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Process around diagnosis for PTSD/Depression

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LucyLou

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I have never been diagnosed with anything but I strongly believe that I have PTSD/ Depression.
I'm yet to seek any kind of professional help, but at the minute I feel reluctant about it.
I'd like to know the process around your diagnosis please, how long it took and what your treatment was.
I know I'm asking personal questions, I just want to be as informed as possible.
 
Hi I'm from the uk. It took about 1-2 years to be diagnosed with "recurrent depression" and about 13 years! For them to acknowledge that I had a history of "complex trauma". My current psychiatrist is very good but I've had some terrible ones! 🙂
 
As far as I can gather you need to be referred to a psychiatrist to get diagnosed. I was, and I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, twice. Apparently that's common. When they referred me for treatment for borderline, the team there felt I didn't have borderline and referred me to the PTSD stream who agreed I had complex PTSD.

I did eventually have some psychoeducation, symptom management skills, and acceptance and commitment therapy (which were all excellent) and was told I would be referred for long term group therapy but then I got a call saying I was being dropped.

The whole process took years. But I was terrible at speaking up for myself and pushing. And every area is different.
 
When you spoke to your Dr for the first time. Did you have to go in to the reasons you thought you had ptsd/Depression?
 
You don’t have to go anywhere. Generally they just ask you why you came and start from that.
 
When you spoke to your Dr for the first time. Did you have to go in to the reasons you thought you had ptsd/Depression?
I've been in and out to different Ts and docs for a while and even though they have access to my records from prev ones I still find it helpful to have a wee spiel to fall back on for someone new. Like "so obv X happened and now I'm struggling with Y". Cos especially if you're wondering if it's PTSD, that you have a trauma history is relevant.

I've never had to give details (my personal spiel goes a bit like "so I've PTSD obv cos CSA and blahblah etc. And it's been fine for a while but I'm now sleeping less/whatever"

And they can ask questions or not, which you can answer, or not. But IME first appointments, an outline is handy, and nobody really questions anything other than the symptoms part.
 
I'd rather not going into the CSA etc with my GP. I was hoping that maybe I could get started on some anti depressants to help with my mood then once I feel like I can, I'd refer myself to counselling via IAPT.
 
I'd rather not going into the CSA etc with my GP. I was hoping that maybe I could get started on some anti depressants to help with my mood then once I feel like I can, I'd refer myself to counselling via IAPT
Then do that 😊

Whatever works for you. No GP has ever asked me any details of anything that I can mind. I would say that iapt counselling tends to be less specialised than other types. But obv still a good step for building skills etc.
 
I'd rather not going into the CSA etc with my GP. I was hoping that maybe I could get started on some anti depressants to help with my mood then once I feel like I can, I'd refer myself to counselling via IAPT.
My GP came right out and asked me "What happened to you?" when I told him I had PTSD.

I told him we weren't going there, and he never asked me again.
 
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