Diagnosis/therapy Questions

[Polly Sue]

I've been thinking about taking an actual diagnosis test to see if I may have ptsd. I'm pretty sure that I have it, and I think it would help me get better if I saw a therapist. How do you choose a psychiatrist/psychologist that you're comfortable talking to? Do most people just pick one with good reviews and then spill to a stranger all about your situation? Do you generally pick someone of the same gender as you? I don't think I'd feel comfortable talking to someone of the opposite gender about it. About how much does a diagnosis session cost?

Also, I've read that one therapy technique for people with ptsd is to visit the place where the event(s) took place, but in a safe and controlled way, or even approaching your abuser. If anyone has done this, does it help you feel less afraid of that place or that person?

 

[bell]

If I remember another thread of yours correctly, your abuse did not fit Criterion A for PTSD; therefore, be prepared to hear you do not have PTSD.

A few things about PTSD:
1. You have to be diagnosed to a doctor (so you're doing the right things).
2. There is NO cure, but it is possible to manage it pretty well.
3. PTSD sucks.
4. Most, if not all of us, here who suffer from PTSD really don't want to have it.

Sometimes people come on here and thanks to Google are obsessed with the fact they have PTSD, when, in fact, they don't. Therefore, when you see a doctor, listen to what they tell you (get a second opinion if need be) and don't get "stuck" on the fact you have PTSD, a soul destroying potentially life ruining disorder.

I think that some people want to have it because they think that if they have it, then their abuse happened and was that bad, even though people were telling you it wasn't. So in essence, a PTSD diagnosis is like a "See? I told you all along it was bad! I have PTSD!"

As far as referrals go, talk to trusted people about their docs, look online at doc reviews (but with a pinch of salt,) ask your doctor. You can usually say you don't want to talk to someone who is the same gender or looks like your abuser, most places are pretty accommodating.

 

[Polly Sue]

Thank you. See, I'm torn because I can't tell if my mom and other people are right that what I went through wasn't that bad and was just an everyday part of life, or if it was actual emotional abuse that had damaging effects on me. Because (yes, thanks to Google) I've read that bullying and public humiliation or what qualifies as emotional abuse can sometimes be even more damaging than other types of abuse (not saying that's true). And then I read about how people with ptsd commonly have histories of eating disorders, obsessive compulsive behavior, built up anger, a need to overachieve or build yourself up, etc., and I fit the bill for a lot of that. It makes me wonder if I did those things because I was constantly put down for a year, or if I would've done those things anyway even if that abuse never happened. So maybe I'm just worrying myself. But then when I start thinking positive thoughts like I probably don't have it, I still can't help feeling shocked or depressed about the fact that I put up with that abuse, and all these negative feelings hit me that I can't control. And I've read that people with ptsd experience symptoms around their anniversary date every year, and this second round of depression/worry/guilt/negative feelings started about a year after the last one ended. I'm just worried because I've been having a lot of mood swings in the past few days. Hopeful, somewhat happy, then depressed and worried, and unable to concentrate--never feeling like my normal self.

I'll give it a few more days before I go get tested. Again, I know that nobody wants ptsd, and I feel for all the people who do have it. Even if I end up not being diagnosed with it, I probably have more of an idea of what it's like than the average person and therefore I have sympathy for everyone who does have it.

 

[TonyG]

Firstly, go to your doctor and tell him/her how you feel and why you feel that way, The doctor will ask you some questions and if you fit a criteria you will get a referral to a psychologist, I was in a desperate state so just went to the one I was sent to.
It's not cheap $150 a visit for me so you need to get straight to the details of you trauma, and thats the hard part because when I went there I intended to unload my problems but it's not that easy to talk about, I have my third session in five days and I have a list of items to talk about but none of the items are easy for me to talk about,
I can't go back to the place where it happened, I just couldn't see that as therapy, one small step for me would be to talk about the event.
I am a male and the psychologist is female, works for me. At $2.50 a minute guess she must know what she is doing. I earn 73cents a minute so I have to get to the point as soon as possible,
Point is theres no cure,

 

[Polly Sue]

Okay, thank you, TonyG. I think I'd actually feel more comfortable talking to a psychologist than my regular doctor first, but I guess it doesn't work that way.

 

[TonyG]

No it doesn't, there doesn't seem to be enough psychologists to go around so they weed out the people that just need counselling or a chat.

 

[Ghostybear73]

I've been thinking about taking an actual diagnosis test to see if I may have ptsd.

Is there an actual diagnostic test for PTSD?

Most of us are very uncomfortable talking about our trauma, so we tend to be very picky. I have been in therapy for a while and I still can't seem to get the words out of my mouth to explain the depth of trauma I have endured, in fact, I still cringe at the use of the word torture. I tend to minimize everything to make it more tolerable. So no we don't just talk with any ol stranger, or at least most of us don't.

