Cptsd by association?

[Deleted member 46752]

Is it possible that trauma can be induced by gaslighting, cyberbullying, peer abuse, and or just associating with perturbed toxic individuals

 

[EveHarrington]

What kind of peer abuse?

 

[TruthSeeker]

I have seen others abused by bullying, and ending up in the fetal position over it. I guess everyone's threshold for negative is different, and what will traumatize some, won't others. I've experienced extensive gaslighting....yep, been traumatized over it....and making best efforts to move on....slowly improving..

 

[Deleted member 46752]

I have seen others abused by bullying, and ending up in the fetal position over it. I guess everyone's...

Thanks for the responses everyone, it started out irl in youth but that wasn't so bad except for this one kid but then got cyber bullied by very perturbed political zealots

What kind of peer abuse?

Mainly vicious cyberbullying by very scary people like its hard to describe such but picture myopic political zealots with zero charity

 

[EveHarrington]

Have you been diagnosed with PTSD?

 

[Suzetig]

To be diagnosed with PTSD there needs to have been a Criterion A trauma which means the individual needs to have experienced or been exposed to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual assault. I’d say that unless there was a real and credible threat to life or bodily integrity then no, peer abuse or association with toxic people wouldn’t result in PTSD.

That doesn’t mean you’re not struggling, you may experience some level of symptoms and find life very difficult but PTSD is a specific diagnosis. Are you working with professionals who have diagnosed you?

 

[TruthSeeker]

To be diagnosed with PTSD there needs to have been a Criterion A trauma which means the individual need...

I respectfully disagree with your analysis. It is very oversimplified.

To be diagnosed with PTSD there needs to have been a Criterion A trauma which means the individual need...

Research is clear that "trauma" happens to some and not others and they don't know why that is. PTSD is in its infancy and continually changing. Cyberbullying is also in its infancy and has caused significant trauma in children I have known. One tried to commit suicide because of it...that is not an isolated case. In my opinion, as the world changes, so do the criteria for PTSD. Cyberbullying shouldn't be dismissed as a potential PTSD cause because it is, in many cases, a group of people who are targeting a person. Being abused by a group of individuals is a horrible experience and is emotional abuse. Intensive group emotional abuse, over time, can leave similar scars as sexual abuse and cause trauma. I believe in some cases, it could create the same or similar features of PTSD in some people. As the criteria stands now, you would not likely be diagnosed with PTSD from what you described.

While DSM criteria continues to change and is always behind in its revisions and technology is constantly changing, as are our ways of communication with each other, the computer is a way people can now insidiously hurt one another without having actual physical contact. Texts, chats, and other forms of online communication are relatively new but extremely powerful. People can hide behind words, and cause others great emotional harm on the computer. When groups of people send one person continuous negative messages, threats, or continual berating comments, the victim quickly becomes afraid and if it is a child....and the people are at school, they often exhibit school phobia (avoidance). The abusive comments can continue whether the victim attends school or not. The messages a victim receives can be read and reread (unlike face to face interactions)-and victims of cyberbullying obsess over these negative messages-where the abuse is real and in writing. It is also an abuse where the victim is alone-not like something that happens in public-not being face to face is a factor. Like any other abuse, if the victim is a loner, they will often tend not to tell immediately...because they are afraid they will make it worse. Unlike face to face conflict, messages are sent at all hours of the night and the victim often constantly checks to see if it is happening again. Cyberbullying may be considered emotional abuse, and in its current state wouldn't often be a supporting cause of a PTSD diagnosis, but if the messages were threatening enough, it could be. As technology changes, it wouldn't surprise me that in the future, DSM 6 didn't include it somewhere in trauma diagnosis with some restrictions, and it wouldn't surprise me if the PTSD criteria didn't include cyberbullying in the future, either. This is just my opinion based on what I have seen over the past few years at my work.

 

[Suzetig]

and it wouldn't surprise me if the PTSD criteria didn't include cyberbullying in the future, either.

It may or may not, but the question was whether cyberbulling could cause PTSD, and using the existing diagnostic criteria, no it couldn’t, unless there was a clear and credible threat to life.

