General Finally, Something Makes Sense!

[Lucy Loo]

My husband was diagnosed with PTSD a few years ago. I have read a lot about PTSD. I don't doubt that my husband was abused when he was little, but something always seemed "not quite right" about the PTSD diagnosis. He had a lot of the symptoms characteristic of PTSD, but also there have been so many other symptoms that could not be explained by PTSD. So I've wondered if the PTSD was a misdiagnosis or if there was something beyond the PTSD that could account for his other problems.

Yesterday, I was looking at some of his VA paperwork, and I noticed the diagnosis, "Schizoid Personality Disorder". I vaguely remember my husband mentioning this diagnosis, but he has had soooo many diagnoses from the VA, that I guess at the time it just went right by me.

So I looked up Schizoid Personality Disorder, and there was the answer to all my questions! Almost every characteristic/symptom that has bewildered me was listed as a criteria for schizoid personality disorder.

I don't know why it was so important for me to have a label or a name for his symptoms, but it was. I don't know that it has given me any "peace" about our situation, but at least it's brought a little more understanding to it.

 

[Nicolette]

Hi Lucy, what you wrote makes perfect sense. I think if you are dealing with something it actually helps to know what it is rather than just going through the motions. I personally like things to add up as I am rather logically minded so, to me, having the symptoms fit the diagnosis would help my understanding. I also think that it's more comforting knowing you are dealing with "an illness" rather than with some un-explained behaviour.