DSM V - 2012 - PTSD Will Change Faces

[Claire]

I'm really mixed with this. I dont tend to say I have PTSD. Its not because I'm in denial but because I can do without people judging me using the little knowledge they have on the subject.

As PTSD is being used more and more for lesser traumas its diluting the term. That makes it look even worse when I try and use PTSD as an explaination of my situation. In all honestly I'd rather have something that no-one had every heard of.

 

[SunnyBrookFarm]

hmmm - just being newly diagnosed - I'm not even sure if I should comment - but I have to admit the change would bother me. For years, I knew I was different, I thought I was "crazy", my entire life was unsettled. Once I received my diagnosis it all clicked in my head and actually produced some calm. Now I don't share my diagnosis with many (in fact very few know), and even my husband has a hard time coming out of the mentality "well, blah blah happened to me and I overcame it" so I struggle with getting him to understand it's not that simple. I'm afraid if everything is lumped into this one category that others will feel it's that simple. Especially as some improve greatly (those with general stress disorders or even PTS) and then there are those of us left that are better but do have to manage this on a daily basis, what prevents that thought process from growing more?

 

[Lobo]

At this moment I feel like its just a governmant ploy to not help the vets comeing back from war. If the government can lable most everyone with PTSD it takes the burden off of them and on the vets alone. The government denied for several yrs that PTSD even exisited. And did not start treating anyone for yrs after. Yes Im a combat vet...and yes I am still bitter...but it makes sence to me...lol...sorry if I hurt anyones feelings...and excuse my spelling

 

[Tinyflame]

I think that's a good point, Lobo. In a way, it (potentially) minimizes what vets have gone thru/ go thru, by lumping people who've suffered lesser traumas with those who have endured horrific ones. I think that gives them way too much wiggle room to not have to admit and address the frequency and terrible cost that it causes to vets and their loved ones, and not have to acknowledge and assist them (financially, and otherwise) with ptsd to the same degree (-they don't adequately, already), let alone ensure measures to try to prevent it.

Not to mention, for those "misdiagnosed", they could potentially use that comparison and try to call (all) people "cured" eventually, when they are not, and still will require assistance.

 

[igasho]

Diagnosis are very important for health insurance companies... if they can get rid of having to pay for longterm therapy - they will... and if a complex ptsd would really be labeled as "incurable" - they could perhaps think treatment is not worth it anymore???

In germany ptsd is not a common diagnose yet... most docs don't even know that this diagnose exists - let go of the symptoms this describes... I found it even an improvement that they now have PTSD as a diagnosis as it points always to a trauma... someone did something to someone and ptsd is the effect of it...

This to me is a very important part of the ptsd-diagnosis as it puts emphasis on preventional-work... it gives a signal to society that something has to be done if they don't want to be burdened with plenty of people with ptsd...

Chronic disease - labeled incurable - could also lead to more enforced early retirement - and then the health insurance does not have to pay for it anymore but the local authorities that normally pay the pension...

Unfortunately i do not believe that the psychiatrists who decide on the diagnosis do this in order to help someone... i fear, in the end it is about money, and who will have to pay for the invalids...

Thanks Antony for bringing this issue here... also for naming the book "ptsd for dummies" - i never heard of it yet...

Friendly greetings
Igasho

 

[anthony]

Possible Logo, however; Combat PTSD diagnosis is pretty much going to happen I believe, to isolate combat vets immediately from any other. I am a veteran myself... so I have some thoughts about even this.

Igasho... your welcome. Some interesting points you raise... thank you. I agree, that this will maybe aid pharmaceutical and insurance companies getting out of their obligations and making more money. Lets be honest... insurance companies lost compassion decades ago... and became all money oriented. Same goes with pharma companies... in that we will never see a cure for anything, as there is no money in cures, only in providing constant medications to suppress or keep a disease / illness in check.

 

[liv now]

hmmm. This is all so new for me. I have been in intensive therapy weekly for over ten years and not once has anyone ever told me severe or complex ptsd was incurable. This is actually quite a shock. I was always told that no one really knew if it was curable and that it was possible to recreate new neural pathways and strengthen them so that I responded differently to triggers. I always thought I was working towards an end point where I was not triggered anymore. I have devoted so much time learning to cope with triggers and flashbacks and remembering and reliving trauma. maybe I was not ready to hear this until now.

 

[igasho]

Hi, dear Anthony,

me living in europe I decided some time ago to learn another language (besides english, a bit of french and german of course, my mothertongue), so I learned dutch. I got in contact with a consumer activist who had written a review on books that deal with antidepressants and antipsychotics and their longtime effects - critizicing the pharma lobby. I translated his script into english and german and thus learned a lot. You're quite true unfortunately, I believe.

Pharmaindustry is only interested in creating new diseases and supplying new meds for it. In Europe it is still forbidden for the pharmaindustry to place ads for meds, who have to be prescribed, but the pharmalobby is heavily working on it to get this changed. It is to be feared that a behavior outside of the "normal" range will then be even more condemned in public opinion than now already, thus putting more pressure on ptsd-sufferers.

Luckily enough there are also "counter-movements" visible like a dutch patient's organisation that offers seminars to business-companies "have you ever met a "normal" person?" - seminars to help people to get a better understanding of mental health problems and thus create more tolerance for it.

It is also because of this underneath the perception of the public ongowing lobbying of the pharmaindustry that I believe that public relations work is necessary for ptsd and other mental issues pointing to the causes of them.

By the way: I want to thank you for having created this site (together with Nicolette, if I understood it right?) - it is very impressive for me to read from people all over the world who all do suffer from the same as me. Gives me a feeling of being connected.

Friendly greetings
Igasho

 

[upstream]

Shades of Gray

Anthony,

I've always felt that you set the bar higher than I do for a PTSD diagnosis.

I think there are shades of gray under that bar that deserve attention and treatment. Maybe they don't suffer as much as some of the people on this forum, but we can probably agree that they need help.

In order for them to get help, someone needs to recognize that there's a problem. I think there needs to be a label for this recognition to happen, and PTSD seems applicable to me. However, I do think they could have created a better system of sub classes.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

 

[anthony]

Likely mate, yes... however; a label does exist under the DSM, being "acute stress disorder" which holds the same initial criteria for assessment, then only a few of the symptoms and the trauma itself is the difference to PTSD itself. The main aspect is that it is curable, where when a PTSD diagnosis is given, it isn't as seen by that physician.

I am not sure whether I set the bar higher or not, but more I really do try and ensure that people are meeting the criteria for this forum, as I am honestly not too interested in those outside of PTSD. There are forums for depression, for anxiety, etc... then there are forums for PTSD. I really don't want those who only suffer anxiety or depression due to a traumatic incident here, as it begins to dilute the real context of this forum, being all the symptoms and illness of PTSD. That is very much what I do enforce here... I really am not interested in those areas outside of a PTSD diagnosis.

 

[Shoka]

Here, Here Anthony, I whole heartedly agree.

When I started to research PTSD I was dismayed by the lack of good information. This site is the best out there in my humble opinion.

 

[anthony]

Thanks shoka... without a swollen head or anything, I agree with you. I have looked so much for decent PTSD info online and just fail to really come up with anything as detailed and all in one place as here. Yes, I have found a bit here, bit there, somewhere else, etc... but those good pieces have taken me even years to find, hence I put things here when I find something of importance. I guess most sites have their agendas and context... just as this one does.