanks for spelling that out better jimmy, with brain damage sometimes i don't make myself very clear.

 

[gibrokedown]

Fair point , never really thought about it like that , yes i was indoctrinated into becoming a soldier which involves taking life, and marching on the spot with a fixed bayonett shouting ..kill...kill..kill in training ,and being a position where you are expected to take a life if neccesssary and to see and do the things ive seen and done in the sheer intensity and volume that i have would deem combat ptsd on a slightly different level than ptsd.
I am really scared about the level of rage and anger that i have, i know what im capable of and i will , if im not careful end up in prison or hospital or the morgue.

i have the same rage and anger. I know what i am capable of. the things that go through my mind are what I myself would even call sick and deranged. but, i tell myself i can't do those things. i have a kid. people don't deserve what i think. but then i tell myself some do. child molestors do. i would do those horrible thoughts to those assholes in a second if i could get away with it. just remember a jail cell is only 8'x4' with another human in it that you will probably hate with a passion. always always always remember that. and remember that that person may be meaner and bigger and may like you as his bitch. that should keep you under toe. ;)

 

[Jimmy1]

Elise, its a common misconception. A lot of people get it confused.
It won't be long and we will be placed in a different category. The biggest problem with current veterans returning and IED's is TBI. That is a whole other factor and why the VA's around the world are trying to screw some of us.

 

[gibrokedown]

explain jimmy what you mean i am confused. yes i have a TBI what is this different category.

 

[Jimmy1]

Well I know over here, PTSD is accepted within the VA, where as now they are trying to blame a lot of veteran's psych problems on TBI which at present is not accepted as 100% incapacity. Well that was the last time I heard anyway.

TBI has nothing to do with PTSD. Its just something else we have to deal with.

Anthony has a better idea, I will get him to try and explain it better.

 

[gibrokedown]

well, jimmy they have studied me for years and come to the conclusion that yes there is a direct connection between TBI and PTSD. not one that anyone would think. one doesn't cause the other or anything like that. what happens is the PTSD becomes a parasite and begins to kill brain tissue in the area that was damaged. Every year i see more gone, due to this. One day I won't have a temporal lobe. meaning i will have zero personality, zero personality control, zero emotion. ......balance...etc.. will all be affected including memory. I hope i die before this point comes honestly. it doesn't seem like a life i wish to lead.

 

[Jimmy1]

Can you give me a link or something where the connection has been found. It would be interesting to look at PTSD being a parasite that kills brain tissue rather than a disorder brought on by exposure to a life threatening trauma.

 

[Jimmy1]

Elise, I found this page which you might find interesting.
If you read under moderate TBI and also under the diagnosis, you will see that there is no actual link, but it makes it harder to diagnose someone with PTSD that has also experienced a TBI. That is why the VA try to find a way around paying.

In my opinion what they are saying is that some of the symptoms of a mild TBI can mask the symptoms of PTSD and therefor some veterans may be mis-diagnosed.

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[anthony]

what happens is the PTSD becomes a parasite and begins to kill brain tissue in the area that was damaged.

PTSD does not kill brain cells, that is complete nonsense.

TBI and PTSD differ as TBI is biological and PTSD is psychological. The symptoms of both are near identical, yet DOD's typically only recognise PTSD as a lifetime longevity, being equal to losing a limb. They don't recognise TBI as that equivalent, even though TBI mimicks PTSD symptoms, as the brain is proven to regrow brain cells, unlike decade old thinking that once a brain cell had died, that was it. That is true in essence, being it dies and is gone, though they now know new brain cells also grow in place, and damaged brain cells can repair themselves.

This is all proven through the advancements in neuro-imaging over the past decade... really coming to light since 2006/7 onwards, especially PET scanning.

There is no such thing as combat PTSD or complex PTSD, no such diagnoses exist... its all PTSD. Those names are used for the type of trauma, they are not an actual diagnosis though.

The DSM V is not splitting PTSD either... it will remain as PTSD, except it will no longer be an anxiety disorder, instead it will be recognised as a trauma and stressor disorder. This new category will no doubt see a lot more activity and possibly specificity over the further releases... but that is a long way away and completely unknown.

 

[Jimmy1]

Thanks for clarifying that Anthony.

 

[Jimmy1]

There is no such thing as combat PTSD or complex PTSD, no such diagnoses exist... its all PTSD. Those names are used for the type of trauma, they are not an actual diagnosis though.

Mate, I often do research to expand my knowledge and found this from the United States VA, what do they mean by Complex PTSD??

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[humptynugget]

Where u living in UK now mate could hook up for a chin wag and put the world to right, no pressure though mate?

Dont know if you mean me dude but i live in cornwall but will be moving to norfolk after my daughter has left college in june , going for a fresh start, lost it at work last week and threatened to deck two people , not proud of myself at all.