I think you are trying too hard to put a title on something that may or may not exist and in reality, nobody can do that but a therapist. I would strongly recommend visiting the other site that was recommended to you last year as I fear you will get more frustrated with the responses you get here, which is counterproductive and is not going to help with the current situation that you are going through and the stress and anxiety you already feel.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

For me, I literally just picked my therapist off of a website. I mean I read each therapist's profile and made sure they knew something about trauma therapy, but then I started choosing. I needed a female therapist and I did not entertain the idea of a male. That helped narrow it down. I was about to call one therapist when my therapist's picture just sort of jumped out at me. So far it's worked out. For me I talked to the therapist first before going to the doctor about it, which is good since my old doctor probably would have said there was nothing wrong with me like he did with everything (he even told my friend that anxiety really didn't exist). I certainly did not spill my whole story out to my therapist the first time I met her. I just told her some of the problems that I was dealing with and we took things extremely slowly (mainly because talking is super hard).

My therapist did take me back to the scene of my car accident. We went three times around the anniversary. It did not get much less scary. However, the first time I went, the feeling of power I got from facing my fear there was incredible. I felt free. It didn't last, but it was a feeling I can still recapture from time to time. But that's for a car accident. I don't think I would ever go back to where I was abused. Some would be impossible to go back to anyway as other people would be living in the houses.

Even if you don't have PTSD, you obviously have something troubling you so seeing a counselor would be a good idea. You don't have to have PTSD to have problems in your life. Nor do you have to have PTSD in order to seek support for helping you through the problems and feelings.

 

[Justmehere]

Polly, in the US you can go see a counselor or therapist without seeing a doctor. There are even online therapists. The key thing is figuring out how to pay for it. The cost can vary widely in the U.S. There are even sliding sale clinics if you can't afford much (some are good, some are not.). If you have health insurance, you can check with them how their coverage for therapy works and if you need a doc referral first.

It sounds like you do want to know from a professional if you do have ptsd and that's good to leave the official diagnosis up to them. They are the best person to figure out if you have a mental health diagnosis, and if so, which one, and how best to treat it.

The therapy you described is called exposure therapy. It is good for various kinds of anxiety based disorders other than ptsd. Regardless if you have PTSD or not, may be very helpful for you.

Even without ptsd, therapy can be very helpful for sorting out any distressing symptoms or obstacles you are facing now that could be connected to past events. I highly suggest giving it a go. At the very least, maybe it will help you have a little piece of mind and be a chance to explore what is going on in your life and what you would like to change - and most importantly, how to get there.

If you are just looking for a diagnosis, a doctor, therapist, or psychiatrist can all evaluate your symptoms and determine if you have a mental health diagnosis and what it would be if you do have one.

 

[joeylittle]

See, I'm torn because I can't tell if my mom and other people are right that what I went through wasn't that bad and was just an everyday part of life, or if it was actual emotional abuse that had damaging effects on me

Just to be very clear: it's not either it wasn't very bad or you have PTSD. It is absolutely very bad. And it can absolutely have damaging effects on you, long-term. Abuse can spin off all sorts of disorders.

What is important is that you have whatever your disorder is properly identified, because there are different treatment approaches to differing diagnoses. They all bear a resemblance to each other - but you want to go to someone who is great in their area. I started with my therapist for depression. I was lucky he's actually a trauma therapist. But the one thing he doesn't work with is eating disorders, because he knows he's not very good with it - that's just an example of how you want the right person for the job. If I was working on an eating disorder, I'd want someone else, not him. See?

You'll need to talk with the practitioner; and there's no test per se, but if you go to a psychiatrist, you will definitely fill out a number of evaluation forms. They will then talk to you.

Either way, just be honest about what happened. Let them hear you telling your story. They will get closest to the right answer that way.

 

[TonyG]

@Ghostybear73
Not sure if there is a test I just got told I met the criteria,
Doctors diagnosed Posible PTSD/ Anxiety
There are plenty of web sites wth self assessment check lists but the results have to be validated by a mental health professional.
These tests are mainly developed for combat troops on return from combat as a hand out, most guys I know chuck it in the bin because every question is exactly how they feel.
I just looked at one test sheet with 17 question and after 17 question if your score is more than 40 you could have PTSD, I hit 40 after 5 questions. So not sure if they are worth the paper they are written on.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I'm not seeing ptsd in anything you say. It gets irritating when people self diagnose via Google and then come here WANTING ptsd.

I'll bet dollars to donuts you don't have ptsd. Why? In the trauma unit we were told that people with ptsd try EXTREMELY hard to hide it all while those who don't just want a trendy label and try to fit the part.

I'm not trying to be rude but when umpteen different people come here wanting ptsd I want to smack them and ask what the hell is wrong with them!?!?! If you knew my hell you wouldn't want this f*ucking disorder.

Yes, I did take a diagnostic test and yes, it showed I have ptsd.