Could This Cause Ptsd?

[Mallaky]

Hello.

I have a question about a dear friend of mine who shows all the symptoms and behaviors of PTSD but did not have a massive trauma in his life, or so he thinks. But there was one thing that happened when he was a small child, that still haunts him to this day.

When he was five years old he was with his parents walking around a lake. They walked, he rode his bicycle. they to foot he on his bicycle. He lost them. For about half an hour he was alone, didn't see them. He was sure that had forever lost them. Luckily they found him. He never talked with them about it.

After this incidient he changed, became timid and shy. Ten years later the parents got divorced, the worst time in his life. He always talks about these things back to back, as if they are one.

He dreams about that day at the lake often. He is massively afraid of being left alone. He shows many symptoms of PTSD. He also developed depression and social anxiety on which he does not get alot of help, but is on mediciation for anxiety. There is also the fact that he was in shock as a baby because he didnt get enough food from his mothers breast.

So. What do you think? Should he look into this or am I seeing things? Can a thing like this be traumatizing in early childhood?

Any comment is much appreciated.

 

[sessie]

I think it's just about impossible for any of us to diagnosis him (or for anyone to diagnosis over the internet). If he is worried about symptoms, feelings, or behavior that he is dealing with, then he should talk to a therapist and see if there's something that would be helpful for him. It doesn't have to be "PTSD" for therapy to be valuable, if he's struggling.

However, he needs to be the one to want help and to get help...you can't do that for him...

Good luck.

 

[Mallaky]

Thank you for your response.

This is not about anybody diagnosing him, just about figuring out if this could be a cause. I do not want to trouble him about this without any reason. He wants help, very much so, it is just that wherever he goes people put him into different drawers.

 

[rightkindofme]

The first step would be talking to a therapist. He could have a simple anxiety disorder and that is orders of magnitude easier to treat. PTSD isn't a label to go hunting for for kicks. :-\

 

[Mallaky]

PTSD isn't a label to go hunting for for kicks. :-\

That is the last thing I want. If you read my posts you would know that this is exactly the reason I made this thread.
"I do not want to trouble him without any reason." Please dont be so assuming, thanks.

 

[rightkindofme]

I am not being assuming. I am telling you that this is a diagnosis you cannot decide you have based on stuff you read on the internet. You need to see a therapist for diagnosis and trying to treat someone you "think might have" a personality disorder is not appropriate.

 

[CrazyHorse]

This is not about anybody diagnosing him, just about figuring out if this could be a cause

It is the same thing! It is not our task nor within our ability to figure out whether someone suffers from PTSD or not, and I for one do not feel comfortable judging what could or could not cause PTSD in other people. It feels like comparing trauma.

He wants help, very much so, it is just that wherever he goes people put him into different drawers.

If he wants help, a way to be a good friend is to encourage him to get it, and take it from there. People putting him into different drawers is no different than you seeking to fit him in the PTSD-box, even if you are just trying to help.

 

[Mallaky]

Jesus Christ ladys, please stop overreacting in this matter.

This is not about anybody diagnosing anybody. I just asked and I quote myself "Should he look into this or am I seeing things?"

I guess you are all burned by people looking for diagnosis in this forum, but I just wanted to know if it would be a good idea to tell him about this, or if it would be completely off base. Now please relax.

edit: I view your responses as "Yes, he should look into this."

 

[CrazyHorse]

We answered you to the best of our knowlegde and the sum of the answers you got were: we cannot answer that question for you! There is no need for the 'overreacting' and 'please relax' phrases, I can tell you so much that that is completly off base, and for the 'I guess you are all burned by people looking for diagnosis'? How did you come to that conclusion?

 

[CrazyHorse]

P.S.

I will encourage you to keep the respectful tone in your posts that we all so benefit from on this forum. Even though you do not always get the replies you expected or feel misunderstood. If this is the case, you simply explain, leaving out the agressive and condescenting name-calling. It will get you nowhere.

 

[Mallaky]

Thanks for your response.

I do not understand, I seriously do not, the intense reaction of every post in this thread so far. It is completely off base and nobody is responding to my initial opener. This is why I tried to lighten it up, but funny is a difficult thing, and I seem to have come across as respectless, which is unfortunate and shows a lack of language skill on my part. The last thing I ever wanted is being aggressive and condescending, and to be honest I do not see it. What I see is: me being defensive, and with good reason.

I clearly stated in opener the intent of inquiry of this thread: Would it be a stupid thing for me to suggest my friend looking into PTSD, or not.* This is not a nuanced or difficult thing to understand. I did not ask for diagnosis, I asked for insight by people with experience if this kind of behavior and experience would warrant a look into the PTSD complex. That is all.

Before I knew what happened people where talking about diagnosing him and me putting him into drawers, which was, frankly, a ridiculous response. The harshness of response and misinterpretation of a very simple question leads to the assumption that, yes, this forum is burned by people looking for diagnosis, which is understandable. This is something that each and every public forum for psychic illness and/or problems is known for.

So I hope we are good know and misunderstandings are out of the way. The reactions to this thread gave a clear response anyway (Yes, he should look into it.) even though my openingpost was misunderstood, so this endeavor worked out after all, haha.
:D
I am sure I was rude again but I just seem to be a rude person in written language, sorry.

*This would probably have been alot smoother if I stated the reason for the question: I know from firsthand that it can be quite taxing to look into each and every problem that people assume you might have. I myself had some hard times because of that.

 

[intothelight]

Malllaky,

Yes, the simple answer is that your friend should look into it. Also, you are correct that many individuals come to this forum looking for a diagnosis and all are encouraged to seek a mental health profession for diagnosis.

Bottom line, regardless of the cause or diagnosis, getting help for something that causes challenges in you daily life is the first step to making whatever it is better.