Does Ptsd Even Exsit, Is It Real, Or Do We Just Imagine It?

[ashdawn8287]

How come we all see to be struggling from the same thing, not being able to cope or develop healthy coping? Does it only rarely go away when people go through the emotions? Why can't we just all do we everyone tells us to do? Is it even real?

Interested to see what people say.

 

[surviving_it_all]

Bad experiences affect different people differently. It is true that with better coping skills, there would be less people affected by PTSD. If you read on here, you would see that some people have dealt with very traumatic situations at a very young age. Do you expect a 11-year old to have the coping strategies of a 33-year old? Some situations have are beyond normal coping strategies. A normal human being is not meant to see the devastation of war and death. The most effective treatment for PSTD is to learn strategies for coping with the trauma, however, these coping strategies are not necessarily the strategies that all adults have in day to day living.

 

[just me here]

Yes it is real, why would anyone invent the life we lead? This isn't an attempt to get sympathy or indulge in self pity.

A diabetic can be diagnosed by having their blood checked, they can watch their blood sugar levels spike and drop depending on what they have eaten.

I can go get hooked up to a bio feedback machine (basically a lie detecter) and watch my stress levels go all over the place when I just think about the events that trigger my PTSD response. If I was to get my adrenaline levels checked they would show tell tale spikes and overly long duration at elevated levels, there are measurable responses to events that are clearly not normal.

We also have measurable changes in parts of our brain, there are many indicators that make this diagnosis as real as testing positive for diabetes or any other physical ailment.

You are going to get alot of similar responses to this post, hope you get your interest satisfied.

 

[ashdawn8287]

I agree that it is real. I just wanted to see where it would take some of us, conversation wise. That is cool about the diagnosis though. I will have to read about that, thank you!

 

[ashdawn8287]

Surviving it all,

That gave me some comfort. Thank you.

 

[reddevil1111]

Your brain changes from the effects of ptsd. Its proven through pet scans and EKG's that the neuron patterns change the way they fire in the frontal lobe of the brain. Irreversible changes. PTSD is for life. I am a combat vet and the training/combat adds to even higher stress levels and a fight or flight instinct that most PTSD folks don't suffer from. Anger and rage are more common among combat vets with the beast as well. There is no little dose either. You either have this problem or you don't. I can't imagine why anyone would want to act like they have this problem if they really didn't have to.

I spend a lot of time in the sister site for combat vets. Honestly I cant stand a large portion of the touchy feel good group hug stuff that happens in here. Oh and having a moderator bulldoze my posts for grammar is #&$%ed. Seriously.

 

[ashdawn8287]

Thanks for responding. That's good you are on a sister site, I am as well, but it's the sister site for sexual abuse. I just asked this question to spark up some conversation with people. I guess I am just having hard time wrapping my head around my current diagnosis after years of denial. I don't feel very hopeful today. I am opposite of you I need that touchy feel good group hug stuff, but I understand people are different and need different things. Everyone responds to trauma the same, but also very different. What is it that you need?

 

[Red Feather]

For years now I have been struggling with the sensation that I am tricking myself. That I only need to devote myself completely to positive thinking and affirmations, and I would not have PTSD anymore. I do not know why I have this sensation, but there are events in my past that could lead to this wierd kind of fear. The truth is that when I get triggered, it is not wished for, and happens quite suddenly. And everytime this happens, I am again, surprised at these symptoms I can not control. It's confusing.

 

[ashdawn8287]

Yeah I feel the same. The confusion is what is really throwing me off. It's scary.

 

[WillThereBeCake]

its proven through pet scans and ekg's that the neuron patterns change the way they fire in the frontal lobe of the brain.

As Red Devil wrote, there are physical changes to the brain that can not be seen and documented. While I agree that coping skills can help mitigate the symptoms of PTSD, new research is now showing that not only are some people "primed" for it through earlier life experiences, but, and this will freak your mind, there are also inheritable changes to the DNA that we can inherit from our parents, and even our grandparents that relate to PTSD, Depression, even obesity.

Excuse the pun, but it's mind blowing stuff. I saw three separate studies this week all related somehow to PTSD. If the science is "your thing" then you can research Epigenics/PTSD (NOT eugenics, big difference :) ). You can also check out the TED talk on deep brain stimulation and check into the research on Trichostatin A.

Red Devil, thank you for your service!

 

[ashdawn8287]

Thank you. I am going to look that up now.

 

[WillThereBeCake]

there are physical changes to the brain that can not be seen and documented

Big Correction: That should read physical changes to the brain that can NOW be seen and documented. I contradicted my whole post with that one wrong letter. Sorry for that. Note to self: Coffee BEFORE posts. Check.