Change In Ptsd Or Misdiagnosed?

[Abstract]

Jmni,
Have you ever had a period of time longer than a month where you had bad nightmares, visual images or flashbacks about your trauma? Do you have hypervigilence symptoms where you struggle to sleep for example?

What did your dr do to diagnose you? Do you remember?

 

[jmni]

I think it was more like a nervous breakdown due to environment and feeling trapped and the psychiatric symptoms were more like dissociation.

 

[Abstract]

If you didnt have the intrusive symptoms and you still don't then it won't be PTSD.

Even if it isn't though it does sound like you had trauma in the past. The important part to consider is what your symptoms are now and what you need to make your life better. And usually that means dealing with past trauma amongst other things.

 

[jmni]

I had a period of more than a year where I had a repeating nightmare. But it wasn't really based on my trauma. It was just the same nightmare over and over again.

And I have definitely remembered trauma (visual images, auditory memories) in the form of flashbacks and trouble sleeping very regularly. It is intrusive and occurs at random times.

I had about four appointments and she diagnosed me with PTSD then she defered me to a therapist. But they didn't attempt to do any cbt, dbt, exposure therapy or any other sort of therapy I've ever heard of. As I remember it they spoke to me as if I was younger than I am. My impression of it was they were saying things like 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' even though I was 20 years old.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

My impression of it was they were saying things like 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' even though I was 20 years old.

20 years old is still young and still a time of change and growth- that is not a bad thing. You also might want to consider they might have been referring to 'Quality of Life' as in improving it and managing life better. It is something my therapist and I do pretty often.

 

[Abstract]

But they didn't attempt to do any cbt, dbt, exposure therapy or any other sort of therapy I've ever heard of.

jmni,
I think many, many who are diagnosed don't get the treatment they should. Sadly diagnoses does not just magically open that door. And I don't know how long ago that was but I imagine even not that long ago it would have been worse.

The treatment you had may have been profoundly useless but that does not indicate whether you had/have PTSD or not.

What does it mean to you if you have it and if you don't have it? What does it symbolise to you and what would you do differently with each?

What happens if you are just under the criteria frequency right now? Would that really have you follow a different path?

 

[jmni]

What happens if you are just under the criteria frequency right now?

What does that mean?

I did have traumatic experiences but I block out a large part of them and I don't feel like I really care about those events that much really. I know that is a symptom as well. The things that you described intrusive, auditory and visual hallucinations where I become mentally involved happens to me. But when I dissociate and have what everyone else calls a flash back I imagine the people who were involved in my traumatic incidents. But it is not the same event over and over again. It is more like a new event involving the same people every time.

I never really asked anyone what their actual ptsd flashbacks involve but if anyone would like to share I would like to compare it to my own.

What does it mean to you if you have it and if you don't have it?

For me it has been a very big challenge. I have never learned how to stop a flash back from happening. I feel like it is a huge barricade to having a normal life. I feel that it makes me very vulnerable to things that didn't challenge me before I had PTSD. Apart from stories about Vietnam survivors I had not heard about PTSD before I was diagnosed. Hypothetically I would like it to just be a disorder that I could learn to live with and I would ultimately like to control my symptoms and diminish them.

 

[Err0r]

Jmni,

I am not a registered therapist/doctor/any of the sort, but to be honest, everything you have said here makes it sound like PTSD. You seem apprehensive about your diagnosis, and I understand that.

It's not like we can choose it, unfortunately. But with certain therapies (depending on what work for you CBT/DBT/EMDR) and a knowledgeable Trauma therapist you will learn how to try to control your symptoms.

I was in therapy for years (12-16) and there was no mention of my trauma, no help in regards to trauma, etc. To be honest, it was mostly because I didn't want to deal with it and had the ability to change the subject very quickly when I felt uncomfortable. My T wasn't a trauma specialist, so she focused on things that she thought were my problem (which didn't help at all).

I know you posted in this thread awhile ago, and I just hope that this forum has helped you in the meantime.

 

[Yael]

I had PTSD since I was 5 months old. I suffered a TBI at 16 and add ADHD to that...and depression..mostly I grew up quietly seething but hyperfocused on interests that helped 'save' me. I studied all things related to psychology, philosophy, metaphysics at that time I could read and I read a lot.

Now, I'm a widow and have an 18 and a half yr old who is ADHD, PTSD ( docs still don't diagnose it though - today I AM taking son to his shrink for a med adjustment - the vyvyanse is not doing much but making him more irritable and anxious though his motivation is better.

My world is rocked from a trauma in 2011 where I resolved the PTSD as I discovered I did indeed have it and from a very young age so the 'nightmares' were flashbacks that stopped when the therapy revealed the core issue - mom smothering me as an infant in the crib for crying.

I just feel exhausted and depressed and I am non functioning without my Dex ir - and klonopin - I have no social life and I isolate with my son at our computers. What a life. I don't want to keep wasting all our money on Dr's because I have no money now. After hubby died and my career was dead ( banker) I had many failed work attempts ( I was in a ptsd'd state and severe TBI symptoms with ADHD - a mess) the ladies at the unemployment office saw how upset I was and couldn't hide it. I became disabled permanently because my son was being neglected and treated badly by every Dr and Therapist I took him to and because all of them didn't look or listen to our history or they called us liars.

This is a rough world but it's worse than that...there's too many bad Dr's and therapists. I'd rather save my money and take my son somewhere he can smell the roses. I hope I get that chance.

 

[jmni]

I have been reading and it seems like I may have primary obsessional OCD. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primarily_Obsessional_OCD

Is anyone familiar?

 

[Abstract]

jmi, I am no expert and don't know a lot about OCD but if I am right this is what they call Pure O. I can't really get my head around what that would look like for someone even though I read up on it about a year ago or so. I don't have the energy to look at the link but hope you find some answers.