News Article: Abusing The Term Trauma

[Justmehere]

This article is a great one:

[url="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/women-who-stray/201209/abusing-the-term-trauma/"]Abusing The Term, 'Trauma'[/URL]

The author writes about the dangers of labeling bad life events as trauma, and why, for example, being cheated on, is not trauma that leads to the specific condition of PTSD.

Edited to add: article can be found by googling "psychology today abuse of the term trauma"

 

[Chava]

"I’m also curious as to this language, “present with symptoms of PTSD.” Guess what, anxiety, Link Removed, Link Removedare all symptoms of PTSD. These betrayed spouses may show these symptoms, but they don’t have PTSD, they’re not showing signs of trauma, they’re just legitimately worried, sad and depressed over the course their life and relationship has taken."

Yes, that's the huge mistake. MANY disorders share symptoms with PTSD. But call every lousy sensation or difficulty functioning as a "trauma" response and you risk mismanaging the treatment.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Labeling as trauma the experiences of these partners of alleged sex addicts is clinically and diagnostically ludicrous. Worse, it’s offensive and diminishing to the experiences of people who have experienced true trauma, watched people die or had their bodies forcibly violated. Finding out that your partner has cheated on you is NOT the same as fighting a terrible war, losing friends to death, or being raped. Watering down the label of trauma, treating it so casually, stands the real risk of getting in the way of providing treatment to the soldiers and victims who truly need it.

EXACTLY!

And then what happens is these so called "traumatized" people are FIXED after a few months? People start to believe that true PTSD can be healed quickly. People think "I was traumatized and got over it, and so should you!"

People don't realize that PTSD is from a true threat that endangers someone's safety. Unless you've felt it, you have no idea how bad it is. Sorry, but having a sex addict partner doesn't cause this extreme threat to your safety and well being.

 

[NaeNae75]

I disagree. I think it, as anything, depends on the situation. What if the addict chose to have regular intercourse with at risk people? The partner of the addict has a real threat to their health, safety, and well being in those types of circumstances. I'm not speaking from experience, but to completely dismiss every situation is short sighted. What if the spouse was a woman that never worked outside of their home and found out after 30 years of marriage that her entire life was a lie and now she has no resources and ends up with nothing? No job, no home, no anything? It isn't normal, but it can happen. I would say that's a threat to their well being. Some of these people end up suicidal....that's a threat.

I don't think that it's good to generalize either way. I wad diagnosed with PTSD almost 20 years ago...so I understand how it feels. Have you lived with a sex addict partner? If not, than you don't know what type of reaction it causes in them anymore than they would know what type of reaction your trauma has caused in you.

I agree with you both, that entirely too many things are mis-labeled and subsequently lead to things being unfairly minimized. Believe me, I couldn't agree more...but all I'm saying is that even though in MOST cases it isn't "worthy" of a trauma label, in some cases I'm sure it is. I'm just saying that a blanket statement may be hasty.

 

[Sighs]

@NaeNae75 - a threat to wellbeing is not the definition of a Cri A event. I personally do not agree that losing a 30 year marriage - even if you are destitute as a result - or potentially having a STD - even a life threatening one - would cause the same chemical and physical changes in the brain that Cri A events cause. But hey... I;m not a doctor. I didn't write the DSM.

Those things are horrible and may well result in mental health issues. But not in PTSD. Because - by definition - PTSD requires a Cri A trauma.

If the sex addict spouse bashed them to within and inch of their life? Then that's a Cri A event - unrelated to the sex addiction. So, yes, some situations could result in PTSD. But not without a Cri A event.

Apologies if this come off as narky. Not having a good day.

 

[NaeNae75]

@NaeNae75 - a threat to wellbeing is not the definition of a Cri A event. I personally...

You're not coming off bad at all....I'm not saying I'm right by any means, but I'm playing devil's advocate. There are people that are diagnosed with PTSD based on the death of a loved one....that could also be said that it wouldn't cause the same changes...but it can too. What if it is ongoing and the spouse does experience the chemical and physical changes.

I too, am no where near a doctor, but there are professionals on both sides of this, so I'm sure there are reasons for that. I just don't want to say that someone else's experiences are minimal to mine because they weren't as bad....I've made that mistake, and I was wrong and will never do it again. I just want to remain objective.

 

[NaeNae75]

Oh, and I'm sorry you're having a bad day....truly. ((hugs))

 

[Chava]

And then what happens is these so called "traumatized" people are FIXED after a few months?

Right. So you'd think it could also water down and misguide trauma therapy training because "such and such" course of three month treatment "healed" trauma.

