High functioning with ptsd/cptsd

[shatter eyes]

Once upon a time I was HF.
But HF is very subjective and there is no standard criteria.

However, I will add that I see mindfulness and CBT stuff described along with positive affirmations. Maybe those folks got family n support that keeps them strong enough to rebuild or maintain life.

Now i push myself to shower, reply to few messages, and if all is well maybe laundry once a month for my sleepy clothes. No joke at all.

Long road to once upon a time for me....

 

[Beans]

Functioning has to do with the outer stuff. So anyone with career/work, relationships, friendships, hobbies, health, etc would qualify someone as high functioning. Low functioning or non functioning means someone isn't able to do these things.

When I work with the disabled, having a job, being able to clean, being able to cook and be around others is considered high functioning. We're not talking about super successful. I think it's better to just call it functioning or non cause high makes pple think we're talking about hugely "successful."

 

[MyWillow]

I haven't been posting much lately, and it is in part to my thoughts on this exact thread....

Wow. I'm hearing you. I'm doing a PhD, am in high demand in my area of work, get paid well, am on several committees for my hobby, am everyone's go to person, long term relationship, house, car etc. In the last 2 years I've had 3 accidents and the last one was the icing on the cake in terms of injury. I've only taken a handful of sick days from work but I sought out an appointment with a psychologist to get some coping skills. And wow. Just wow. Six months in I suddenly realised I had lots of blanks for my psych sessions. A bit of a shock for someone who prides themselves on their good memory. Terms I had no concept of...structural dissociation, dissociative amnesia, flashbacks, nightmares....suddenly became what I was dealing with. So on the outside - yep - apparently high functioning. On the inside? I have absolutely no idea what is going on. The aim is to just hold it together until I can figure it out.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Functioning has to do with the outer stuff. So anyone with career/work, relationships, friendships, hobbies, health, etc would qualify someone as high functioning. Low functioning or non functioning means someone isn't able to do these things.

I like how you said outter stuff as that's exactly what it is. I work so therefore my insurence calls me functional however I drop to the fetal position when I need to go get milk from a store because of my extreme fear of people (thus one reason I am training a service dog). But that would not be functional in my book.

The purpose of the thread is to share ideas about how improving the quality of day-to-day life

Which is a wonderful idea for a thread but

The articles defined "high functioning" by the criteria I shared in the first post.

I feel it is dangerous to strive to meet a standard which is one person's opinion of what high functioning is. The article isn't accounting that I can meet all of those standards, be "high finctioning" but still be a train wreak inside.

Ideas on how to improve day to day life I am totally on board with 100%. But, can we not try to meet one person's opinion of what "high functioning" is? I will never meet many of those standards no matter how hard I try and that causes defeat, loosing the will to move at all, depression, lower self worth, etc.

And would that take into account that I have and need a service dog? Or would "high functioning" be not needing the help of a service dog? You see where I am getting at? By one person's standards, the fact that I need a service dog's help and will for many years to come likley (as it wasn't in the list but I get the feeling they were writing that the person achieve this alone without help like a service dog) is not being "high functioning" in their opinion. But with him I am going more places, actually sometimes meeting people. I used to leave my curtians drawn and sit in my house and go nowhere but work. And I stay numb at work which is how I can work. I had family living with me for the entire time of starting therapy (which ended my denial and started the larger symptoms) and they would go shopping for food. I refused to go. Now they are gone, I am alone and I have no problem going to buy groceries or anything else for that matter and that is all due to having a service dog. My therapist tried MANY things that all failed before we decided together a service dog would be best.

My point is, training a service dog has pushed me foward in huge ways. But to those standards, I am assuming that if you need a service dog, you are not "high functioning".

I am not trying to derail the thread or take it off topic. I just fear that trying to meet someone's standards is dangerous and instead we should look to improve our lives however that maybe without trying to meet a standard. That's all.

I'm sorry if I am taking the thread off topic and I am happy to not post in here if that's what's wanted. I just felt I needed to say this.

