Could i have cptsd from this?

[babybear]

Hello. I was diagnosed with PTSD about 8 months ago. I was sexually assaulted one night by someone I thought I knew when I was 18. Long story short, he would stalk me after cutting contact with them. I have read that prolonged traumas can cause the development of CPTSD. He stalked me for about a year after the assault, using family members to get closer to me. My T basically told me that my trauma didn't qualify (which was kind of disheartening at the time) for a CPTSD because it's from repeated traumatic events. But like I said mine was prolonged and for 2 years I felt that I was trapped by this guy. I show the additional symptoms of CPTSD like a change in identity and my sense of the world has become distorted. It's hard for me to connect with the emotions of my past I had before I was traumatized. I'm very curious to hear your opinions! Also I should note my T works for Kaiser Permanente, and I feel that she isn't connecting with me at all.

 

[Kintsugi]

Currently, only the ICD has cPTSD as a Dx. The DSM5 does not. I see that you're in the US; your T might not even recognize cPTSD as a Dx.

I have been told I have cPTSD, but ideologically I'm not really on board with the distinction. I don't think it matters enough to treatment, at least in my case, to be of any concern.

How would your treatment differ if your T said you had cPTSD instead of PTSD? What are the specific differences you feel your symptoms demonstrate that you feel aren't being represented by the Dx of PTSD?

 

[babybear]

After the assault I confided in my sister for comfort and support, as I was not ready to tell my parents. Instead of telling him to leave me alone like I asked, she kept in friendly contact with him. I should note that my sister is a selfish person and did not see how she was enabling him to stay in my life. I know they discussed things about me that she still won't admit (I snooped through her phone). By the time I sought help from others it had been a year. He was going to visit us. I felt trapped and figured I had no choice to tell my older brother, who finally threatened to call the cops on him. Between the trauma and the sense of betrayal I have in my sister, I became very distant from my friends and family. This eventually became dissociation/derealization, something I still struggle with. Despite telling my therapist all of this, she is focused on trying to diagnose me with ADHD. I'm worried that she will misdiagnose me and disregard the details of my trauma. This trauma happened to me when I was only a month into living alone on my own in college (something my attacker took advantage of) and I know it's normal for us to change when we get to college, but my perspective on people, myself, and the world has done a complete 180°. Even if I felt like I was capable of connecting with people I don't have to urge or energy to, and I always approach them with a negative bias (can't help it). I really do think that the world is ruled by selfishness and lack of empathy for others, despite knowing many great people. I keep distance from the rest of my family, even though they're doing their best to support and understand me. I just feel like if I let my guard down, another evil opportunist will take advantage of me again. To make sure this doesn't happen, I got tattoos and adopted a tough persona so people don't even think about interacting with me. I just wanted to get other people's insight, people that have been through similar experiences rather than my current T

 

[Deleted member 541]

@babybear I understand that you are upset. I have multiple traumas, so I guess that I have cPTSD. I don’t tell people this, I just say I have PTSD. Why??? Because basically it really doesn’t matter. Your sick, you need therapy, possibly medication, coping skills, learning about your triggers, stressors, boundaries, and a host of other things. People with PTSD and cPTSD need the same. So for me, it doesn’t matter. I hope that for you you can focus on getting help instead of the diagnosis between the two....

 

[babybear]

Yes I agree completely that the labels don't matter. But my mind just can't stop thinking about it. I have a hard time with labels, because then I mold my personal image around that label. Nasty habit, I know. Then constantly thinking about it makes me anxious and then I have a lot of self doubt. Did you or anyone else go through that? How do you not care so much? What did you do to separate your character from the labels?

 

[Deleted member 541]

@babybear I suggest that if you have a therapist that you work on this issue as it’s causing you distress. I don’t get hung up on labels, I have to many other issues that are more important to me. We’re all different though and what bothers me, might seem stupid to you!!!!

 

[Kintsugi]

I get hung up on labels, too, but the distinction between cPTSD and PTSD seems pretty arbitrary unless it directly relates to treatment. C-PTSD, cPTSD, Secondary PTSD... it's all PTSD.

I would focus more on the fact that you feel your T is not addressing PTSD but is focused on ADHD. Sounds like you two aren't seeing eye-to-eye.

 

[EveHarrington]

I wouldn't worry so much about PTSD vs CPTSD. I say I have PTSD even though a few therapists have mentioned CPTSD. I'm in the USA so it's a bit of a moot point. Treatment is tailored to you, not your label. At least this is what I have found.