The partner of the addict has a real threat to their health, safety, and well being in those types of circumstances

I've had several of those "I hope I don't have HIV" moments. No, I don't believe that was the same as suffocation, near death or life support, or the same as abuse or rape. But blood tests and waiting was...stressful. Yes. Being diagnosed with HIV would probably be a very different level. But being "exposed" to "possible" disease could then be like my fear of brain tumor because I exposed myself to harmful solvents...except I don't have a fear of brain tumor, though I probably should (p.s. I've had biopsies for unusual tissue and had to wait around for that info too...very stressful, but not PTSD-causing).

a threat to their well being

Yes, but threat to "well being" does not affect the nervous system in the same way as threat to "life." We don't have the same extreme fight/flight response to threats to well being. We can be incredibly stressed, but don't get activated on the same primitive survival level. I actually have very shitty well being and oddly, I'm fine with it too often because I have low standards for myself, or lower expectations for my life. But I over-react to triggers related to life threat.

but there are professionals on both sides of this, so I'm sure there are reasons for that

The professionals on the side of Criterion A trauma are the trauma researchers. Those on the side of "trauma lite" are more often folks with M.As in psychology or social workers, not the trauma experts and researchers (or any of the general psych people who understand the DSM criteria for what it is).

 

[Friday]

I too, am no where near a doctor, but there are professionals on both sides of this, so I'm sure there are reasons for that.

For the same reason that doctors give bad advice outside of their specialty. You don't want a dentist, or even an oral surgeon, performing open heart surgery on your infant. You don't want. GP acting as a neurologist or psychiatrist. Good doctors? Unless you're stranded on a deserted island will not give medical advice out side of their specialty. They refer you to an expert.

Psych... Has "professionals" who range from

- no training required whatsoever "counselor" who has paid the state $30 for their license fee & background check (there are tens of thousands of these in my state alone).
- 3 month training program
- 2 year degree
- 4 year bachelors degree
- 6 year masters degree
- 8 year masters degree w 2 years oversight
- 9 year PhD program
- MD + residency + interning & 1-3 years specializing (that's a psychiatrist right there)

Of course, years & years in school doesn't make a good doctor, or a good psych pro. But it stacks the deck in your favor, over someone who just went and wrote a $30 check & hung up a shingle like Lucy in Charlie Brown comics!
__________

One of the things that people lose sight of is that there are far worse things out there than PTSD. Things that can absolutely destroy a person, without giving them PTSD. CritA trauma is a very specific precursor, to a very specific disorder.

Country-Song problems? (I lost my wife, my house, my truck, my dog) Drive people to suicide on a regular basis. No disorder needed. Pure despair. Losing a child? Again, suicide after suicide. No disorder needed. Pure grief. Other emotions? Jealousy has driven people mad. Rage has driven people mad. Grief, despair, jealousy, rage, hopelessness. These are not small things.

CritA trauma? Is the worst of the worst of trauma. Not life.

 

[Chava]

p.s. If I were to imagine someone being completely financially and everything dependent upon a spouse for several decades (like no financial or emotional support for themselves, no backup whatsoever), then found out they were sleeping with many other people and were brave enough to get out of the situation, I'd be willing to suggest I have no idea if my trauma is worse than their crisis (frankly I've known my trauma forever and adapted, but I'm f*cking sick of my adaptations...I'm really isolated and in regular pain at this point). It might take tons of effort to transform either situation. But they are deeply different and would require different therapeutic approaches, support, and skills.

I'm sick of the comparing for the sake of helping "trauma lite" feel validated. Total life crisis is still crisis and worthy of meltdowns and support and a long period of healing at times, but on a human nervous system level, the criterion A makes plenty of sense for distinguishing trauma. And the disruption caused by criterion A trauma is quite likely where the newer neuroscience will be leading the treatments if trauma-lite counselors and self-help authors can get out of the way and stop muddling things.

 

[Neverthesame]

This article needs to be a pamphlet in every psychologists office.

I really like the bit about misdiagnosis of a non critA event adding undue complications in proper treatment of people who have been through a unpleasant yet not traumatic life changing event.

I think quite a few of those people, wind up in a sort of grey area. I wouldn't doubt, after having your heart ripped out and trodden on by your husband or wife of 30 years. You probably feel lost and deeply hurt, but yet when you seek help, where to start?

It absolutely doesn't help if you see a doctor, are given a 5 minute assessment, handed a fancy label and shipped off to search the world wide web for the magic cure for what ailes you. I know a shocking number of people who wouldn't dare question the immeasurable wisdom of a doctor. I mean they spend years in medical school, of course they they can diagnose anything right?... Right? :grumpy:

I have personally had an orthopod fail to see a non-displaced fracture of a radius on an x-ray, because a tech put the little helper arrow at the wrong end of the bone. (but I digress, sorry)

The point, yes, ah.

The point is, how to help people find the actual help they need. I do actually mean need. With the example of the person who has had a 30+ year marriage fall apart, has no home, job or assets in their name. They are in a very bad place, a very serious place. They are not traumatized, but, wow. That's about as bad a hand as one can be delt. I think that person would need help. Not the same help I do. Meaning EMDR, CBT, ect, ect. But definitely, psychological help, suited for the type of issues they now face.

I would imagine it is easy to feel dejected when you have been given the screw you treatment from loved ones, only to find that you are looking in the wrong place for help, because your problems aren't bad enough. That would be easy to imagine, sounds more like "f*ck you, you big baby."
Than "You are looking in the wrong place. The help you need is not here. But keep looking, because you are indeed deserving of help, just different help."

That's what I got out of it anyways.

 

[Weemie]

i'm still laughing at the fact that people legit think you can get ptsd from infidelity.