 

[Justplainnutz]

I agree with the statement that high functioning just means we conceal the horror better then others. I was recently diagnosed, as it turns out I've been dealing with ptsd for 40 years- so by the world standards I am high functioning. I have a job, I'm married and I like keeping myself fit. The reality, it is my third marriage, I have 4 estranged children, I don't sleep, I'm always tense and ready to react. I'm depressed and fear what coming, when nothing is coming.

High functioning, yes I am!! To the outside world.

To me high functioning was coming out of denial and seeking treatment and not putting a rosie tint to everything when I share with T.

Just my 2cents

 

[EveHarrington]

I am very high functioning. Ive been in biz for 25 years., had 20 years of sobriety ( I said had.....

Who the hell was I hammering?

I just hate the PC mantra around here that we all suffer the same. I call BS on this idea as its not an accurate reflection of what we go through. I saw my opening and I took it.

 

[illusionist]

I've always considered myself to be highly functional.....in respect that I could survive, have survived financially, on my own....with much struggle, with a few dips. I really don't class social interaction as being high functioning as I know many Normie's who don't interact socially outside of work....apart from a few close friends....seems more normal than not tbh.

 

[scout86]

I feel it is dangerous to strive to meet a standard which is one person's opinion of what high functioning is

I'm not sure there's anything in the original post that suggests anyone has to meet a standard. The article gave a definition. That's one definition. I haven't read the article, so I don't even know who's definition it is. But, it's just one definition.

I'm going to take a guess that how well a person does at meeting that particular standard is going to depend a lot on what they're dealing with and how they got to where they are. The standard was kind of heavy on good interpersonal relationships (to me). I'd guess it's easier to have those, or get that ability back, if you got PTSD after you'd already developed those skills. But that's just a guess. One of the things that keeps happening to me in therapy is my T will mention something related to dealing with people and I'll go "That's a thing?" Because I truly wasn't aware that it was. We were talking about that yesterday, in fact. About how often I've been told I have a "bad attitude" because I asked what was, to me, a legitimate question that made no sense to someone from a different background. Someone who has a better idea of what "normal" is in the regard is probably going to have a different experience. On the other hand, I kind of figure you can't really miss what you've never had, so maybe struggling with interpersonal issues is more of a "thing" for someone who has a better grasp of "normal".

I just hate the PC mantra around here that we all suffer the same.

I don't know if that's a PC mantra or not, but it sure doesn't seem accurate, to me. There may be similarities, but I doubt any two people ever experience anything the exact same way. That doesn't mean someone's experience doesn't matter.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I'm not sure there's anything in the original post that suggests anyone has to meet a standard. The article gave a definition. That's one definition.

I think striving to be "high functional", whatever that is, or just that term is dangerous. I feel that as long as you are moving foward then that's all that matters. Why strive to be "high functional"? I understand striving to be functional. Like a functional member of society type of thing. That's a good thing and I also understand that interpersonal skills are good but what's higher then functional and how does one obtain that? Should one strive for it? If one does strive for it and fails? I'm functional but not functional enough? One is higher or better then the other?

I just see all sorts of issues with that term. Always striving to better yourself. That is what I am doing and I believe we all should do. I don't feel a label should be placed on it. But, hey, to each his own.

 

[scout86]

Been reading some interesting blog posts, articles and stories by and about people who have PTSD/CPTSD and are high functioning.

Nothing there about "striving". I'm not sure at what point that word got added, but it wasn't in the original post.

I agree, it's helpful to have goals, it's probably better if they're individual goals.

 

[intothelight]

Or would "high functioning" be not needing the help of a service dog?

Personally, anything they helps a person function better in day-to-day life is an excellent tool/resource. No more than telling someone that only being med free would make someone "high" functioning. So having a service would be something that would help improve a person's quality of life and that is the purpose of the thread.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Ok, that makes more sense @intothelight! Thank you for explaining that as I was really struggling with the wordage really. I still fear comparing but I agree, anything to improve day to day life is a good thing.