Snowflakes
Platinum Member
Last night, before the data loss, there was a small discussion going on with a new member that his sufferer may not actually have PTSD. The point of saying this is it got me to thinking.
I came here to this forum after being with my sufferer for 10 years. In the beginning her diagnosis from her GP was depression and GAD. Much later a LCSW gave her a diagnosis of C-PTSD. Her present Psychologist and Psychiatrist haven't put a label, or name, or diagnosis yet and both are specifically not agreeing with the LCSW's diagnosis of C-PTSD.
Now I say all this because I am here and read recommended literature to learn so as to be a better supporter. Of all the therapy she has been to, including the couples therapy, I am most confident in the latest therapist.
In my mind, I believe she has C-PTSD because I am very aware of the chronic past trauma she experienced so that diagnosis from the LCSW fit the history. However, in my heart, "something" didn't feel right. While my sufferers actions mirrored many of your experiences here, the underlying reasons didn't seem right to me. The latest therapists reluctance to specifically call it C-PTSD and my sufferers thoughts and words coming out in these sessions are much different than, say, 5-10 years ago.
Someone wrote here during the data loss last night that the supporters responses to PTSD sufferer and other mental issue diagnosis' would be different. I can't pull it up because of the data loss but I remember reading it in the thread with the new member. So now I'm second guessing my "support" actions and words towards my sufferer. Like the new member last night, I wonder if I'm in the wrong place here although I honestly believe that if I was, you would have told me by now.
I am also learning that the therapist and the supporter can only know what the sufferer tells us. The difficulty being a supporter is the inability to read minds and the measure of a great therapist is the ability to pull out what the sufferer cannot know or say on their own.
I'm going to bring this up with our couples counselor but it "feels like" the counselor is leaning towards morbid jealousy and, in light of my more recent posts here, it is starting to "look like" morbid jealousy. Now I'll be the first in line to tell someone I can't, nor anyone here, diagnose my sufferer which is why I'll ask the Psychologist and Psychiatrist on our next visit.
This road just took an interesting turn.
I write this post in this specific forum because I value the thoughts of those that have read and supported my journey here.
I came here to this forum after being with my sufferer for 10 years. In the beginning her diagnosis from her GP was depression and GAD. Much later a LCSW gave her a diagnosis of C-PTSD. Her present Psychologist and Psychiatrist haven't put a label, or name, or diagnosis yet and both are specifically not agreeing with the LCSW's diagnosis of C-PTSD.
Now I say all this because I am here and read recommended literature to learn so as to be a better supporter. Of all the therapy she has been to, including the couples therapy, I am most confident in the latest therapist.
In my mind, I believe she has C-PTSD because I am very aware of the chronic past trauma she experienced so that diagnosis from the LCSW fit the history. However, in my heart, "something" didn't feel right. While my sufferers actions mirrored many of your experiences here, the underlying reasons didn't seem right to me. The latest therapists reluctance to specifically call it C-PTSD and my sufferers thoughts and words coming out in these sessions are much different than, say, 5-10 years ago.
Someone wrote here during the data loss last night that the supporters responses to PTSD sufferer and other mental issue diagnosis' would be different. I can't pull it up because of the data loss but I remember reading it in the thread with the new member. So now I'm second guessing my "support" actions and words towards my sufferer. Like the new member last night, I wonder if I'm in the wrong place here although I honestly believe that if I was, you would have told me by now.
I am also learning that the therapist and the supporter can only know what the sufferer tells us. The difficulty being a supporter is the inability to read minds and the measure of a great therapist is the ability to pull out what the sufferer cannot know or say on their own.
I'm going to bring this up with our couples counselor but it "feels like" the counselor is leaning towards morbid jealousy and, in light of my more recent posts here, it is starting to "look like" morbid jealousy. Now I'll be the first in line to tell someone I can't, nor anyone here, diagnose my sufferer which is why I'll ask the Psychologist and Psychiatrist on our next visit.
This road just took an interesting turn.
I write this post in this specific forum because I value the thoughts of those that have read and supported my journey here.