Poll At What Age Were You Diagnosed with PTSD?

[Chincho]

I was diagnosed at 43, a year after the memories of my childhood trauma came to me. I'm 44 now.

 

[Moony]

I'm still currently awaiting an 'official' diagnosis. The waiting list is awful to see the right people here. I'm 20, but my doctor started treating me for PTSD when I was 17. I've felt this way since I was about 12.

 

[freakofnurture]

I was diagnosed with PTSD at around age 27 but I've been having (and dutifully banalising) the symptoms for all my life.

And if that's all the compassion they have, then you don't need them in your life.

I second that.

You've got the symptoms, you've got the diagnosis, it's official that you have it because the experts say you have it. Too young? There are little children with PTSD! And if the people around you think they know more about psychology than experts who went through years of special education... *facepalm* Can't argue with stupid.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I was diagnosed in 1985, I was 30 yrs. old. But I have had it my entire life. Hang in there and do not give up. With the right therapist and psychiatrist it will get better as you work hard on your own healing process.

 

[maddog]

I was diagnosed at 28. My traumas date back to childhood, and in hindsight, I had bouts of particular symptoms at different stages throughout my entire life, but the entire package, as it were, didn't really descend on me all together until age 28.

I was one of the lucky ones, diagnosed accurately fairly early on in therapy by a very switched-on psychologist who, I know, had strong suspicions of same even while I was actively lying and avoiding discussion of the truth.

Depression was the first condition I was officially identified as meeting diagnostic criteria for, primarily because that was about the only thing I was prepared to confess to at the time.

Maddog

 

[LiamM]

I was diagnosed this past year. I'm 17. I have no doubt that I've had it since I was really young. My diagnosis was a sort of enlightening moment, letting me know that I'm not crazily sensitive to random things. :)

 

[Moonwolf 89]

Hi Trapped, I was diagnosed at 21 but I've had it since childhood. I hope you can find a more supportive doctor! Those comments invalidating your experiences were way out of line.

 

[Bubba]

I was just diagnosed - I'm 42, but we believe I've had symptoms since I was 7. It's so refreshing to have an explanation for why you feel so different from everyone.

 

[Nicolette]

I was diagnosed this past year. I'm 17.

Liam the rules of a mental health forum are that must be 18 years of age to participate. The only way the system will let you register is if you are over 18 so you have manipulated your date of birth in order to join.

On this basis I have to ban you and when you really turn 18 you can use the contact form on the bottom right of the page and request to be re-instated which will have to be considered due to your admitted deceit.

 

[Anna]

17 years old.

 

[woundedsoul]

I was 49 when officially dx'd with PTSD but suffered from mild symptoms all of my life from childhood abuse and parental alcoholism. My therapist agrees that I had it long before dx.

I am not happy with your T's attitude and dismissing your symptoms because you have not been in a war! That is *not* a diagnostic criteria for PTSD and I would switch T's because he/she is minimizing your trauma and symptoms which can be traumatizing in and of itself. Take care. Truly hope you switch T's. That is just not right at all. Sounds ignorant and that is not the kind of T I would want to have helping me!

 

[Spiderallis]

A therapist first mentioning it as a possibility when I was 17 or so, but I was officially diagnosed at 31, after adding more traumas into things by the strange ways I was trying to cope without admitting what was going on.