News Ptsd Will Cease Being An Anxiety Disorder - Dsm 5

[anthony]

Under the proposed new categorization of the DSM 5, [DLMURL="http://www.ptsdforum.org/c/wiki/posttraumatic-stress-disorder/"]Posttraumatic Stress Disorder[/DLMURL] (PTSD) will no longer be an anxiety disorder, and instead will now be a "Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder".

What raises my curiosity slightly, is to whether all PTSD sufferers will now see a comorbid anxiety disorder diagnosed, as anxiety has not yet been entered as a symptom of the new PTSD diagnosis, and as it no longer resides under the anxiety heading, this removes it categorically from being automatically anxiety based.

As depression is part of PTSD, yet not a symptom, it is given as a comorbid diagnosis with PTSD, which is what now brings me to the assumption, they have now added another label to the PTSD mountain of comorbid diagnosis!

 

[jeeps for now]

I am happy to hear of these changes !!!

 

[Tinyflame]

I actually prefer the new category, but I see your point Anthony.

 

[Cheshire]

Interesting... so I guess they'll be diagnosing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with Depression and Anxiety as an official thing now? I wonder if that will result in any changes to treatment plans... I suppose not. Just more words in the label. Interesting that they're taking anxiety out of PTSD officially though..

 

[NIKI]

I am happy to hear of these changes !!!

Jeeps for now, why are you happy to hear about the new changes?

I actually prefer the new category.

Junebug, why do you prefer the new category? What does it mean for us?

 

[Kintsugi]

I feel like there are so many more facets to PTSD than what is described here, but I suppose you can't reach everything? Like, dissociative actions (e.g. flashbacks)... I see flashbacks and dissociation as distinct? And dissociation goes deeper. They mention dissociative amnesia, but there is still more? Do I have a dissociative disorder as well if I experience many symptoms of dissociation outside of flashbacks and amnesia?

My psychiatrist recently asked me if I'd ever been diagnosed as depressed. I laughed. Isn't PTSD a big enough umbrella?

 

[intothelight]

If they make it too narrow, then half the DSM can be assigned. Wonder how the increase in co-morbid diagnosis affects patient billing and the drug companies????

 

[Cheshire]

Wonder how the increase in co-morbid diagnosis affects patient billing and the drug companies????

Didn't think of that.... good point.

 

[Kintsugi]

That's what I'm really concerned about. I was mortified when I first talked to my T about a diagnosis, because she had me down at first as GAD, but she said it didn't really fit. The one she said seemed to fit was a diagnosis for childhood sexual abuse, but she said that insurance companies wouldn't cover that. Then she told me that really I fit under PTSD, which is covered with insurance and also covers the sexual abuse. So, I guess I'm just really afraid that someone is going to tell me at some point, "Your PTSD is not insurable because of X, Y, and Z."

 

[Tinyflame]

Junebug, why do you prefer the new category? What does it mean for us?

Dear NIKI, I can't speak to that- Anthony is the expert, and perhaps it's just 'apples and oranges'- was already called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, So Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder isn't a big switch.

I can only say that all these years not knowing what it was (why I felt and experienced what I did), that it never seemed to entirely 'fit' any 'diagnosis'- much anxiety but definitely not solely that in terms of symptoms; depression when you are (were) seemingly feeling happy, and that didn't really seem to 'fit' exactly, either; plus flashbacks, insomnia, etc.

I guess what I mean is the emphasis on 'trauma' or 'stressors' seems to describe it most accurately, at its core.

I think there's a tendency to try to treat each comorbid diagnoses independently, but I personally find that the 'trauma work' (if successful) seems to remove the other symptoms (eg depression). i.e. To try to treat the depression doesn't last or seem to be successful, but if something helps with the truama the depression receeds on its own, often quickly.

Also, I know that they say it is 'fear based' but thinking of the stress cup analogy I feel overwhelmed with the stress of it all even more than fear, although I feel fear because of the stress, racing heart etc. And some of my fear is my percepetion of how I will affect or cause harm to others because of how the trauma has seemed to have left me (this person I've become).

 

[anthony]

Dear NIKI, I can't speak to that- Anthony is the expert, and perhaps it's just 'apples and oranges'- was already called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, So Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder isn't a big switch.

It will still be called "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder"... it just won't be under the category of "Anxiety Disorders" any longer, and instead under the new category " Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders".

 

[Tinyflame]

Antthony, do you think fear (anxiety) is the root? I know after the fact there is much, but it seems the impact of the trauma(s) that contributed to be the real problem.

I was an anxious kid, but a very brave and independent one too, and I can only recall that when the traumas occurred that seemed to be the source of this, thinking 'I can't believe this is happening', 'horror-of-horrors', and totally clamming up/ telling no one, and trying to pretend nothing happened (carry on).