I’m not arguing the limits of the DSM, and I’m not saying that bullying in all its forms isn’t damaging. I’m saying that unless there is a Crit A trauma, there can be no PTSD diagnosis. Or we could just ignore all guidelines and diagnostic process and call everything PTSD.

 

[TruthSeeker]

It may or may not, but the question was whether cyberbulling could cause PTSD, and using the existing d...

TommySunlight said

: Is it possible that trauma can be induced by gaslighting, cyberbullying, peer abuse, and or just associating with perturbed toxic individuals

@TommySunlight My answer to your question is yes, it is possible that cyberbullying can cause PTSD if what happened to you fits with the PTSD criteria. With that being said, if you are concerned, I'd run it by a professional who can give you their opinion.

BKinder (that's me) said:

As the criteria stands now, you would not likely be diagnosed with PTSD from what you described

(I responded this way, because I have learned in other posts, where I have not been explicitly clear with the specific details of my experiences, where critical information which I may hold back because it is specific in nature and could possibly break my anonymity on this site, makes a difference in how posters may respond-sometimes with strong emotion or opinion. It is my opinion, that our responses are based on the limited info that we post. Our opinions about possible diagnosis of PTSD are just that, remembering that we haven't lived your experiences and don't know all the details-critical to a PTSD diagnosis (and not to dismiss the trauma that can be caused by cyberbulling…. that I know for a fact... cyberbullying in some instances can be very traumatizing....but I don't know all the circumstances and am not licensed in this area and wouldn't want to steer you away from professional help with a no response)

@Suzetig said:

It may or may not, but the question was whether cyberbulling could cause PTSD, and using the existing diagnostic criteria, no it couldn’t, unless there was a clear and credible threat to life

I’m basically agreeing with you Suzetig but I hesitate to say a blanket no, because we don't know all of the details.

 

[EveHarrington]

I respectfully disagree with your analysis. It is very oversimplified.


Research is clear that "trauma...

This kind of response is a pattern for you.

I think that instead of arguing that anything can cause ptsd, or that it’s wrong to get upset at ptsd fakers because nobody fakes ptsd (as in that other thread), you should perhaps work on your own insecurities regarding your own diagnosis. Full inclusion for everyone that has had anything remotely not good happen to them isn’t going to make you feel more secure in your diagnosis, it’s not going to make you feel ok.

 

[TruthSeeker]

This kind of response is a pattern for you.

I think that instead of arguing that anything can c...

Eve, I feel as though you need to tell me what to do to get fixed in the mental health department...and what I should do (your words in your post) are personally offensive...I don't know you, and didn't solicit personal advice on my mental health. Being relatively new here to this site, I'm still finding my way but I don't think it was created so you can't shrink me here by evaluating my mental health status based on your review of the patterns of my posts and offering unsolicited advice. Anyayou aren't qualified. Your posts are becoming more personal.....go back and read them. I haven't done anything to you. If I have, I didn't mean to.

I strongly feel like you think you are better than me, having all the answers and telling me what I should do supported by past posts.....And to follow my posts carefully enough to tell me what my behavior patterns are in other posts????? EWE.....is unsettling....and …...well.....
and kinda creepy.

We all have opinions and can disagree here, but the person who is to be telling me about and discussing my behavior patterns...is my therapist! I could be wrong, but you seem angry with me or have a need to shrink and fix me....I don't need a fixer....consider writing ….. write a poem....or journal it.....I don't know what to say...but your post flabbergasts me.

It doesn't feel on my end like appropriate way to communicate...it doesn't feel welcoming to this site. There are many other posts and posters you can write to besides me...……I don't feel anything from your post but anger....but I don't know what your intended feelings are if they aren't anger and irritation. Maybe you are having a bad day? We both didn't sign up to this site because our mental health is stellar....that's a fact! Everyone needs to find their own way to contentment-I'm trying very hard. I hope you too, find contentment.
I hope you have a better day.


Feelings are not right or wrong, they just are another sense...in a moment in time.

 

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